| This exploratory study examined how grassroots social justice organizations used Information Technology (IT) to further their organizational goals. The study identified and examined grassroots organizations acknowledged as successful users' of IT. The study identified the barriers to technology adoption, and important factors leading to successful utilization. The major findings of the study are the identification of seven promising practices that the successful organizations employed and how these could benefit other small, grassroots nonprofit organizations.; The study interviewed 24 organizers from grassroots organizations in 15 states identified as making innovative and/or successful use of IT. The organizations comprised activist groups working on issues of the environment, poverty, arts, abuse, addiction, AIDS, day care, media, prison and reproductive rights.; Quantitative and qualitative data were used to identify seven promising practices common to most of the organizations. These were: (a) reaching the technology threshold, (b) obtaining dedicated funding earmarked for technology, (c) receiving specialized nonprofit technology assistance, (d) targeting the use of technology to meet constituent needs, (e) developing a technology plan, (f) using innovative program ideas, and (g) collaborating to obtain resources.; All the successful groups received dedicated technology funding, which was viewed as both critical and relatively small ({dollar}7,500 average). This suggests that there is a potential to leverage funds to achieve significant results. Participants saw "Circuit Riders," a new model of IT assistance for nonprofit groups, as critical to success through leveraging limited resources. Once organizations reached a minimal level of IT, their targeting of one area of technology to meet the critical needs of their constituency was critical to effectiveness. These findings suggest the potential of much greater impact at lower cost than previously considered probable funders and planners.; Finally, collaboration with other organizations---to leverage technology skills, equipment, and funds---was the major way organizations achieved significant use of innovative technology. The study concludes that it is the interplay of the seven promising practices, employed by the most successful organizations, that holds lessons and promise for the future use of technology in small nonprofit organizations. |
