Partnering with a managed services provider gives nonprofits a complete IT team without the cost and complexity of building one in-house. The right partner strengthens security, supports staff, manages vendors and devices, plans ahead and finds practical ways to stretch limited budgets. Continuum of Colorado saw those benefits firsthand. By choosing Onset Solutions for managed IT for nonprofits, the Aurora, Colorado-based organization created an independent, cloud-based technology environment and gained responsive local experts who work as part of its own team.
Continuum of Colorado is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities live meaningful lives. From its East Jewell Avenue office in Aurora, the organization provides home and community support, therapies, day activities, supported employment, benefits counseling, and residential services. Its person-centered work depends on reliable access to systems that support staff, Medicaid billing, payroll, accounting, and communication.
That mission made Continuum’s technology transition more than an administrative project. Staff needed dependable tools so they could keep serving individuals and families across Colorado communities without technology getting in the way.
Why Managed IT for Nonprofits Mattered During Continuum's Transition
Continuum once operated within a larger structure and a shared management services organization. Although the entities had separate tax identification numbers, the shared organization handled essential administrative functions, including accounting, human resources, and IT. A government-directed separation required Continuum to operate independently by July 2024.
When Paul Villamaria joined Continuum as CFO in August 2022, the organization needed to build those internal capabilities. IT faced a particularly important decision. Continuum, a nonprofit with approximately $12 million in annual revenue, could hire staff and create a department from the ground up, or it could gain broader expertise through a local technology partner.
Continuum chose not to build an internal IT department. The larger structure’s IT team introduced the organization Continuum to Onset Solutions, and Continuum’s leaders held several conversations with Onset Solutions before moving forward. That decision shows why managed IT for nonprofits can make financial and operational sense. One in-house employee cannot provide every specialty or continuous coverage, while an MSP can bring a team, established processes, and a wider view of available technology.
The existing environment also reinforced the need for change. The larger organization used several locally managed systems, including an on-premises accounting platform. Paul described access to those systems as a major pain point. Continuum wanted a different foundation, one that supported secure access without tying employees to a local network or a single office.
What Managed IT for Nonprofits Looks Like in Practice
Onset Solutions helped Continuum move forward with a cloud-first model. The organization’s core platforms now include Therap for Medicaid billing, Sage Intacct for accounting, and Paylocity for payroll. Because those systems operate in the cloud, authorized staff can reach the information they need wherever work takes them. Paul, who enjoys traveling, can access critical business systems even when he is outside Colorado or overseas.
Onset Solutions also handles the practical technology needs that keep the Aurora office running. The team supports Microsoft services, employee work phones, the badge system, and local security cameras. They help onboard employees, resolve day-to-day issues, and follow up when a laptop or application still does not work as expected. Onset Solutions also provides in-person support for Continuum’s board meetings, where roughly half of the board joins through Zoom. Having a technician onsite keeps updates, room controls, and virtual participation from disrupting the agenda.
For Continuum, managed IT for nonprofits means having a partner who looks beyond tickets. Paul meets with Onset Solutions each week for a one-on-one conversation that may last 15 minutes or an hour, depending on current needs. That steady communication gives both teams room to discuss problems, compare options, and plan improvements before issues grow.
Paul values how closely that support resembles an internal working relationship. “Even though Onset Solutions is a contractor, it feels like an employee-to-employee relationship,” he said. The difference shows in the team’s patience, clear explanations and willingness to understand how Continuum operates instead of pushing a standard technology package.
As Continuum prepares to downsize its office space, it needs to relocate networking equipment, a router and a Synology backup device to another part of the building. Rather than treating the wiring as someone else’s problem, Onset Solutions agreed to identify vendors and coordinate the work. That ownership reflects Onset Solutions’ people-first approach: real support from local professionals who know the client and stay accountable.
The Impact of Managed IT for Nonprofits on Cost, Access, and Confidence
The partnership has improved access, simplified support and produced measurable savings. One of the clearest examples involved Continuum’s security cameras. Onset Solutions recommended Ubiquiti equipment that required about $5,000 in upfront hardware costs but eliminated an annual subscription of roughly $30,000. Onset Solutions then supervised the camera installation and helped Continuum launch the new platform.
The team found savings in software, too. Continuum had purchased DocuSign envelopes while also paying for Adobe licenses. Onset Solutions researched the overlap and helped the organization shift electronic signatures to Adobe Sign, saving about $5,000 in DocuSign costs. More recently, Onset Solutions introduced Foxit as a possible alternative to Adobe. With Continuum spending about $8,500 a year on Adobe licenses, a comparable product at about half the price could free additional dollars for mission-driven work. Onset Solutions set up trial licenses for the executive team and pushed the mobile apps to their phones so leaders could evaluate the option before committing.
Hardware recommendations created another opportunity. Continuum originally standardized on Dell laptops and refreshes about one-third of its inventory each year. After researching compatibility and pricing, Onset Solutions recommended HP devices that worked more smoothly with Continuum’s security tools and cost less. The change paired practical performance with responsible stewardship.
Those examples answer a common nonprofit leadership question: How does an outside IT partner create value beyond fixing computers? A strong MSP understands the budget, studies the environment and brings forward better-fit options. It also gives leaders a dependable point of contact. Paul has recommended Onset Solutions to nonprofit peers in Alliance Colorado, the statewide association that supports organizations serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He sees outsourcing as a better value for many nonprofits than hiring one employee, adding benefits and still struggling to provide the right depth of coverage.
Continuum’s experience shows that managed IT for nonprofits works best when the provider combines strategy with human support. The next phase will include coordinating the office reconfiguration, moving infrastructure and keeping systems available throughout the transition. Beyond that project, Onset Solutions will continue reviewing platforms, planning device refreshes and helping Continuum make technology decisions with confidence.
The outcome reaches beyond IT. Reliable cloud access helps Continuum’s staff stay focused on people, not systems. Thoughtful vendor choices protect scarce dollars. Familiar technicians reduce frustration and build trust. For a Colorado nonprofit committed to choice, independence and stewardship, that kind of technology partnership supports the mission in practical ways every day.
Ready for a Local IT Partner Who Understands Nonprofit Priorities?
Onset Solutions has supported Denver-area small businesses and nonprofits since 2001 with responsive, relationship-driven technology service. Contact Onset Solutions to discuss managed IT services and schedule a free IT assessment. The Lakewood-based team will review the current environment, identify risks and opportunities, and recommend a practical path forward without unnecessary complexity.
