Apparo, MetLife Foundation back 13 nonprofits on technology and cybersecurity

Apparo and MetLife Foundation finished a 10-week cohort that paired 13 nonprofits with technology mentors to improve digital operations, cybersecurity, and AI readiness. The effort delivered 199 volunteer hours worth $196,480 and aimed to help small organizations build long-term resilience.

Why it matters: - Nonprofits are facing more cybersecurity risk, faster-moving AI tools and higher expectations for digital service delivery. - Many small and mid-size organizations do not have enough staff time, money or in-house technical expertise to keep up. - Stronger technology systems can help nonprofits work more efficiently and focus more resources on their missions.

What happened: - Apparo and MetLife Foundation completed a 10-week Technology Foundations Cohort for 13 nonprofit organizations. - The cohort was designed to help participants strengthen technology strategy, improve operations and use digital tools more effectively. - The program paired each nonprofit with a Technology Mentor who worked directly with staff throughout the cohort. - The cohort included organizations serving education, youth development, workforce readiness, housing, food security, transportation and community development.

The details: - Participants took part in a four-part workshop series covering technology planning, cloud collaboration, cybersecurity, digital marketing, artificial intelligence and business process improvement. - Nonprofits also received individualized mentoring and ongoing Tech Therapy Office Hours after the workshops. - Mentors from MetLife, Cardinality.ai, Volvo Group and other technology leaders volunteered during the program. - Volunteers contributed 199 hours of service. - Apparo said that volunteer time delivered $196,480 in value to the participating nonprofits. - Apparo is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based nonprofit that connects nonprofits with technology expertise and resources. - Apparo says it has served nearly 1,500 nonprofits since it was founded through skilled volunteer projects, education, cohort programs and grant support. - The organization’s website is More information.

Between the lines: - The cohort combined training with hands-on help, which is often more useful than one-time workshops for organizations with limited staff capacity. - The model also gives corporate volunteers a direct way to apply professional skills to community needs. - Apparo framed the partnership as a long-term capacity-building effort, not a short-term technology tuneup. - MetLife Foundation’s support and employee volunteers gave the program both funding and expertise, which can make the impact more durable.

What's next: - Participating nonprofits are expected to keep using the strategies and tools they learned after the cohort ended. - Apparo plans to continue pairing nonprofits with technology expertise through education, mentoring and volunteer support. - The partnership sets up a template for future cohorts that could reach more organizations dealing with similar technology gaps.

The bottom line: - Apparo and MetLife Foundation used skilled volunteering and targeted training to help 13 nonprofits strengthen the technology foundation they need to serve communities more effectively.