Gregg Hawn founded TechnologyGives to facilitate coordination between technology partners and charitable entities.
Gregg is a technology, contracts and legal professional based in Washington, D.C. Gregg has over fifteen-years experience advising technology companies, corporations, and contractors with respect to the negotiation, drafting and enforcement of public and private sector and commercial contracts, licensing agreements, media agreements, master agreements, teaming agreements, NDAs, RFPs and related documentation.
Gregg has counseled technology contractors and companies on the interpretation and application of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFAR) and agency specific procurement rules and regulations. His experience also extends to contracting and compliance best practices; including development and implementation of contracting procedures, codes of conduct, and employee trainings.
Gregg has advised Fortune 500 companies on information technology, intellectual property, data rights, privacy and related complex contractual terms and conditions. Gregg has a proven track record of success in contractual, regulatory and compliance first point of escalation and problem resolution.
Gregg Hawn actively supports charitable and community initiatives, including the National Capital Area Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and technology centric charities.
How did you get started in this business? What inspired you to start this business?
There are a number of nonprofit and charitable organizations globally dedicated to making technology more accessible and affordable. However, there is often a disconnect between organizations with the desire and drive to support charitable efforts and the non-profit entities themselves. This includes non-profit and charitable organizations who are not technology centric or motivated.
TechnologyGives was founded to assist those non-profits that have a need for technological insight or support and to allow them to focus on their overall mission rather than technology. The intent is to further enable non-profit organizations to obtain the information they need to make smart decisions about obtaining, implementing and refining technology at their organizations.
How do you make money?
Technology Gives operates on a non-profit basis. The organization’s mission is to align for non-profit and for profit technology organizations and other suppliers with non-profit and charitable organizations who have corresponding needs.
How long did it take for you to become profitable?
From an operations perspective, using a lean startup methodology was effective in reducing the organization’s launch costs and streamlining procedures.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
The nonprofit world, along with the for-profit industry, is changing rapidly with the advancement of technology, including the cloud, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity. This evolution necessitates a continued need to assess and reassess the nature and type of technologies beneficial to non-profits and their missions. By partnering with both technology suppliers and non-profits, TechnologyGives regularly helps both sides assess these evolving needs and connects best suited partners.
How did you get your first customer?
TechnologyGives was initially founded based on a manual outreach process of identifying non-profit and charitable organizations with technology needs and technology partner providers.
What is one marketing strategy (other than referrals) that you’re using that works really well to generate new business?
There are a number of non-profit technology centric organizations, both domestically and globally. This includes organizations like TechSoup Global, an organization that, among other things, assists nonprofits and schools in obtaining computers, Code for Progress, a nonprofit dedicated to bringing women and minorities into the coding workforce through investment in technical training, Code.org, an organization dedicated to expanding participation in computer science and making it available in more schools around the US, and One Laptop Per Child, an organization that assist with providing low-cost, low-power laptops to underprivileged children around the world.
TechnologyGives leverages the knowledge and insight of these existing organizations and its partners to further its mission. TechnologyGives also relies on the support of the community and its volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to furthering this important cause.
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?
According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics there are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations registered in the U.S. This number includes public charities, private foundations, and other types of nonprofit organizations.
Identifying those organizations with specific needs and aligning them with the right technology and partners is always a challenge. After an organization in need and technology supplier and/or advisor has been identified, aligning the right parties and technologies is an ongoing process that often needs to take into consideration both the immediate and future needs of the organization.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
The mission of TechnologyGives is driven by a focus of charitable outreach and providing innovations that improve people’s lives and the world around us. TechnologyGives’s success is rooted in this commitment to its core mission and drive.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
Every non-profit organization should have a mission that is associated with producing a public benefit. The ability to provide technology resources to those individuals and organizations that have the greatest need and witness the changes produced in those organizations, their employees and individuals and their communities is the most satisfying impact.
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
TechnologyGives is focused on expanding its outreach and looking for new ways to assist nonprofits and charities take full advantage of new digital channels and innovative technologies that could maximize their reach and success.
What business books have inspired you?
Hit Refresh – Satya Nadella
Consumption Economics: The New Rules of Tech – J.B. Wood
Leaders Eat Last – Simon Sinek
Start with the Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action – Simon Sinek
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – Carol Dweck
What is a recent purchase you have made that’s helped with your business?
Obtaining support focused on SEO, marketing and outreach have been extremely beneficial to the visibility and presence of the organization and its mission.
What technological innovation has had a great recent benefit to nonprofit organizations?
A number of nonprofit and charitable organizations have benefited greatly from migration to the Cloud. A number have reportedly experienced reduced costs, the ability to work from multiple devices including mobile platforms, a streamline of information flow, modernized technology systems, and the ability to manage technological resources more efficiently.