nonprofit support services
Outreach Coordinator
Organization:
Aspiration VISTA Name:
Matt Garcia
Program Start:
7/2008
Program End:
7/2009
Project Description:
Aspiration’s mission is to connect nonprofit organizations with software solutions that help them better carry out their work.
CTC Vista job responsibilities include:
o Provide program support to the Social Source Commons program which maps the NPO/NGO software space and makes sense of the collective expertise related to that software.
o Interviewing Nonprofit Organization users about Case Management, Workforce Development, and Online Organizing tool usage and tool needs;
o Compile lists of Case Management, Workforce Development, and Online Organizing tools; improving nonprofits capacity for software selection;
o Research what Case Management, Workforce Development, and Online Organizing tools need to be developed, to increase nonprofits abilities to perform Case Management, Workforce Development, and Online Organizing functions.
o Write short-papers and reports to help nonprofits demystify Case Management, Workforce Development, and Online Organizing software.
o Provide support for Social Source Commons events
o Bring together software users, developers, intermediaries, and investors to articulate and focus their needs, spark relationships and collaboration, and share skills and knowledge in the nonprofit software realm.
o Help grow and strengthen the social and knowledge networks and conduct organizational outreach.
o Build Nonprofit and NGO collaboration in creating and developing capacity building tools among grassroots nonprofit communities.
Project Outcome:
We have a much more robust SSC community and processes, which will help us to continue growing the platform and making it more valuable to the nonprofit community. We hired Matt as a full-time contractor, and he will continue the work he has begun.
Matt helped set a community tone at the SF Nonprofit Technology Center, serving as a friendly team member and ambassador for the organization. Matt also helped establish our new ANSWR platform, working on platform development and content development. This project is an extension of our SSC project, and builds on the SSC work he did.
Community Resource Database Development
VISTA Name:
Marilyn Taylor
Program Start:
6/2007
Program End:
6/2009
Project Description:
In January 2004, RECA undertook the organization, management and maintenance of the on-line database 4People.org for Benton and Franklin counties. 4People uses VisionLink’s Tapestry online software, to post community services, calendars, and volunteer information in 19 rural counties in eastern Washington. They have successfully identified over 4,500 services in this rural area and placed them online for the public to get help when needed.
Current agencies are using the case management system to reduce the number of homeless, reduce the number of uninsured, and coordinate and maximize services between faith based organizations in 19 counties in eastern Washington. This same VisionLink software is being used to case manage over 100,000 Katrina evacuees, and is HIPAA and HMIS compliant.
A CTC VISTA will contribute to these programs in the following ways:
I. TCFN (The Columbia Free-Net) Web Developer: Develop mini web pages for non-profits and commercial entities through-out eastern Washington and link to the 4People on-line database of resources in each of the 19 counties.
II. 4People.org Online Database Developer: Develop a promotional plan to increase the usage of this resource database. Increase the number of agencies using the Case Management module to effectively communicate community client needs.
1. Develop competency in the Tapestry/VisionLink Resource and Case Management database in order to provide support and training to agencies.
2. Develop community relations to promote 4People and RECA Foundation programs.
3. Identify and mobilize agencies in eastern Washington to use the 4People database.
4. Work with Columbia Basin College to develop a comprehensive public relations campaign for both 4People and RECA Foundation.
5. Develop a comprehensive online manual for agencies to use 4People.
6. Maintain accurate records and provide required reports for program accountability purposes.
7. Create newsletters and promotional materials.
8. Assist with writing grants.
Project Outcome:
Marilyn Taylor is responsible for developing a comprehensive grassroots database of resources in each county in Washington State. She has successfully updated quick County listings, printable directories, Shelter Vacancies, Reentry Resources and Housing Inventories. Marilyn Taylor has also worked with a number of agencies training them on the case management system, and has compiled database reports using Crystal Reports.
The re-design of 4People in 2007 resulted in increased views of services and has subsequently reduced homelessness, reduced recidivism, and helped people out of poverty. Over 314,000 views of resources were recorded in 2007. She has updated websites to increase Googleability. She has staffed booths for 4People at fairs and conferences, promoted the use of the database, and consistently provided accurate and timely information to help people out of poverty. Marilyn has assisted with numerous grants, and assisted volunteers, Goodwill and AARP workers with accurate updating of information. 4People has increased coverage of Information and Referral resources from 19 counties to all 39 Washington State counties.
Impact Quote:
“We get emails from people, or even a phone call thanking us for providing information online quickly. Only on 4People can people that are homeless find the resources they need. Marilyn has been directly responsible for the upkeep, development, and accuracy of all information. She has provided reports showing activities and demographics, and worked one on one to help people use the case management system. She has been indispensable to 4People.”
- Ronda Evans, supervisor
Communications Coordinator
Organization:
Grassroots.org VISTA Name:
Ashley Matthews
Program Start:
6/2007
Program End:
6/2008
Project Description:
The mission of Grassroots.org is to serve as a catalyst for positive social change by leveraging modern technologies and business best practices. Grassroots.org spreads important social information via our network of socially-focused web sites, while also providing non-profit organizations with free valuable resources to increase their efficiency and productivity.
Working in cooperation with the Executive Director and Director of Outreach & Development, the Communications Coordinator will:
- Strengthen the capacity of Grassroots.org’s website to serve nonprofits, recruit new members, and generate needed attention from media outlets, donors and partners.
-Develop and execute a strategic Media Presence campaign. The Media Presence campaign will ensure that news about Grassroots.org’s services reach as many potential nonprofit organizations as possible, increasing our capacity to serve organizations (and by proxy, individuals). In addition, the Media Presence campaign will increase our financial capacity as an organization as warranted attention attracts the attention of potential donor and partner organizations.
- Develop high-profile portal sites, cooperating with partners to ensure the sites serve as premier destinations for information and interactive content. Potential portals to be developed include homeless.org, crime.org, nonprofitmanagement.org, earthday.org and others.
Project Outcome:
Ahsley began her service by taking part in a staff retereat in Columbus, Oh which was very helpful for team building. She was able to meet all of the people who make it possible for Grassroots to be successful and prepared her for our fundraising event in LA the following spring.
Shortly thereafter she began developing the domain Crime.org, one of the portal sites we had in mind. She scouted the field for partners that would help provide content to the website. She has recruited a number of local Professors of criminal justice for this purpose.
From July 26-28, Ashley attended the Non Profit 2020 I will be attending the NP2020: “Giving Emerging Leaders a Voice in the Nonprofit Community” in Grand Rapids, MI, for which she had received a scholarship to attend. She was able to get the people she met interested in the potential web-based programs such as egroupware and Salesforce to help their nonprofits.
http://nonprofit2020.wordpress.com/
http://np2020.wikispaces.com/.
Ashley helped us prepare for a fundraising event that took place in Seattle on August 13, 2007. She learned what goes into making such an event successful, such as creating a theme compatible with the invitations and organizing a budget. She performed public-relations functions such as preparing advertising and outreach materials.
Due to a critical blood shortage in central Ohio, Ashley represented Grassroots.org in their efforts to help recruit donors to the blood drive on October 11, 2007. I am in the process of coordinating a blood drive with the Red Cross, which will be held on October, 11. She established relationships with local businesses. She also strengthened our relationship with Strongtech, with whom we share office space, by inspiring them to recruit donors as well.
In the months following the drive, Ashley continued her web development work while helping staff market some of its new programs, such as its MBA Mentor program, which pairs Grassroots members with MBA students from the University of Maryland to provide free marketing consulting, and the Social Venture Consulting program which will begin spring 2008.
Ashley attended the She’s Geeky conference in Mountain View, CA. The conference was for women working in the field of technology. She network with people outside of the nonprofit tech world such as google reps, yahoo reps, and AOL reps. She was able to participate in a free public speaking training from an acting and speech prof. from UC Berkley.
Beginning in January 2008, Ashley isolated a number of Foundations that fund national open source technology projects. Because Grassroots works at the national level, it is often difficult to find funders who match our profile.
Ashley updated our constituent database using Salesforce’s nonprofit edition. She also attended the NTC conference March 19-21 in New Orleans, where she joined sessions about database management and how to use them effectively.