In the world of non-profit and non-governmental organizations, your mission is everything. Every dollar raised, every program executed, and every service provided works toward creating meaningful and lasting impact. But behind the scenes, a strong foundation of operational resilience is critical to protect your mission—and safeguarding your usernames, passwords, and pin codes, or credentials, is a cornerstone of that foundation. Ensuring that your organization maintains proper credential management and security protects your data, strengthens trust with stakeholders, maintains the operational integrity, and ultimately enhances your programming and service delivery.

Here’s why credential security matters and how implementing best practice solutions and policies can elevate your employee experience, protect your donors and beneficiaries, and support your executive leadership and board.

1. Credentials: The Keys to Your Organization

Every solution or service you use—whether it’s for fundraising, donor management, payroll, communications, etc.—requires secure credentials to function effectively. These credentials grant access to sensitive data and critical functions, but they also pose significant risks if mishandled or mismanaged.

The Risk of Neglect:

• Shared logins can lead to poor accountability.
• Using weak or undocumented credentials can expose your organization to cyberattacks.
• Poor credential management disrupts workflows, creating inefficiencies. Remember that time the social media manager forgot the only login to the Facebook account and how long it took to recover it!

2. Why Credential Security is Non-Negotiable

For Employees:

• Avoid Shared Logins: When team members share logins, accountability vanishes. If sensitive data is mishandled, it becomes nearly impossible to trace back the action. By assigning unique credentials to each user, you empower employees with the autonomy to do their jobs while ensuring clear accountability.
• Ease with Single Sign-On (SSO): Implementing SSO reduces password and Multifactor Authentication (MFA) fatigue by allowing employees to log into multiple platforms with one set of secure credentials. This improves productivity and reduces the likelihood of insecure practices, like reusing weak passwords.

For Beneficiaries and Donors:

• Trust and Confidentiality: Your beneficiaries and donors entrust you with their data—be it personal details, financial contributions, or sensitive case information. A breach in credential security can lead to a breach in trust, damaging your reputation and jeopardizing future funding and support.
• Data Protection: Proper credential security ensures their data is safeguarded from unauthorized access, giving them confidence in your organization’s ability to protect their information.

For the Executive Director:

• Operational Continuity: When credentials are properly documented and secured, your organization avoids disruptions caused by lost or inaccessible logins. This is critical during staff transitions or emergencies.
• Strategic Oversight: Credential security provides the Executive Director with the assurance that the organization is operating efficiently and securely, enabling them to focus on advancing the mission.

For the Board:

• Governance and Compliance: A well-documented credential management process demonstrates to the board that the organization is minimizing risks, aligning with best practices, and adhering to compliance requirements.
• Mission Assurance: The board has a fiduciary duty to safeguard the organization’s assets, and credential security is an integral part of protecting those assets.

For the Mission and Programming:

• Efficiency: Securely managing credentials reduces downtime and inefficiencies caused by password resets or security breaches, allowing staff to focus on what truly matters—delivering impactful programs.
• Resilience: A secure credential management system ensures continuity even during unexpected events, such as turnover or cyber incidents, so that programming remains uninterrupted.

3. Best Practices for Credential Security in Non-Profits

1. Document All Credentials

Credential security begins with documentation. This means keeping a record of logins for every technical solution and service—not just IT tools. For example:

• Grant management software
• Fundraising platforms
• Event registration systems
• Volunteer management tools

Documenting credentials ensures no access is lost during transitions or emergencies.

2. Avoid Shared Logins

While shared logins may seem convenient, they are a major security risk. Every user should have their own unique credentials. This improves accountability and ensures that permissions are properly aligned with each individual’s role.

3. Implement Single Sign-On (SSO)

SSO simplifies the login process by allowing employees to access multiple systems with one secure set of credentials. This reduces password fatigue, streamlines workflows, and minimizes the risk of weak passwords being used across multiple platforms.

4. Use a Credential Management System

Invest in a credential management system to securely store, manage, and share credentials as needed. Features like encryption, role-based access, and auditing capabilities provide peace of mind and protect against unauthorized access. Popular solutions like Keeper or Bitwarden for Business can be scaled to meet non-profit needs.

4. The Ripple Effect of Strong Credential Security

When your organization adopts credential security best practices, the benefits cascade throughout the organization and beyond:

• Empowered Employees: Staff can focus on their work without the frustration of lost or inaccessible credentials.
• Protected Beneficiaries: Sensitive beneficiary data remains confidential, maintaining trust and ethical responsibility.
• Confident Leadership: Executive directors and board members can focus on strategy and growth, knowing that operational risks are managed.
• Mission-Driven Impact: Secure, efficient systems free up resources and time to invest in programs that drive your mission forward.

5. A Call to Action

Credential security isn’t just an IT concern—it’s a mission-critical responsibility. By documenting credentials, avoiding shared logins, implementing SSO, and leveraging a credential management system, your non-profit can build a foundation of trust, accountability, and resilience. Ultimately, this enables your organization to focus on what truly matters: serving your community and achieving your mission.

Let’s safeguard your operations so your impact can reach new heights. Start securing your credentials today.