Open Source information for nonprofits

I work at a nonprofit that develops Open Source software. We do this to provide low-cost human resource information systems to Ministries of Health in low-resource countries that they can then take ownership of and customize for their own needs. All the costs are for infrastructure, training and maintenance — none for software. In the world of human resource information systems, that’s a big savings.

But our nonprofit, I have to confess, doesn’t always use Open Source software internally. This is has been a subject of much debate. There are cultural issues — how do you take away Microsoft Office from employees who have been using it productively for most of their careers and ask them to learn something new? There are also support, administration and compatibility issues. We take the same attitude internally that we do when we begin a software implementation project in one of our client countries — we choose what is most appropriate for the context in which we are working, even if that means choosing proprietary software in some cases.

I confess, though, that I wish that we adopted more Open Source programs internally. We do use them where it makes sense, such as for web servers and applications (blogs, CMS, online databases) where there are lots of choices and support is well-established. And I am proud to say that we are using our own Open Source HRIS internally, with plenty of customizations, of course.

I’ve dug up a few links that can help a nonprofit move to Open Source, if it so inclined:

• Choosing and Using Free and Open Source Software is a primer for nonprofits from the Nonprofit Open Source Initiative. The updated version was just released in October. It includes case studies, a suggested evaluation process, tips for finding support and some software toolkits.
• NGO in a Box is a collection of Open Source tools, already culled and evaluated, that a nonprofit can begin using right away. It includes everything you need to set up a small or medium-sized office, plus tools for publishing, producing multimedia and using mobile phones for advocacy. If you use this resource, a lot of the hard work has been done for you.
• Open Source Software for Public Health – If your nonprofit operates in the public health arena, this wiki is a great resource to identify tools and resources specific to public health work.

Open Source software makes sense for nonprofits. It’s low cost, getting involved connects you to communities of volunteer support and development, and using it promotes values of openness, collaboration and giving back.