Cybersecurity for mission-driven organizations

Wise security built for nonprofits.

Cyberwise Solutions helps mission-driven organizations build security that actually fits, shaped to the way your team works and sized to what you can spend. Clear guidance, plain language, and a plan your team can sustain.

Start a conversation → Read the Readiness Brief
Not ready yet? Get Mission Critical in your inbox →
Scroll
Why it matters

Protecting the trust you've earned.

You hold more than data. You hold the confidence of your donors, your staff, and the people you serve. Good security keeps three promises at once.

01

The people who trust you

Donor records, member information, and the private details of the people you serve deserve careful protection. Keeping that information safe is part of keeping faith with them.

02

The work itself

Payroll, giving, communications, and programs all run on systems your team depends on every day. Resilient systems mean the mission keeps moving, even on a bad day.

03

The reputation you've built

Years of faithful work earn a community's confidence. A strong security posture protects that standing and gives your board, donors, and partners real peace of mind.

How it works

A calm, three-step path. Not a fire drill.

We meet you where you are. The goal is a clear understanding of where you stand and practical steps your team can actually sustain, explained in language everyone in the room can follow.

See the services →
STEP 01

Listen & Learn

We start with a conversation about your mission, your team, and what keeps you up at night. Before we look at a single system, we understand what you're protecting and why.

STEP 02

Assess & Clarify

A structured Foundations Assessment maps your people, data, vendors, and workflows. You get an honest, plain-language picture of your strengths and your gaps.

STEP 03

Guide & Support

You get a prioritized roadmap of quick wins and longer-term goals. And when you want it, hands-on support to put each step in place at a pace that fits.

Services

Right-sized support at every stage.

Start with a clear baseline, then choose how much help you want putting it into practice. From light-touch accountability to fractional security leadership.

Start here

Foundations Assessment

$1,200–$1,800 one-time

Your starting point: clear, actionable, and right-sized. A guided process that identifies your strengths and gaps, and maps out practical steps to address them.

  • Walkthrough of people, data, vendors & workflows
  • Clear assessment of strengths and gaps
  • Plain-language report for mission leaders
  • Prioritized action plan: quick wins to long-term
  • Review session with live Q&A
Get started →

Implementation Support

$250–$800 / month, billed quarterly

Guided assistance to execute your roadmap through tools, training, and practical improvements your team can sustain. Three tiers to choose from.

Leadership Support

Custom scoped to your org

Long-term cybersecurity stability and guidance. Fractional security leadership as a trusted, ongoing partner to your board and staff.

Request a proposal →
A Cyberwise Solutions newsletter Mission Critical

Cybersecurity advice for organizations with more mission than budget.

Short enough to read over coffee, practical enough to act on the same week. Real-world guidance in plain language, sized for small teams and worth forwarding to your board.

Subscribe free →
About

Real expertise, in service of your mission.

Cyberwise Solutions was founded by Jim Rispin, a senior IT and cybersecurity leader who has spent his career protecting organizations in higher education and the nonprofit world. He started the firm for the lean, dedicated teams doing important work who rarely have a security expert down the hall.

The work is grounded in recognized frameworks, sized to your budget, and delivered as a partnership. You get a trusted advisor who explains things clearly, stays past the first report, and measures success by what your team can carry forward on its own.

Jim Rispin, Founder and Chief Cybersecurity Advisor of Cyberwise Solutions
Jim Rispin
Founder & Chief Cybersecurity Advisor

Purpose-built for your world

Guidance designed from the start for nonprofits and faith-based organizations, shaped by how your teams really operate.

Plain language, always

Clear explanations your leaders and board can act on with confidence, whatever their technical background.

Appropriately scaled

Recommendations matched to your actual capacity and budget, built so your team can sustain them for the long haul.

An ongoing relationship

A trusted advisor who stays engaged well beyond the first assessment, as your needs and your organization grow.

FAQ

Honest answers to fair questions.

In most cases, yes, and that's intentional. The Foundations Assessment gives us both a shared understanding of your strengths, gaps, and priorities. It ensures any ongoing partnership is grounded in reality, not assumptions. Think of it as a health check before writing a long-term wellness plan. Not sure if you're ready? Download our Assessment Readiness Brief to find out.
A discovery call is a short, low-pressure conversation. We ask a few questions about your organization, your current systems, and any concerns that brought you to us. You can ask anything you'd like in return. The goal is simply to understand whether the Foundations Assessment is the right next step, right now. No selling, no jargon.
No. Most of the organizations we support have small teams or no dedicated IT staff at all. We're used to meeting organizations right where they are, even if the "IT team" is just someone who also runs communications or payroll. If you do have IT staff or an outside provider, we're happy to collaborate with them.
That's completely fine. We're not here to replace your IT provider. Our role is to help you understand your risks, build a practical plan, and make sure your technology choices support your mission. Many clients bring us in to complement their existing provider by adding security expertise and helping translate needs into clear action.
We focus on small to mid-sized mission-driven organizations: churches, ministries, community nonprofits, and faith-based schools. Some have five staff; some have fifty. What they share is a need for clear, sustainable security guidance without enterprise complexity.
Yes. Most of our work, including assessments, strategy, policy support, and staff training, can be done remotely. We regularly support organizations across the U.S. and even internationally. If on-site work ever makes sense, we'll discuss that in advance.
Yes. Most of our work is proactive, not reactive. You don't need to wait for a scary incident to get clarity. In fact, the Foundations Assessment is specifically designed for organizations that want to strengthen their defenses before problems arise. Not sure if you're ready? Download our Assessment Readiness Brief to find out.
No. Most organizations only need to commit a few hours during the Foundations Assessment phase, plus a short follow-up session. After that, you choose the pace. Some prefer monthly check-ins; others use us as needed.
That's more common than you think. Cybersecurity isn't about shame, it's about stewardship. We're here to give you clarity and confidence, not to make you feel behind. Every organization starts somewhere.
Yes. While many of our clients are churches and ministries, we work with any mission-driven organization that needs right-sized security guidance.
Let's talk

Start a conversation.

Tell us about your mission and what's on your mind. We'll help you understand where you stand and whether a Foundations Assessment is the right next step. No agenda, no pitch.

I'm interested in…

Prefer to reach out directly? hello@cyberwisesolutions.net 626.427.2725