Welcome Spring! Winter has gone by so quickly; I hope all of you have been able to take advantage of this beautiful weather. With summer rapidly approaching I wanted to send out our second quarterly newsletter and share exciting news and information about what’s new at T4T.

Our valued non-profit agencies, corporate partners and volunteers are what make T4T a success. I am proud to announce that on May 10, 2006 one of our board members was honored at the United Way’s Champions of Impact Celebration. T4T Advisory Board Chair Dean Henry from The Vanguard Group was awarded the 2005 Committed Community Volunteer Award. As the board chair for T4T, Dean has been an extraordinary asset. His support and guidance have been invaluable to me and the T4T staff. We are so proud that Dean was recognized for his commitment to helping this region through the strategic use of technology. It has been an honor and a pleasure to work with him over the past year. To learn more about the awards please visit www.uwsepa.org.

Thank you for helping to make T4T a success. Please feel free to contact me with any comments or questions.

Enjoy the nice weather.

T4T New Staff Announcement
We are pleased to announce two new staff members at T4T: Justin Hughes and Nick Lu. Justin is a third year Sport Management major from Drexel University. He joins us as part of his second Drexel Co-Op experience. He is currently working on our Digital Inclusion initiative along side Sabra Williams. Justin comes to T4T with experience in community outreach as a volunteer for youth soccer camps and at his church's youth ministry. Nick is currently majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Drexel University and is participating in his first Drexel Co-Op experience. He joins us in the role of Support Staff and is working very closely with Assistance Program Manager Antoinette Hammond. Before coming to T4T, Nick administered and supported his high school’s computer labs.

IBM Hardware Access Fund
It is that time of the year again – time to receive your IBM/T4T Hardware Access Fund application! As you may already know, IBM generously supports T4T and this region by donating tens of thousands of dollars of desktops, laptops, servers, and IBM Young Explorer computers each year.

To help ensure this product donation is used as effectively as possible, IBM funnels its equipment donation through T4T, and the ONLY way to request and/or receive this hardware donation is through your T4T membership.

However, if you have an outstanding invoice or your membership has expired, we will be unable to consider your request for a hardware donation. Once all your membership fees and outstanding invoices are paid you will be eligible to request hardware through this fund. For more information contact Antoinette Hammond, Program Manager at 215-665-2570 or antoinetteh@uwsepa.org.

Management Assistance Fund
Did you know that United Way member agencies have access to a Management Assistance Fund? The purpose of the fund is to assist United Way funded agencies to meet their Promising Practices goals. Agencies can submit a request to their United Way Relationship Manager for up to 50% of the total cost of a capacity building project up to a maximum grant of $4,000/agency/fiscal year. This fund can be used to supplement the costs of your technology projects. For details please contact Kelleigh Johnson at 215-665-2427.

The Philadelphia Beehive
Have you visited the Philadelphia Beehive lately? The Beehive is a place to go for information and resources about the things that matter in our lives: money, health, jobs, school and family. This website makes information immediately accessible, easy to navigate, and is customized to the needs of low-income families. The site is useful for you and your clients. Please feel free to add it to your communications. The creators of the Beehive have thrown in some games and quizzes to keep it interesting. Please go to www.thebeehive.org/philly to visit this website.

TechConnect IT Budgeting Seminar – May 17, 2006
In partnership with TechFoundation, T4T is co-hosting a new TechConnect seminar. The next event is an IT Budgeting seminar scheduled for May 17, 2006! Designed specifically for non-profit decision-makers who may or may not have a technical background, these seminars bring technology expertise to the non-profit community. T4T member agencies receive FREE admission to these seminars.

Why Attend This Workshop?
Since technology began to find its way into nonprofits in the 1980’s, budgeting for IT has been a problem. Many nonprofits still have no distinct IT budget or budgeting process, let alone separate capital, operations, and support budgets. This presentation argues that preparation of an IT budget is a critical step both toward controlling IT costs and increasing the usefulness of IT systems. Through the use of standards, templates, and industry experience, nonprofits can develop IT budgets with relative ease, and should.

Purpose of presentation:
The purpose of this presentation is to encourage nonprofit managers to develop and follow IT budgeting strategies and practices, resulting in more effective systems and better control of costs. By presenting IT budgeting as a process and using budget templates, attendees should be able to initiate this process in their own organizations.

Goals and Objectives:
1. Know and apply Total Cost of Ownership & IT Life Cycle concepts in their agencies
2. Learn the 6 steps to developing an IT budget
3. Have spending standards against which to compare their budgets

How much does it cost to attend?
T4T & UWSEPA members: FREE
Regular Fee: $30
Date: May 17, 2006
Registration begins: 8:30 am
Presentation: 9:00 am
Location: UWSEPA
7 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy
Philadelphia, PA 19103

All attendees will be entered into a surprise raffle!

This event is free for all T4T/UWSEPA member agencies. To register for this seminars, please call 215-665-2590 or email Sabra Williams at sabraw@uwsepa.org.

IT Interns available for the summer!
MCC Computer Technology Institute (CTI) provides employers with diverse and talented information technology interns and entry-level staff. Students undergo a 15 month program and earn a nationally accredited Associate in Specialized Technology Degree. CTI offers two career tracks: computer hardware and networking or computer software and programming. CTI students go through intense, hands-on training along with business and communication courses so that they graduate with a well-rounded skill set. If you have a need for a reliable, well-trained staff or interns please contact Maria Hill, Employment Advisor at 215-568-9215 x 314.

View the Community Impact Training Institute catalog
Through the Community Impact Training Institute, United Way offers workshops to strengthen non-profit organizations and their programs. A variety of workshops are available in the following areas: Finance, Fundraising, Mentoring, Human Resources, Technology, and Volunteer Management.

Upcoming Workshops:

• May 19 - What's Working Now: Tools for Evaluating Your Mentoring Program
• May 25 - ABCs of Mentoring: Basic Mentor Training
• June 13 - Access One: Relationships and Tables
• June 16 - Interviewing and Screening Volunteers
• June 20 - Access Two: Queries
• June 21 - Laying the Foundation: Developing a Quality Mentoring Program
• June 27 - Access Three: Forms and Reports

For registration information and a complete list of workshops, please visit www.uwsepa.org/training. Questions? Email citi@uwsepa.org or call 215-665-2660.

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