In order to function as a team, nonprofit board members need tools that allow for communication. They often deal with sensitive information that can be a catastrophe if it falls into the wrong hands, and must be kept secure. Despite the widespread use of digital communications, such as texting, emails and messaging apps they aren’t sufficiently secure to be used in board business, making boards at risk of cyberattacks.

Nonprofit board members are volunteers who bring a wide range of skills, knowledge, and expertise to their roles. Many also have other jobs or careers. Having these various obligations and responsibilities, however, can make it difficult to maintain a constant contact with one another.

The good news is, the right technology can aid. Integrating a chat, message and collaboration platform with a board management system or a document management system can improve the flow of information, avoiding duplicates and data loss. It also helps protect against a cyberattack and safeguard confidential conversations and documents.

Volunteer board members are typically prominent people who have access to highly sensitive information. Hackers target them with ransomware or phishing attacks in which they threaten to release sensitive data without payment unless a specific amount is paid. Additionally, to these risks, boards can be subject to consequences from regulatory authorities and lower trust if sensitive information is accidentally shared via unsecure channels such as email or a personal device. To avoid these issues the ideal solution should include strict cybercheckboxes and an audit trail in order to protect the confidentiality and integrity of data.

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