What's up with the TechSoup Global/GuideStar International Merger?

TechSoup Global [2] (TSG) merged [3] with GuideStar International [4] (GSI) last week. Idealware readers are likely well-familiar with TechSoup, formerly CompuMentor, a nonprofit that supports other nonprofits, most notably through their TechSoup Stock [5] software (and hardware) donation program, but also via countless projects and initiatives over the last 24 years. GuideStar International is an organization based in London that also works to support nonprofits by reporting on their efforts and promoting their missions to potential donors and supporters.

I spoke with Rebecca Masisak and Marnie Webb, two of the three CEOs [6] of TechSoup Global (Daniel Ben-Horin is the founder and third CEO), in hopes of making this merger easier for all of us to understand. What I walked away with was not only context for the merger [7], but also a greater understanding of TechSoup's expanded mission.

Which GuideStar was that?

One of the confusing things about the merger is that, if you digested the news quickly, you might be under the impression that TechSoup is merging with the GuideStar that we in the U. S. are well acquainted with [8]. That isn't the case. GuideStar International is a completely separate entity from GuideStar US, but with some mutual characteristics:

• Both organizations were originally founded by Buzz Schmidt [9], the current President of GuideStar International;
• They share a name and some agreements as to branding;
• They both report on the efforts of charitable organizations, commonly referred to as nonprofits (NPOs) in the U.S.; Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the U.K.; or Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) across the world.

Will this merger change the mission of TechSoup?

TechSoup Global's mission [10] is working toward a time when every nonprofit and NGO on the planet has the technology resources and knowledge they need to operate at their full potential.

GuideStar International [11] seeks to illuminate the work of every civil society organisation (CSO) in the world.

Per Rebecca, TechSoup's mission has been evolving internally for some time. The recent name change from TechSoup to TechSoup Global is a clear indicator of their ambition to expand their effectiveness beyond the U.S. borders, and efforts like NGOSource [12], which helps U.S. Foundations identify worthy organizations across the globe to fund, show a broadening of their traditional model of coordinating corporate donors with nonprofits.

Unlikely Alliances

TechSoup opened their Fundacja TechSoup office [13] in Warsaw, Poland two years ago, in order to better support their European partners and the NGO's there. They currently work with 32 partners [14] outside of the United States. The incorporation of GSI's London headquarters strengthens their European base of operations, as well as their ties to CSOs, as both TechSoup and GSI have many established relationships. GSI maintains an extensive database [15], and TechSoup sees great potential in merging their strength, as builders of relationships between entities both inside and outside of the nonprofit community, with a comprehensive database of organization and missions.

This will allow them, as Rebecca puts it, to leverage an "unlikely alliance" of partners from the nonprofit/non-governmental groups, corporate world, funders and donors, and collaborative partners (such as Idealware) to educate and provide resources to worthwhile organizations.

Repeatable Practices

After Rebecca provided this context of TSG's mission and GSI's suitability as an integrated partner, Marnie unleashed the real potential payload. The goal, right in line with TSG's mission, is to assist CSOs across the globe in the task of mastering technology in service to their missions. But it's also to take the practices that work and recreate them. With a knowledge base of organizations and technology strategies, TechSoup is looking to grow external support for the organizations they serve by increasing and reporting on their effectiveness. Identify the organizations, get them resources, and expose what works.

All in all, I'm inspired by TSG's expanded and ambitious goals, and look forward to seeing the great things that are likely to come out of this merger.