Charities

Nonprofits and charities of medium size:

  • Prospero is pleased to help an international charity working in Asia and Africa with offices in the UK.
  • This led to Prospero helping 3 further international charities.

We would be delighted to use our skills and energy to help future non-profit and charity customers.

Previous works with charities has included:

  • Accessing Microsoft Azure credits
  • SharePoint
    • Consultancy, setup, support
    • Training -> train the trainer
  • Azure Virtual Desktop
  • Worked with IRIS software to assist with a PSF migration from server to server

Project and Programmes database

Prospero is working with an international charity to build a programmes and projects database. This database will track project status, budgets and spend and will output to Power BI dashboards.

This will improve process and improve visibility of information for decision makers.

The software may evolve. In particular it is likely it may integrate with other solutions.

October 2024

Case Study - Grant applications

Disability justice fund grant applications

A disability charity client launches a justice fund for women.

They asked for advice about collecting grant applications. After deciding to collect the information through an adoption of their existing website form system the charity had received a large number of applications in a csv format.

Prospero then assisted the charity in processing the csv file with a small amount of code which helped them transfer the data into individual MS Word documents. These documents could then be stored on SharePoint for local women to process and review the applications.

September 2024

Donation Reconciliation for nonprofits

Introduction

Charities can receive donations in several systems such as a website, JustGiving and other payment systems such as:

  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • JustGiving
  • (GoCardless)

Charities may then need to reconcile with:

  • Bookkeeping software
  • Donation management software

Background

Prospero Software has lots of relevant experience:

  • Documentation on SharePoint both for Prospero and for the client
  • Problem solving techniques
  • SQL Server database
  • Integration services - for data integrating data

Solution

Prospero Software worked with a client to research the necessary reports to export from each piece of software. It is then possible to record matches either using transaction reference numbers or by matching dates and values.

Reconcile in Excel - not best

Advantages:

  • In-house from procedures

Disadvantages:

  • Difficult
  • Time consuming
  • Subject to errors
  • Due to difficulty it may be done less often

Note: There are fewer payouts to bookkeeping so this would be easier

Software solution - better

Bringing the exports into a database makes it a lot easier to reconcile:

  • Fewer steps making it easier and quick
  • Repeatable
  • Iterative development for both quality and feature
  • May be done more regularly - improving organisation intelligence
  • Future features
    • Analysis - possibly Power BI
    • Makes it easier to work with gift aid
  • Adjacent possible:

By introducing a database and software you introduce the possibility of solving other data issues, increasing automation, and reducing costs while improving information supply.

As a nonprofit the database costs may fall within the cost of your cloud credit. See: Benefits for nonprofits

Recommendations

ADD International

Here at ADD International we are working with Stephen to implement a number of initiatives as we become more involved in today's hybrid working, moving away from physical servers and using Microsoft SharePoint & Azure as our main platforms. Have been very impressed with Stephen's knowledge and willingness to be flexible as to meet our needs. Can thoroughly recommend him as an IT professional.

Andy Neeve

Director of Finance and Operations

November 12, 2021

ADD International is an ally to the global disability movement.

Benefits for nonprofits

Microsoft generously offers nonprofit benefits in both Microsoft 365 and Azure credits

Microsoft and their commitment to nonprofits Azure benefits with annual credit of $2000 (correct as of March 2025) Dynamics 365 and PowerPlatform

Software discounts are available from the Charity Digital Exchange