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Justin McDonald
Justin began his career at Custom Ink in Fairfax, VA, where he started in sales. Shortly after that, he joined the leadership team, managing teams and working on various projects that helped streamline business processes. Justin joined the Fíonta team from Vault Health, a national telehealth healthcare company recently assisting the country during the Covid-19 […]

Ethical use of artificial intelligence
Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) overhyped, dangerous, or does it present opportunities not to be missed? It probably is all three, but not in ways you might think just from reading the clickbait. As one who has devoted much of my career to AI—as a student, researcher, and practitioner, my position is that AI is a […]

Steps to prepare your association for migrating data from an AMS to Salesforce
In all the excitement of selecting a new database, it’s easy to overlook a big piece of the implementation project—migrating data from your AMS to your new Salesforce CRM. The more you know about data migration, the better prepared you’ll be for your implementation project. Think of migration as a data management opportunity When you’re […]

The principles of a successful project partnership
Valentine’s Day reminds us of the importance of relationships and partnerships, making it the perfect occasion to revisit our thoughts on what makes a successful project partnership. At Fíonta, we’ve gathered deeper insights, especially working with nonprofits and associations, which are increasingly pertinent in today’s dynamic environment. Embracing the dual role Leaders in the nonprofit […]

The importance of volunteerism to Fíontans
Fíonta supports nonprofit organizations who rely on volunteers (like the Assistance League, Literacy Council of Northern Virginia, Islamic Relief, and many others) and many of our employees turn right around and volunteer with local organizations as well. Through our participation in Pledge 1%, employees can utilize 1% of their work hours in pursuit of individual […]

The benefits of a product approach for website design
At last, your association’s new website is launched and getting rave reviews. The problem is, the CEO and others around the building think, “That’s it, the website is finished.” Unfortunately, that’s not how you see it. Sure, the site looks great, but you only had the time and budget to tackle the most critical requirements. […]

How to apply human-centered design to association technology initiatives
Have you ever struggled with issues of technology adoption, mismatched expectations, or the perception of your organization as behind the times? The use of technology can change the way people think about you as an organization, for better or for worse. Human-centered design is a framework for projects and decision-making which can be particularly useful […]

7 ways to engage more volunteers with your membership program
If your organization has a thriving volunteer program, you’ve probably brainstormed ways to channel all that enthusiasm into other forms of support too. Nonprofits and associations regularly find themselves succeeding in one area of supporter or supporter engagement while leaving room for improvement in others. For many organizations, finding the perfect balance between volunteer and […]

Change management strategies for introducing Salesforce to nonprofits and associations
Sometimes, facts don’t matter. You can tell your co-workers, executives, or board members about the benefits of introducing a new technology, process, or tactic, but they don’t want to hear it. For them, the old way, the one they’re used to, is the best and only way. How do you respond to their resistance? How […]

6 strategies to prepare Salesforce for giving season
Don’t worry, it’s not too late to prepare Salesforce for giving season—and beyond. Spending some time with the data in your CRM will give you a better understanding of your donors and other important people. What you learn will lead to deeper relationships with these audiences and you’ll be able to deliver more personally relevant […]