Digital Asset Management for Nonprofit Organizations

Nonprofit organizations advance causes that aim to make our world a better place. But because they often do so with limited resources, spending decisions require thoughtful consideration. 

Investments in new technology often have a significant impact on nonprofit budgets. But the right solution can create operational efficiencies that extend the reach and impact of an organization's work — and offset the initial cost. Let’s look at how Acquia DAM (Widen) customers are doing just that with their digital asset management (DAM) system. 

Benefits of DAM for nonprofits

With limited budgets, nonprofits need to be able to deliver a return on technology investments quickly. But to understand your return on investment (ROI), you need to know what challenges you’re looking to solve with your new tech. 

As your nonprofit grows, so does your content. Digital assets become scattered across hard drives, file sharing tools, and emails. Eventually, you find yourself spending more time searching for files than focusing on the creative work that supports your organization's mission. That’s why we see many nonprofits turn to DAM technology to help them organize content in one system, monitor content effectiveness, and ensure brand consistency.

A DAM solution allows organizations to manage, find, and distribute digital assets from a central hub. It ensures all teams and partners have secure access to the content they need to deliver meaningful experiences. Let’s explore some common DAM benefits. 

Organize content in one system

Technology that creates operational efficiencies can help lean nonprofit teams do more with less. By replacing various siloed storage locations with a single, searchable repository, DAM systems reduce the time teams spend looking for files, support collaboration between global stakeholders, and help organizations adapt to changing conditions. 

YMCA England & Wales uses Templates, a design tool within Acquia DAM, to further coordinate efforts across creative workflows. Each YMCA location has its own events and initiatives, and Templates allows anyone (designer or not) to easily find specific brand-approved collateral in the DAM system and adapt it to reflect their needs. Their former director of communications explained, “I now have a tool that I can use to create all of these materials, create an editable portion so that [YMCA staff] can change the date and location — but the rest of it is completely aligned with the event structure and the brand that goes along with it.”  

Monitor content effectiveness

DAM systems include analytics tools that capture asset activity and clarify who is using content when, where, and how. This data helps nonprofits identify opportunities to reuse and repurpose the best-performing assets and extend the value of that content.

Kent Scouts uses the Insights application in Acquia DAM to create dashboards that track this activity. Now, instead of starting from scratch each time, they leverage elements from existing assets in new ways. Their digital media manager shared, “Using our account analytics [Insights] we can get a feel for the popular downloads and track asset usage. This helps us to focus resources and increase the choice of the assets in line with the demand.”

Ensure brand consistency

Without strong brand awareness, nonprofits are constantly fighting an uphill battle to attract new donors, sponsors, and partners. A DAM platform supports the creation and distribution of on-brand materials across geographies, and helps nonprofits ensure their message is coordinated at every audience touchpoint. This brand consistency builds trust.

DNDi uses Acquia DAM to craft impactful, unified stories about their brand and mission. Their digital content officer said, “Whether we’re creating a brochure or trying to find a video, [Acquia DAM] has really bolstered our storytelling. Even when sharing photos with partners and journalists, our DAM solution has equipped us to disseminate assets in a quick, secure way, resulting in higher quality content.”

Maximizing the return on investment

When purchasing new DAM technology, nonprofits need to accelerate time to value and maximize the return on these investments. Key strategies to achieve this include:

1. Quality over quantity: In preparing for the launch of a new or replacement DAM solution, it’s wise to focus on the core assets that most users regularly need. As system adoption expands, so can the scope of content in the site.

2. Training: It’s impossible to overstate the importance of explaining the value of the DAM platform and how to use it. Live training sessions, user guides, and resources in the Acquia DAM community site can help showcase system benefits and nurture on-going user engagement.

3. Seek continuous improvement: Analytics tools can help teams make data-driven decisions around ongoing adjustments to metadata, upload profiles, and permission structures. These changes can improve site search, enhance the overall user experience, and even identify opportunities to integrate the DAM system with other marketing technology (martech) tools. 

Getting started

Stay focused on your mission, instead of finding and sharing files. With fewer resources than private sector companies, nonprofits can rely on DAM technology to refine processes, stretch every penny, and amplify their work in real and meaningful ways. To learn more about how Acquia DAM can support your unique brand and mission, request, watch, or click through a demo of our solution today.