As charities and non-profit organisations grow and their operations become more digital, the question of how to manage IT effectively becomes increasingly important. Should you hire someone internally or work with an external provider? What does each model offer in terms of flexibility, reliability, and cost?
For charities with tight budgets, big ambitions, and complex compliance requirements, the right IT support structure can make a meaningful difference to day-to-day efficiency and long-term resilience.
This guide compares the pros and cons of managed IT support and in-house IT teams across six key criteria: cost, expertise, capacity, scalability, compliance, and strategic value. By the end, you should have a clearer idea of what suits your organisation best.
What Do We Mean by Managed and In-House IT?
In-house IT usually refers to a salaried employee (or team) who works within your organisation and is responsible for your IT systems. They’re embedded in your culture, work alongside other staff, and are on hand for day-to-day support.
Managed IT support involves outsourcing your IT needs to a third-party provider. This provider may offer a combination of remote helpdesk support, strategic advice, maintenance, monitoring, and on-site services as needed. It typically works on a monthly retainer or support contract.
Some larger organisations use a hybrid approach, sometimes referred to as co-managed, maintaining a small in-house presence while outsourcing more complex or strategic support to an external provider.
1. Cost and Predictability
Managed IT support usually offers better cost predictability. You pay a fixed monthly fee that covers a wide range of services, including monitoring, support, and security. It’s generally more affordable than recruiting, training, and retaining an in-house team, especially for smaller charities.
In-house IT brings fixed salary costs and potential overheads like pensions, sick pay, and professional development. For smaller charities, this may represent more capacity than needed, or leave the organisation under-resourced if only one person is hired.
Verdict: Managed support typically wins for cost-effectiveness and predictability, especially for small to mid-sized charities.
2. Depth and Breadth of Expertise
Managed IT providers employ a team of specialists with diverse skill sets, covering areas like cyber security, cloud systems, compliance, networking, and more. This means you’re not reliant on one person’s knowledge and can draw on deep expertise when needed.
In-house IT staff develop strong institutional knowledge. They understand your systems, users, and day-to-day workflows, which makes them well-placed to tailor solutions and respond quickly to common requests.
However, a single IT manager may not have the time or expertise to handle all areas, particularly if your systems are complex or fast-changing.
Verdict: Managed support wins on breadth; in-house can offer deeper knowledge of internal systems. For most charities, a provider's broader expertise gives the edge.
3. Capacity and Coverage
Managed IT support is designed to provide continuity. If one engineer is unavailable, another can step in. Many providers offer 24/7 helpdesks, proactive monitoring, and regular updates - all of which reduce downtime and minimise reactive firefighting.
In-house IT teams, particularly in smaller charities, may be overstretched. One person may be responsible for support, procurement, compliance, and infrastructure. Absences due to leave or sickness can leave gaps, and response times may vary depending on workload.
Verdict: Managed support wins on resilience and availability. If uninterrupted coverage is critical, external support is likely the safer option.
4. Scalability and Flexibility
Managed IT services scale with you. As your needs evolve,whether you’re expanding your team, adopting new tools, or restructuring, your provider can adapt. You can upgrade your service level, get project support, or access extra capacity without recruiting.
In-house IT is less flexible. Scaling requires hiring and training new staff, which takes time and money. If demand temporarily spikes (such as during a digital transformation project), your internal team may be overstretched.
Verdict: Managed support wins on flexibility and scalability, particularly if you anticipate growth or change.
5. Compliance, Security, and Risk Management
Managed IT providers are usually well-versed in GDPR, Cyber Essentials, and other regulatory standards. They monitor systems for suspicious activity, keep software patched, ensure secure backups, and can help with breach response. Their processes are designed to mitigate risk.
In-house IT staff can also manage these responsibilities, but may struggle to keep up with emerging threats or maintain best practice without external support. A lone staff member can’t match the breadth of knowledge or time investment that a team brings.
Verdict: Managed support wins for risk reduction and regulatory support. It's particularly beneficial for charities working with sensitive data.
6. Strategic Input and Long-Term Planning
Managed IT providers increasingly act as partners, not just troubleshooters. The right provider can advise on your IT roadmap, recommend tools that align with your goals, and help your leadership team make informed decisions about infrastructure and budgets.
In-house IT teams can play a similar strategic role, especially if they’re experienced and well-supported. But smaller organisations often find that internal staff are focused on fixing immediate problems rather than shaping long-term plans.
Verdict: Managed support often wins when strategic guidance is needed but internal bandwidth is limited.
Blended Approaches and Practical Examples
You don’t have to choose just one model. Many charities find success with a blended approach - for instance, keeping a part-time IT coordinator in-house to manage onboarding and quick queries, while using a managed provider for system monitoring, backups, or escalations.
A small regional charity might have an admin team with basic IT literacy and rely on a managed provider to maintain their systems. A larger national organisation might employ an internal IT manager who liaises with an external support team for complex projects.
This hybrid model offers the best of both worlds: day-to-day familiarity and strategic depth.
How to Decide What’s Right
Choosing the right model starts with understanding your needs. Consider the following:
- What are your current IT pain points? Are they technical, strategic, or people-related?
- Do you have the budget and capacity to recruit, train, and retain IT staff?
- Are you handling sensitive data or facing regulatory requirements?
- How important is continuity of support, particularly during holidays or staff changes?
- What are your growth plans or upcoming digital projects?
If your needs are wide-ranging, compliance-heavy, or fast-changing, managed support offers a scalable and cost-effective solution. If you value deep organisational knowledge, fast internal response, or high levels of onsite support, an in-house team might serve you better.
For many, a combination of both proves most sustainable.
Final Thoughts
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to IT support for charities, and the decision between in-house and managed services should reflect your goals, risks, and resources. For most small to medium-sized charities, managed IT support offers clear advantages in terms of cost, coverage, security, and scalability.
Whether internal or external, your IT support should feel like a partner - aligned with your mission, responsive to your needs, and capable of helping you work more securely and efficiently.
Take the time to explore your options, ask questions, and build a support model that enables your team to do its best work. And please book a free consultation to discuss how we can help your organisation to thrive.
