1. Tech Tip of the Week
A. What to do in Summer when my computer is crashing
B. How to use Use directory tree structures to organize (AND BACKUP!) your data.
2. Grant Opportunities
A. NEC Foundation of America
B. SMARTer Kids Grant for SMART Roomware
3.Confrences and Trainings
A. E-marketing Basics:
Maximize Your Website and E-mail"
B. Developing an Effective Internet Communications Plan"

1. Tech Tips # 1 Summertime, and my computer is crashing:
Many people have used a plumbing analogy to understand electricity,wires become pipes, voltage becomes water pressure. Another analogy I have heard is the car "horse power" comparison of Intel CPU chips. 'The pentium 2
runs at the same bus speed as the Pentium 1, but has more horse-power.'

Believe it or not, but the car analogy holds true for computers in one other scenario, overheating. If you notice a decrease in performance during the hot days of summer, computer lock ups, or crashes, you may be having
a cooling problem with your CPU.

There are a few remedies, ranging from a $5 cooling fan replacement, to whatever PECO decides to charge to run an air conditioner all summer. The top four remedies for summer cooling woes are:

1) Add an extra, or "Case Fan" to your computer box.
2) Replace the CPU fan and heatsink with a larger heatsink and more efficient fan. (This should probably be done by a professional)
3) At the very least, go into your computer case with a can of
compressed air (Radio Shack $3) and clean out all the dust that clogs vents and attaches itself to the existing cooling fan.
4) Run an air conditioner in the room where your computer is.

Tech Tip # 2 How to use directory tree structures to organize (AND BACKUP!) your data.
My mother is a wonderful and highly educated professor of
anthropology. She writes beautifully structured books (with chapters and everything! :-)) and can hold articulate and logical conversations on a wide variety of subjects.
However, when you look at her computer, she has all her writings, memos, and emails in ONE directory, A.K.A. folder, regardless of date, subject or medium. On the other hand, I can barely form coherent sentences, yet my computer hard drive is organized into folders with various headings from,
"Emails" to "Personal writings." Here is what my hard drive looks like:
My Documents
> Personal Writings
> Tech Tips
> Grants
> Work related
> Emails - personal
> Emails - work

"So What" (Miles Davis) you say. Well, keeping my documents in this structure allows me to structure my thinking, and easily find the document I am looking for.
It also has one very important advantage: I can easily back up all my files, and keep various backup copies over time, here's how:

a)Open My Documents
b)Choose Edit / Select all from the Edit menu.
c)Choose Edit / Copy from the Edit menu.
d)Create a new folder called "Backup_DATE" on the desktop
e)Enter this folder and select paste from the Edit menu.

You now have a complete copy of your directory structure, including all the documents. You can rotate copies about every month, creating a new one and deleting the old copy.

Tech Tips are brought to you by Samuel Halperin at the Urban Technology Project. <samh@well.com>

2- Grant Opportunites
A. NEC Foundation of America makes cash grants to nonprofit organizations and programs with national reach and impact in one or both of the following arenas:
* science and technology education, principally at the secondary level, and/or
* the application of technology to assist people with disabilities.
Rationale: Technology is an equalizer. It enables people to improve their abilities and to assert and fully develop their potential. Our goal is to assure that individuals have the skills to continue to advance the boundaries of technology on both a personal and societal level. Today's high school students will lead society to overcome barriers to
communication, be they barriers imposed by distance, time, language or physical condition. Today's investment in the scientific and technical education of young people represents an investment in the 21st century. People with disabilities are challenged every day by barriers to communication and to full participation in society. Their access to and interest in technology leads the way for all of society to make
significant progress toward improved global communication now and in the next century. Our funding interests are highly focused; we believe that this is the way for us to have the greatest impact. At the same time, possibilities within
our interest areas are limited only by the creativity of grant applicants.

Application Procedure
NEC Foundation of America requires no special application form. You are welcome to submit a one-page preliminary proposal in advance of a formal proposal. A preliminary proposal must include the amount requested, purpose of grant and how the project matches funding interest of NEC
Foundation. Preliminary proposals may be submitted on-line; formal proposals are not accepted on-line. Proposals may be submitted at any time; those received after a deadline
will be held for the following cycle. Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals well in advance of deadlines and to make sure that project timelines are compatible with NEC Foundation's cycle.
Proposal Deadline Board Action Grant Disbursement
March 1 September October September 1 March April
The above deadlines apply to formal proposals. Those who submit preliminary proposals should do so well in advance of these deadlines so that the formal proposal, if invited as a result of the preliminary proposal, can be received in advance of these deadlines. With few exceptions, you will receive an indication of Foundation interest within 4-6 weeks of receipt of your proposal. Grantseeking organizations are asked to allow eighteen months to pass between proposal submissions, regardless of the program for which funding
is sought. This applies whether a proposal is funded or turned down.

B- SMARTer Kids Grant for SMART Roomware
This Grant is an educational award that assists educators in the purchase of SMART Roomware for their classrooms. Developed by the Smarter Kids Foundation, the Grant helps thousands of K-12 schools, higher-education facilities and technical institutions acquire interactive technology by
increasing its affordability and accessibility.

Eligibility
The Smarter Kids Grant for SMART Roomware is available to all public or private, accredited, not-for-profit educational institutions, museums and libraries involved in K-12, college, university, vocational and technical instruction or administration. Institutions must be located in the United
States or Canada. Grants will be awarded based on the feasibility, originality and innovational elements as judged by a Committee appointed by the Foundation.
Grant Amounts for SMART Roomware
Grant amounts are 25% to 50% of the list price for the purchase of qualifying SMART Roomware. To receive pricing, please contact the SMART Reseller <../dealers/index.asp> in your area or the Foundation <mailto:info@smarterkids.org>.
Deadlines
<<...>> Applications must be received prior to midnight (MST),
August 30, 2001
<<...>> Grants must be utilized by September 30, 2001
Note: Applications must come from the educational institution and may not be submitted by SMART Resellers on behalf of the educational institution.

3-Confrences and Trainings

A. TITLE: "E-marketing Basics:
Maximize Your Website and E-mail"
WHO: Bill Kleintop, Ph.D. and Brian Niles
WHEN: July 18, 2001, 9:30AM-4:00PM
WHERE: La Salle University, Holroyd Computer Lab
1900 W. Olney Ave, Philadelphia
FREE PARKING!
COST: $85
This session covers the nuts and bolts of marketing - applied to the Internet - specifically for nonprofit organizations. Topics will include:
e-mail marketing basics; effective web design and measurement; uses of the web for nonprofit communication and fundraising; and building an effective e-marketing strategy for nonprofits. No special technical or marketing
experience is required to participate in this workshop

B- TITLE: "Developing an Effective Internet Communications Plan"
WHO: Leanne Bergey
WHEN: July 20, 2001, 9:00AM-4:00PM
WHERE: Temple University Center City Campus
1616 Walnut Street, Philadelphia
COST: $85
Learn how to best integrate the power of new media with traditional media to communicate more effectively with your clients, members, funders, and more. This full-day workshop will teach you how to create an Internet communications plan that's right for your organization. Issues discussed
include: budgeting concerns, how to decide where to allocate resources, and developing a plan that reaches your nonprofits goals.

Amy Oommachan
Teaming for Technology VISTA
TEAMing for TECHnology
United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania
Seven Benjamin Franklin Parkway
Philadelphia, PA 19103

Phone: (215) 665-2514
AmyO@uwsepa.org
www.uwsepa.org/teamfortech/
www.uwsepa.org

Partnering For a Stronger Community