Modernising for Growth: Using Free and Low-Cost Tech to Improve Community Transport Operations
Mr Roger Goodwin
Community Transport Week (CTWeek) this year focuses on our CTA Manifesto and the ‘Community Solutions’ our members deliver daily to their local areas. Each day of CTWeek, we’re highlighting a key priority from our Manifesto, and today’s is ‘Modernising for Growth.’ As CTA’s Director of People and Operations, I’m always exploring ways to enhance our operations through technology, so consider this blog post my cheat sheet of free and low-cost tech tools to support your community transport operations.
While many providers operate on tight budgets, investing in new technology doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of free or low-cost tools available that can help streamline operations and boost efficiency—allowing you to make a big impact without a big spend.
Running a community transport service involves juggling tasks like scheduling rides, coordinating volunteers, managing communications, tracking finances, and promoting services. These responsibilities can feel overwhelming, especially for smaller organisations, but accessible technology can help simplify these processes, making your operations run more smoothly and saving you valuable time.
Easy Communication and Teamwork Tools
Staying in touch with your team and volunteers is important. The following free tools can help:
Google Workspace for Nonprofits: Provides email, cloud storage, and document sharing.
Slack: Helps keep your team connected through messaging channels.
Zoom: Allows for video meetings and real-time communication.
Simple Financial Management Tools
Managing your finances doesn’t need to be complicated. These free platforms work well for small to medium-sized organisations:
Wave Accounting: A free tool for tracking expenses and managing accounts.
QuickFile: Provides easy-to-use accounting software for managing invoices and expenses.
Marketing and Community Engagement Tools
Promoting your service is essential, and these affordable tools can help:
Canva: Free design tools for creating posters and graphics.
Social Champ: Lets you schedule and manage social media posts for free.
Mailchimp: A free option for managing email newsletters and campaigns.
CapCut: A free video editing app for creating videos about your work.
Adobe Scan: A mobile app for scanning and sharing documents easily.
Building a Strong Online Presence
Having a reliable website and online tools is essential. Consider the following:
Kualo: Free web hosting for not-for-profits, offering a low-cost website solution.
OpenStreetMap: Provides mapping and route planning resources for transport services.
Charity Digital Exchange: Offers discounted or donated software to not-for-profit organisations.
Improving Operations and Tracking Progress
Organising volunteers and planning schedules is key. These tools help manage operations effectively:
Microsoft Power BI: A data visualisation tool for tracking ridership statistics and other performance data.
Zoho Sign: Allows for signing and managing digital documents, saving time and paper.
Trello: A simple platform for organising tasks and schedules.
Asana: Offers features for organising tasks and keeping the team on track.
Freedcamp: Versatile project management and collaboration platform offering task management, calendar integrations, file sharing, and time tracking
Microsoft for not-for-profit: Access free and discounted technology tools like Microsoft 365 and Azure.
Building Partnerships and Finding Support
Connecting with other organisations and platforms can help you gain support:
Amazon Not-for-Profit: A platform offering opportunities for donations and resources.
Business in the Community (BITC): Connects you with companies and volunteers keen to support social causes.
Data Protection and Security
Keeping your organisation's information secure is essential. Here are some tools to help:
LastPass: Offers a free plan for password management, ensuring that all your team's accounts remain secure.
Avast for Nonprofits: Provides discounted antivirus software to protect devices and data.
Finding Funding Opportunities
Securing funding is vital for sustaining and growing your service. Look into these options:
Clothworkers’ Foundation: Offers grant opportunities for community projects.
National Lottery Small Grants Scheme: Provides funding for small community projects.
Charity Excellence: A resource for finding grants and improving fundraising strategies.
Crowdfunder UK: Allows non-profits to set up fundraising campaigns online. Crowdfunding can be an accessible way to raise funds for new tech initiatives.
Final Thoughts: Embracing Technology for Growth
By embracing these tools and resources, you can modernise your community transport service, boosting efficiency and increasing your impact. Whether you’re a small, volunteer-led group or a larger organisation, these online tools will help you harness technology to grow sustainably and work towards building a resilient service for the future.
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