8 Tech Nonprofits Changing the World with Innovation
Many people seek new charities to become involved with — whether through volunteer opportunities or monetary donations.
The nonprofit world, along with every for-profit industry, is changing rapidly with the advancement of technology. And now, many nonprofits are dedicated to making technology more accessible, affordable, secure, and simpler for everyone. Let’s highlight eight of them.
1. NPower
NPower is a nonprofit dedicated to providing underserved groups, including underresourced young adults and military veterans, with access to education and skills training in the technology sector. It offers free courses in areas like cybersecurity, coding, and cloud computing and fosters partnerships with other nonprofits and educational institutes to expand access to tech talent.
Mission
Helping military-connected individuals, young adults, and women from underresourced communities launch digital careers.
Location
New York City
Year founded
1999
Tech offering
Tech training, job placement assistance, and support services.
2. Center for Democracy and Technology
The Center for Democracy and Technology is a nonprofit that works to preserve the user-controlled nature of the internet and freedom of expression. Its main focus areas include promoting privacy and data security, ensuring government surveillance accountability, safeguarding free expression online, and supporting an innovative internet. It does this through policy research, providing legal and technical expertise, and collaborations with advocacy groups, governments, and tech companies.
Mission
Advocating for policies that ensure privacy, free expression, and an open internet.
Location
Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Europe
Year founded
1994
Tech offering
Research papers, events, tech policy advocacy.
3. Child’s Play
Child’s Play is a game industry charity dedicated to improving kids’ lives in hospitals by providing them with games and consoles. Anyone can donate games to one of Child’s Play’s over 190 hospital partners. The organization provides an Amazon wishlist, and hospitals can apply to become part of the network to get games for younger patients.
Mission
Improving the lives of children in hospitals and domestic abuse shelters by providing them with toys, games, and technology.
Location
Redmond, Wash., but donates to hospitals worldwide.
Year founded
1974
Tech offering
Video games and consoles for children and teens in hospital.
4. Code.org
Code.org is dedicated to expanding participation in computer science and making it available in more schools around the U.S. They work to change policy to make STEM education and computer science part of the core curriculum in all grade levels. The nonprofit also runs the “Hour of Code,” a global initiative that aims to introduce students to computer science through one-hour coding activities.
Mission
Expand access to computer science education at school and increase participation among underrepresented groups, such as young women.
Location
Seattle, Wash.
Year founded
2013
Tech offering
Free coding courses and learning resources, computer science curriculum for K-12 students, and professional development workshops for educators.
5. KoBo
KoBo is a nonprofit that hosts and maintains the KoboToolbox, an open-source suite of tools for data collection and analysis during humanitarian emergencies. KoboToolbox is provided free of charge to other nonprofits in the humanitarian, global development, environmental protection, and human rights sectors. Use case examples include tracking data about displaced families in Ukraine, and measles and typhoid immunization data in Pakistan. KoBo is partnered with the United Nations Refugee Agency and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Mission
Improving data collection methods in humanitarian crises by providing KoboToolbox to nonprofits for free.
Location
Cambridge, Mass., but works with global charities.
Year founded
2005
Tech offering
Open-source data collection tools.
6. The Guardian Project
The Guardian Project makes simple, secure apps, open-source libraries, and customized mobile devices for anyone, whether they are citizens, journalists, or humanitarian organizations, to safeguard their online work from interception and monitoring.
Mission
Developing open-source mobile tools for secure communication, especially in environments where surveillance and censorship are prevalent.
Location
New York City
Year founded
2010
Tech offering
Open-source apps for secure communication and personal data.
7. TechSoup
TechSoup, a San Francisco-based organization, focuses on two main ideas: nonprofits and schools need computers but face many obstacles, including a lack of resources and many talented people in computer science and technology who want to contribute to big causes. TechSoup connects those ideas by offering discounted software, hardware, and tech support to other nonprofit organizations, libraries, schools, and foundations.
Mission
Providing affordable nonprofits, schools, and other organizations with access to technology products and services.
Location
Worldwide
Year founded
1987
Tech offering
Software such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, and QuickBooks; hardware such as laptops, desktops, projectors, and networking gear. It also offers tech support and cloud services.
8. DataKind
DataKind is a nonprofit that aims to use data science and artificial intelligence to solve real-world problems. They connect tech experts with mission-driven groups to help make sense of their data and create better solutions for issues like climate change, financial inclusion, and health crises. Its team also builds new tools and hosts hackathon-style events to help solve problems. Examples of its work include optimizing vaccine distribution and streamlining data access to improve flood response.
Mission
Providing nonprofits, governments, and social impact organizations with the data science and AI resources they need to tackle global issues.
Location
Worldwide
Year founded
2012
Tech offering
Data science and AI expertise, software tools for data analysis.