Tech To The Rescue (TTTR) is a Polish-based global nonprofit platform that matches tech companies with nonprofit organizations to help scale and grow social impact using digital solutions on a pro bono or low bono basis. TTTR aims to set a new standard in the tech industry by developing pro bono partnerships with nonprofit organizations. The idea of the initiative emerged in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. By 2021, TTTR was formed with seed funding from a coalition of ten tech companies in Central Europe. The organization has also received a $500K USD grant from Google’s philanthropic arm and continues engaging new partners and leveraging venture capital funds to maintain and scale its work. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, TTTR has focused its efforts on supporting Ukraine-related digital solutions. Within days, their #TechForUkraine campaign engaged over 450 tech companies in Poland and elsewhere that were willing to support Ukrainian and international nonprofits.
COVID-19 Response
The initiative was created to enhance the resilience and operations of NGOs during the pandemic. Within a few weeks, 140 tech companies worldwide volunteered their resources, and 60 nonprofits made requests for support.
Theory of Change
Facilitating the connection between non-profits and tech experts can provide critical human capital needed for strengthening resilience, efficiency, and solidarity across sectors and international civil society organizations.
Activities
TTTR matches non-profits and tech companies based on the expertise needed and preferred level of engagement in e-commerce, web apps, mobile apps, scalable systems, machine learning, data science, business intelligence, cybersecurity, design, blockchain, infrastructure, and consulting. The matching model utilizes a network of Tech Companies that pledge to contribute at least one pro-bono or low-bono project per year. TTTR plays a critical role in conducting a case-by-case evaluation of compatibility in joint ventures. The TTTR team then facilitates matching and early engagement between the Tech company and the nonprofit. TTTR also offers NGO in-house resources, including access to curated databases for learning about scaling tech solutions and potential impact. They share case studies and models that show possible solutions for similar challenges across organizations and directly connect to the supported “changemakers.”
Results
Since its founding, over 250 tech companies and over 300 nonprofits have joined the TTTR network. An estimated 1 million individuals across 12 countries have been positively impacted. TTTR has delivered more than 50 pro-bono collaborations, impacting millions of lives. Achievements include data management solutions, chatbots, apps, and more to support humanitarian response, LGBTQ advocacy, food sustainability, animal rights, and other causes. TTTR plans to match 240 projects in 2022. The #TechForUkraine campaign has matched 24 projects and intends to launch an estimated 100 digital projects for NGOs in the region within the next three months. Now, TTTR is calling on the tech community and investors for financial support to carry on #TechForUkraine efforts, estimated to positively impact the lives of two million people. TTTR is currently raising funds toward an endowment of $5M USD that will solidify its goal of setting a pro bono standard in the IT industry to ensure that all NGOs have access to technological solutions.
