Foundation Training Series

Cybersecurity, Explained for Nonprofits

A practical, two-part training series built for the people who actually run small and mid-sized nonprofits — executive directors, operations staff, and the board member who got volunteered for "the tech stuff." No jargon. Real threats. A checklist you can use on Monday.

Register for the Series

Built for small budgets and small teams

Most cybersecurity training is written for IT departments that nonprofits don't have. This series is different. It assumes no technical background, focuses on the threats that actually reach organizations like yours, and gives you concrete, low-cost steps you can act on without hiring anyone. Two hours total, taught in plain language.

2

one-hour sessions, taught live and recorded for on-demand access

0

prior technical knowledge required to follow along

2

one-page checklists you keep and put to work right away

What you'll learn

Two sessions that build on each other: first you'll understand the threat, then you'll build the defense.

1

Session One · 60 min

Why Nonprofits Get Targeted

Attackers don't skip small organizations — they prefer them. This session shows you what an attack on a nonprofit actually looks like, using real scenarios instead of abstract warnings.

  • The donation-redirect email and the fake "urgent" request from your director
  • Why reused passwords are the most common way in — and what it costs you
  • What's really at stake when donor and client data is exposed
  • How to spot the warning signs before money or data leaves the building
2

Session Two · 60 min

The Baseline That Fits Your Budget

Knowing the threat is half of it. This session gives you the practical baseline — the handful of steps that stop the overwhelming majority of attacks, all achievable on a nonprofit budget.

  • Turning on multi-factor authentication everywhere that matters
  • Using a password manager so your team stops reusing logins
  • Device basics — including what a donated or refurbished laptop is missing
  • Backups, and a one-page "we got breached — now what" response plan

How the training works

Attend live or on demand

Join the live sessions to ask questions in real time, or watch the recordings on your own schedule. Registration includes access to both.

Bring your whole team

Security is a team habit, not a solo job. One registration covers your staff and board — the more people who attend, the stronger your organization's baseline.

Leave with a checklist

Each session ends with a one-page checklist of concrete actions. No vague advice — a list you can work through and check off.

Developed & Taught By

Orderly Ops

This training series is developed and delivered on behalf of the Nonprofit Financial Sustainability Foundation by Orderly Ops (OrderlyOps.com), a cybersecurity consultancy that specializes in bringing enterprise-grade security practices to nonprofits and small businesses. The curriculum is led by Dr. William Dunbar — PhD, AWS-certified Solutions Architect, and U.S. Army veteran — who has spent his career making serious security understandable for organizations without an IT department.

The Foundation partners with independent experts to bring you the best available instruction. This training is educational and vendor-neutral; it recommends practices, not products.

Register for the Training Series

Reserve your organization's spot. You'll receive the live session schedule and on-demand access details by email.

Reserve Your Spot

Questions about the series? Get in touch with the Foundation.