[rtpnet-tact] Capacity of CTCs to Provide Technology Assistance to Nonprofits (fwd)

[Judy Hallman]

To TACT and TechCoop lists:

The report (http://www.compumentor.org/ctcstudy/) described below is very
interesting and very well written.  Although we haven't talked much about
TechCoop (http://www.rtpnet.org/techcoop/) yet on the TACT list, I think
it is working toward directions recommended in the report -- for example,
 R E C O M M E N D AT I O N # 2 : Develop service delivery models which
 combine the strengths of NTAPs [Nonprofit Technology Assistance
 Providers] and CTCs to most effectively serve community nonprofits and
 community-based organizations.

Judy Hallman (hallman at rtpnet.org, http://www.rtpnet.org/hallman)
Executive Director, RTPnet, NC (http://www.RTPnet.org/)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 16:20:10 -0800
From: George Gundrey <ggundrey at compumentor.org>
To: connect at ctcnet.org
Subject: [CTC] CompuMentor Report Examines the Capacity of CTCs to Provide
    Technology Assistance to Nonprofits

Friends:

CompuMentor is pleased to announce the release of the following
report. I would welcome any feedback or discussion of the report
and its findings, either on the CTCNet list or privately.

George
------------------------

CompuMentor Report Examines the Capacity of CTCs to Provide
Technology Assistance to Nonprofits

Over the past several years, much discussion has taken place in
the nonprofit sector and particularly in the community technology
movement around the evolving roles of community technology
centers (CTC). One idea that has received significant attention
is whether CTCs may expand their roles to act as nonprofit
technology assistance providers (NTAPs).

With the support of the AOL Time Warner Foundation, CompuMentor
took a closer look at this issue and published its findings in
the report "Exploring New Roles for Community Technology Centers:
Can CTCs Serve as Nonprofit Technical Assistance Providers?"
CompuMentor's interest in this subject came from two vantage
points. First, as an NTAP we understand there is a very large
unmet need in the nonprofit sector for technology support
services. Second, as a provider or services and technical
assistance to CTCs, we know that sustainability is a huge
challenge.

The key findings of the report, conducted by Rem Hoffmann,
include:

* Although CTCs are perceived as tech-savvy organizations, they
may not have the capacity to function as NTAPs.

* Technology skills are only one of five categories of
qualifications necessary to serve as an NTAP. Others are mission
congruency, business capabilities, the ability to subsidize the
cost of providing service, and position in the community. While a
number of CTCs meet some of these qualifications, very few meet
all or most of them.

* NTAPs reported that fundraising to subsidize the cost of
providing services was critical to succeeding. The report found
that it costs much more to provide these services than nonprofits
are able to pay, which directly contrasts the perception that
CTCs acting as NTAPs can generate earned income to support their
other programs.

There appears to be a small subset of CTCs that can offer NTAP
services.  The paper concludes with a recommendation to conduct
further research of new models for NTAPs and CTCs to partner to
deliver services to community-based organizations.

The report is available for download at http://www.compumentor.org/ctcstudy/

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
George Gundrey, Senior Program Manager
Community Technology Center Program
CompuMentor
435 Brannan Street, Suite 100, San Francisco, CA 94107
Voice: 415.633.9310
Fax: 415.512.9629
Email: ggundrey at compumentor.org

http://www.compumentor.org
Bringing people and technology together to strengthen our communities

http://www.techsoup.org
Technology served the way nonprofits need it, powered by CompuMentor
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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