NTEN

What NTEN does

NTEN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2000 that serves as the professional association for the nonprofit technology workforce. The organization delivers six professional certificate programs, 60+ self-paced courses, the annual Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC), and the Tech Accelerate diagnostic tool, which has been used by more than 1,300 nonprofit organizations. NTEN also runs the Pizzigati Prize, a $10,000 annual award recognizing open-source contributions to the public good, and operates cohort-based fellowships including the Open Source Fellowship and Digital Inclusion Fellowship. Its community exceeds 25,000 practitioners across the United States, Canada, and more than 20 additional countries. Leadership includes CEO Amy Sample Ward and Chief Program Officer Ash Shepherd.

NTEN's core product surface is built around credentialed training and community infrastructure rather than licensed software. Certificates and courses are delivered through an online learning platform; Tech Accelerate is delivered as a free online assessment instrument; and the NTC operates as a multi-day in-person and virtual conference. The organization operates a fully remote, distributed team across six US states, having closed its original Portland, Oregon headquarters in 2023, and adopted a four-day work week in July 2023. Partnerships include Technology Affinity Group (TAG) for the AI for Foundations certificate, the Open Source Initiative, and recipients such as Hylo (2026 Pizzigati Prize winner).

The business model blends earned and contributed revenue. Earned revenue comes from certificate fees priced between $500 and $1,000, paid course fees, NTC conference registrations and sponsorships, and a pay-what-you-can membership program. Contributed revenue includes individual donations and institutional grants, with the Future Ready Oregon grant (in conjunction with the Oregon Employment Department) funding the Open Source Fellowship. NTEN does not disclose financial statements in the available material, and the company is governed as a mission-driven nonprofit rather than a venture-backed entity.

Name

NTEN

Legal name

NTEN

Website

https://nten.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NTEN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2000 that delivers professional certificates, courses, the annual NTC conference, and the Tech Accelerate diagnostic to more than 25,000 nonprofit technology practitioners across the US, Canada, and 20+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Professional Development and Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Computer Training (611420)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Systems Administration & Infrastructure (Windows/Linux) (EDAOAIAE)

Keywords

• Nonprofit technology training
• Professional development certificates
• Nonprofit community platform
• Technology leadership education
• Nonprofit professional conferences

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Certificates: Paid professional certificate programs in nonprofit technology, digital equity, AI for nonprofits, AI for foundations, cybersecurity, and open source. Certificates cost $500 for members and $1,000 for non-members
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership with pay-what-you-can option, providing discounts on certificates and courses, plus access to community and exclusive benefits
3. Conference Revenue: Registration fees for the annual Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC), including sponsorship revenue from organizations exhibiting and sponsoring the event
4. Course Fees: Individual course enrollment fees with 50% member discount and 40% savings compared to individual course registration
5. Pizzigati Prize Donations: Accepts donations to grow the prize fund for the annual $10,000 award to open source developers
6. Grants and Partnerships: Funding from foundations and partners including Future Ready Oregon grant program to support Open Source Fellowship and associated public events

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

NTEN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers professional development, education, and community connection programs for the nonprofit technology sector. Its core paid offerings include six professional certificates, a 60+ course catalog, cohort programs, and the annual Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC), supported by a free Tech Accelerate assessment tool, fellowships, and a 25,000+ member community spanning the U.S., Canada, and 20+ countries.

Product overview

NTEN is a nonprofit professional development organization (not a technology company) that provides educational programs, resources, and community engagement opportunities focused on nonprofit technology leadership. The core offerings include six professional certificate programs (Nonprofit Technology, Digital Equity, AI for Nonprofits, AI for Foundations, Cybersecurity for Nonprofits, and Open Source), a course catalog of 60+ self-paced courses, the free Tech Accelerate assessment tool, the annual Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC), the Pizzigati Prize award program, and various community programs including online groups, Tech Clubs, and the Digital Inclusion Fellowship. These products work together to build nonprofit capacity for skillful and equitable technology use.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC): Annual flagship conference bringing together nonprofit professionals focused on technology and social change
• Tech Accelerate
• Pizzigati Prize
• Digital Inclusion Fellowship
• Nonprofit Tech Readiness
• Open Source Fellowship

Products and services

• Nonprofit Technology Professional Certificate

Quantifiable outcome

• Organizations conducting multiple Tech Accelerate assessments show improving scores - 61% reduced risk flag rate among 181 organizations with repeat assessments
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hylo (2026 Pizzigati Prize Recipient)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 February 2026Hylo is the 2026 Pizzigati Prize winner - a community-led, prosocial coordination platform for purpose-driven groups. NTEN provides $10,000 cash prize and publicity support to celebrate open-source developers creating tools for nonprofits.
• Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNTEN co-produced the AI for Foundations Professional Certificate with TAG, designed for foundations and grantmakers exploring ethical and strategic AI uses in philanthropy. Both NTEN and TAG members receive the $500 member rate for the certificate.
• Oregon Employment DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for tracking job placements and wages through Social Security Number data sharing (limited to program outcomes tracking). Part of Future Ready Oregon grant program data collection.
• Open Source InitiativeminorOthersNTEN references the Open Source Initiative's definition of open source software for Pizzigati Prize eligibility criteria. Prize applicants must have software that qualifies as open source as defined by OSI.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Tech Impact: Tech Impact delivers technology training, certification programs, and digital skills instruction to nonprofits and their staff. It is directly comparable to NTEN because both provide IT and digital skills training to nonprofit professionals, with overlapping program categories like cybersecurity and data skills.
• NetHope: NetHope is a consortium of global nonprofits that works to improve technology capacity across the humanitarian and development sectors. It is directly comparable to NTEN because both deliver technology professional development and community programs to nonprofit professionals, with overlapping membership among large international NGOs.
• Idealware: Idealware provides research, articles, and educational content to help nonprofits make smart technology decisions. It is directly comparable to NTEN because both target nonprofit technology decision-makers with educational content and community resources, operating with similar mission-driven, member-supported models.
• TechSoup: TechSoup is a nonprofit technology network that equips civil society organizations with technology products, services, and learning resources. It is directly comparable to NTEN because both serve the same nonprofit technology audience with training, resources, and community programs, though TechSoup's emphasis is more on donated product distribution and TechSoup Courses.
• Whole Whale: Whole Whale is a digital agency and training provider that builds digital capacity for nonprofits through courses, workshops, and consulting. It is directly comparable to NTEN because both train nonprofit professionals on digital strategy, analytics, and emerging technology tools, often serving the same individual learners.

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Coursera is a large online learning platform partnering with universities and companies to deliver courses, certificates, and degree programs. It is comparable to NTEN as a broad incumbent offering IT, cybersecurity, and AI certificates that overlap with NTEN's certificate topics, often at lower price points and with broader brand recognition.
• Blackbaud: Blackbaud is a large software provider serving the nonprofit sector with CRM, fundraising, financial management, and educational resources. It is comparable to NTEN as a broad incumbent operating in the nonprofit technology space, though Blackbaud focuses on enterprise software rather than professional development, and reaches the same customer base through a different value proposition.
• Salesforce.org (Salesforce Philanthropy Cloud): Salesforce.org is the nonprofit and education arm of Salesforce, offering discounted CRM technology, training resources, and grantmaking programs to nonprofits. It is comparable to NTEN as a broad incumbent in the nonprofit technology ecosystem, with overlapping audiences in nonprofit IT leadership and foundation technology decision-making.
• LinkedIn Learning: LinkedIn Learning is a large-scale online learning platform offering courses on technology, business, and creative skills. It is comparable to NTEN as a broad incumbent that competes for the same individual learner's training dollars on overlapping topics like IT, cybersecurity, and AI, though it serves a much broader market beyond nonprofits.
• Microsoft Tech for Social Impact: Microsoft Tech for Social Impact provides discounted cloud and productivity technology, along with digital skills training, to nonprofits worldwide. It is comparable to NTEN as a broad incumbent delivering technology capacity-building to nonprofits, with overlapping audience among nonprofit IT and digital transformation leaders.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NTENorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NTEN