RECODING YOUR NONPROFIT PRACTICES: TECH MINDSETS FOR INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT

In the tech world, “refactoring” isn’t just a buzzword - it’s a core principle. It means improving the internal structure of a system without altering its external behaviour. It’s disciplined, ongoing, and rarely flashy. But it’s what keeps systems healthy, scalable, and functional as new demands arise.

What if we took that same approach in the not-for-profit sector?

Too often, internal change in organisations is reactionary - triggered by crises, compliance reviews, or the once-a-year board retreat. But what if we embraced a culture of proactive, iterative internal improvement, grounded in principles like refactoring?

Let’s be clear: not all “red tape” is bad. Some of it is essential - providing guardrails, accountability, and protections. But we also know that outdated or duplicated processes can create unnecessary drag. And when the operating environment around us changes - as it constantly does - internal practices must evolve too.

Tech companies understand this. In software development, refactoring helps teams improve code without breaking the system. You don’t rebuild everything from scratch - you make the system cleaner, more efficient, and easier to work with. The same mindset could serve not-for-profit governance and operations just as well.

Refactoring, in an organisational context, could look like:

• Reviewing policies not just for compliance, but for clarity and relevance

• Streamlining decision-making to enable more agile responses

• Re-evaluating staffing structures or budget lines to meet evolving needs

• Building feedback loops to ensure service delivery remains aligned with impact

• Embracing fit-for-purpose technology - not to replace people, but to free up capacity

• Moving beyond an annual governance ‘stocktake’ to foster ongoing improvement

And to be clear, this isn’t about micromanagement. Refactoring is about strengthening systems, not interfering with day-to-day delivery. It’s about smarter scaffolding that supports your mission.

Another computer science idea worth borrowing? Coalescing. In programming, coalescing means merging adjacent, unused memory blocks into one usable space. It turns scattered fragments into something powerful.

Not-for-profits face a similar challenge - not with memory, but with people, programs, and funding. Too often, initiatives live in silos, missions overlap, and valuable insights or resources stay disconnected. But when we coalesce - pool resources, share infrastructure, or align strategically - we create new space for transformation.

For funders and organisations alike, fragmentation isn’t just inefficient - it’s a strategic risk. And coalescing may be one of the most underused tools in our sector’s toolbox.

The big idea? You don’t need to tear up your constitution or reinvent the board. But you do need to adopt a mindset of regular, intentional, internal improvement. Because “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” is rarely true - and almost never helpful.

Martin Fowler, the software architect who popularised the term refactoring, said it best:

“When a system is successful, there is always a need to keep enhancing it - to fix problems and add new features.”

That’s as true for not-for-profits as it is for code.