Happy New Year!

I. What's New
A. Upcoming Meetings and Events
B. Website

II. Resources
A. Grants
B. Articles

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I. What's New
A. Upcoming Meetings and Events
1. Our Development Planning Group will be
meeting on January 9th at Gamma Investors in King of Prussia.

2. CTCNet Connectivity 101
Helping Organizations to Better Understand
Available Internet Connections
Date and Time: Tuesday, January 15, 2002
8:30 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Reboot Philadelphia
William Way Community Center
1315 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-735-1151
RSVP: Please email your name, organization, address, and telephone number
for each person attending to ntr@netreach.net.

Conference Agenda:
8:30 - 9:00 Registration and Breakfast
9:00 - 9:15 Welcome and Introductions
9:15 - 10:15 Connectivity 101 - Presented by Nathan Gasser
(See Nate's Bio Below). This user-friendly session will address the basics for connecting your computer lab to the Internet. Learn more about the various connectivity options that are available. Nate will also discuss the pros and cons of each type of connection, including cost factors and connectivity speed.
10:15 - 10:30 Question Period
10:30 - 10:45 Break
10:45 - 11:45 Internet Service Providers Panel - Local Internet
Service Providers have been invited to participate on this panel. We
requested that they provide their most competitive rates designed
specifically for the CTC community in Philadelphia! This session is an
opportunity to learn more about the services offered by these providers.
Come prepared for the question and answer session that will follow the presentations.
11:45 - 12:00 Feedback and a drawing for prizes. Please turn in your evaluation forms for a chance to WIN!
Nathan Gasser's Bio:
Nathan is a multimedia developer and interactive information systems designer, with 10 years experience with the Internet and networked information systems. He currently consults and provides contract programming and development services for a variety of web development firms as well as corporate and non-profit organizations.
Mr. Gasser's past work includes 5 years as the Technical Director of LibertyNet, where he designed, developed and managed an Internet
infrastructure that served nearly a thousand Philadelphia-area organizations
and companies. The combined LibertyNet web sites were visited by more than one-half million individuals per month. He participated in the development of web sites for PECO Energy, SEPTA, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and many more.

For more information contact: Stan Pokras
215-564-6686
ntr@netreach.net

Brought to you by the Philadelphia Region CTCNet Community.

3. NPTAP (Nonprofit Technical Assistance Providers) Meeting
at the Arts and Business Council, 200 S. Broad Street, on January 16th at 3:00. Please contact Stephen Rockwell, stephenr@uwsepa.org if you are interested in attending.

B. Website
Our new and improved website is nearing completion. Stay
tuned for a launch date.

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II. Resources
A. Grants
1. The Children's Project 2000
Helping Economically Challenged Families One Computer at a Time
Request a computer through their website
http://www.teamchildren.com/childrensproject/request.htm

Forms can be printed and distributed. The program asks for volunteer time, update information and $125 to keep the program going in exchange for a computer for a needy family.

2. Handspring Foundation Offers Funding for Programs
Serving At-Risk Children and Youth
Deadline: February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1, 2002
The Handspring Foundation currently focuses on supporting nonprofit organizations or international equivalents that help at-risk children and youth. The foundation offers cash grants to qualifying organizations.
Preference will be given to organizations with a strong underserved outreach component. The foundation is particularly interested in organizations and programs that are directed towards the following: programs targeting high-risk youth that specifically utilize the arts, technology, and sports; direct services related to children's health (e.g. immunization campaigns, food programs); direct services for children who are victims of abuse or neglect, including services to children in foster care; homeless assistance programs for families with children (food, clothing, education, job training). Funding is also available for technical assistance/organizational effectiveness grants for organizations that focus on issues directly related to children/youth at risk. Funds may be specifically requested for board or staff retreats, hiring staff or consultants, staff training, or strategic planning.
Foundation grants range from $1,000 to $25,000 per grant, with most grants averaging between $5,000 to $10,000. Handspring product grants are also available to qualifying nonprofit organizations and international equivalents.
Please see the program's Web site for complete application information and forms.
Contact:
Handspring, Inc.
189 Bernardo Avenue
Mountain View, CA 94043
Attention: Handspring Foundation Manager E-mail: foundation@handspring.com

RFP Link: http://www.handspring.com/company/foundation

For additional RFPs in Children and Youth,
visit: http://fdncenter.org/pnd/rfp/cat_children.jhtml

Copyright © 2000-2001, the Foundation Center. All rights reserved.
Permission to use, copy, and/or distribute this document in whole or in part for non-commercial purposes without fee is hereby granted provided that this notice and appropriate credit to the Foundation Center is included in all copies.

B. Articles
When is a Web Upgrade Not Really an Upgrade?
From TECH4IMPACT an email update to help mission-based organizations use computer and Internet technologies to benefit people, communities and the environment.
produced by Jayne Cravens and Coyote Communications
http://www.coyotecom.com

"The designer said he wanted to upgrade the nonprofit's web site. He talked about the new software that would be used to maintain the new web site, how he would make the site's design more cutting edge, more "exciting", "integrated" and "bundled," and would make the site easier for him to maintain. The nonprofit staff listened quietly to his long presentation with its many technical terms and fancy graphics, and then staff began to ask questions:
* "Will we still be able to make text changes ourselves and add new
pages whenever we need to, or will we have to contact you every time?"
* "Will simple text changes or page additions take just a few seconds, as they do now with our current web site, or will changes now take hours, days, even weeks?"
* "Will users still be able to download the pages quickly, no matter
what kind of browser they are using or what kind of Internet access they have?"
* "Will bookmarks that users have already established for pages on our web site still work after this 'upgrade'? Will page addresses change?"
* "If you stop working with us after this 'upgrade,' how easy will it
be for the next person to take over maintenance of this site?"

My point, and I do have one, is that what a web developer may consider as an upgrade may actually be a major obstacle that will impede the organization in serving its constituencies. Making a web site more "cutting edge" from a designer's point of view may not be easier, quicker or better from a user's point of view or the point of view of the staff. Web developers should remember that the goal of a nonprofit organization's web site is to support the goals of the organization and to communicate with the nonprofits' primary constituencies on a sustainable, meaningful basis. Developers need to be conscious and respectful of not only this goal, but also, of the organization's resources: don't just dazzle with the latest technologies; build organization's capacity to use and sustain what is developed for the company long after you are gone.
Sermon over."
From TECH4IMPACT an email update to help mission-based organizations use computer and Internet technologies to benefit people, communities and the environment.
produced by Jayne Cravens and Coyote Communications
http://www.coyotecom.com

Questions, comments, concerns and suggestions are always welcome.