Philanthropy Front and Center-Atlanta

CARE Chief Uses Business Know-how to Tap into Corporate Partnerships

I saw an interesting article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution yesterday about an Atlanta nonprofit partnering with corporations.

Dr. Helene Gayle, a 54-year-old pediatrician by training, heads the Atlanta-based organization CARE, which is dedicated to fighting poverty worldwide. While Gayle has spent the majority of her career working for nonprofits (including the Centers for Disease Control and the Gates Foundation), she has relied on lessons from the corporate world to help her organization improve its handling of aid overseas. Currently, CARE has developed a partnership with UPS to ensure that disaster relief can reach affected areas quickly and efficiently.

This is just one example of a nonprofit working in collaboration with for-profit corporations, but there are many other possibilities. For more information and resources, you may want to refer to my last blog post, Looking for Corporate Funding?

Read the original AJC article here.

Joanne Kepics, Regional Traing Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Save the Date - Nonprofit Issues Forum Dec. 4

Mark your calendars now for the first in a series of discussions about nonprofit issues. On Friday, December 4, Dennis Young, director of the Nonprofit Studies Program, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University, will lead a discussion entitled Governing Nonprofit Organizations: Should Stakeholders Be in Charge?

Join us at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies building, 7th floor, for coffee and conversation at 9:30 am. Dr. Young will speak at 10:00 am, and a panel of experts will respond with discussion starting at 11:00 am.

This event is cosponsored by Alston + Bird, the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University, the Foundation Center-Atlanta, the Southeastern Council of Foundations, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, and Woodruff Arts Center.

Kayron Bearden, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Helping Rural Nonprofits Succeed

At the Foundation Center, one of our leading priorities is to provide training and services to under-resourced organizations to help build the capacity of the nation's nonprofits. We do this through a number of programs, including our online tutorials and webinars, our online Ask Us service and the FAQs and guides at our web site, and our network of more than 400 Cooperating Collections across the country.

Still, we recognize that rural nonprofits continue to face challenges beyond those presented to organizations in more urban areas, especially in times of economic downturn. In a study released earlier this year by the Bridgespan Group, rural nonprofits were found to be, on average, 50 percent smaller than urban nonprofits, while the geographic areas they served were much broader and the poverty rates in rural areas remain higher than those for other regions. Among other figures cited in the report, Nonprofits in America: Overcoming the Resource Gap:

• For each year between 1994 and 2001, rural areas received between $401 and $648 less per capita than urban areas in selected fields.
• An analysis of grantmaking by the top 1,000 U.S. foundations showed that grants to rural areas accounted for only 6.8 percent of overall foundation giving.
• A 2000 study of giving by 124 Fortune 500 corporations found that rural organizations received only 1.4 percent of the total 10,905 grants awarded.

To help close this funding gap, the study proposed a number of possible strategies for rural nonprofits. Among these tactics, collaboration was a key theme:

• Affiliation with a national network can provide access to valuable resources and institutional knowledge that would otherwise be difficult to develop on a local level. Affiliation can also provided added legitimacy and connections to larger, national funders.


• Building strategic partnerships and networks is key to attracting resources and donors to rural organizations. Executives with rural nonprofits who take the time to develop relationships outside their local area are more likely to gain access to crucial information about funding sources at the state, regional, and national levels.


• Rural nonprofits with limited development resources should invest in priority grant relationships rather than applying to as many funding sources as possible. Focusing on those grant opportunities in which there is a strong alignment with the grantmaking organization will increase the chances of building long-term, strategic partnerships with funders and will ensure that the nonprofit has a stable revenue base for future years.


• Programs should be structured to meet the unique needs of rural communities. Effective program design can help rural nonprofits meet tight per capita funding formulas and attract funders interested in value or innovation.

Many other groups have begun to address the rural funding gap as well, including the Council on Foundations, which co-sponsored the 2009 Philanthropy and Rural America Conference, along with the National Rural Funders Collaborative and other organizations. Other organizations that are focusing on this issue include:

• Rural Funders Working Group - Neighborhood Funders Group
• Rural Philanthropy Knowledge Center - Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers
• Rural Policy Research Institute

You can find additional resources on this topic by searching the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature, the Center's bibliographic database, for the subject "Rural development". Among the books and articles listed are:

Rule, Doug (ed.) Philanthropy and Rural America. Arlington, VA: Council on Foundations, 2008.
Foundation leaders and various experts contribute essays that explore the challenges and opportunities for rural philanthropy. The contributors discuss the importance of supporting rural philanthropy and provide recommendations for foundations.

Perry, Suzanne. "Small-Town Philanthropy." Chronicle of Philanthropy vol. 19 (26 July 2007) p.10-2.
Rural areas, traditionally overlooked by philanthropy, are drawing more attention from grantmakers and charities. Groups such as Montana's Big Sky Institute have demonstrated a "philanthropic divide" between states with large foundation assets and those without. Groups of rural funders and advocates are banding together to draw more funding to such areas.

Swierzewski, Rachael. Rural Philanthropy: Building Dialogue from Within. Washington, DC: National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, 2007.
Examines real and perceived obstacles that set rural nonprofits apart from foundations located in urban settings. Explores strategies for strengthening rural philanthropy and provides recommendations.

McGregor, Alan;  Chaney, Bethany. The Power of Rural Philanthropy. Washington, DC: Forum of Regional Associations of Grantmakers, 2005.
This assessment draws on information from many sources, and documents the growing grassroots efforts in rural America. One new model is the "geographic affiliate fund" within a community foundation.

Anft, Michael. "Rural Areas Reach Out to Donors." Chronicle of Philanthropy vol. 16 (11 December 2003) p.7, 9-10.
Explains how several foundations and nonprofit groups have established projects to help increase philanthropy in rural communities. Also notes the importance of advocacy efforts.

Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta

An Ode to the T-Shirt

Michael Seltzer is a regular contributor to PhilanTopic, our blog from Philanthropy News Digest. I always enjoy reading what Michael writes, since he is both interesting and informative. Today we are re-posting his latest piece from PhilanTopic.

It's Labor Day weekend, the traditional end of summer. Like many of you, I'll be spending it in jeans and a comfortable T-shirt, relaxing with friends and recharging my batteries.

Those who know me, know I love T-shirts. Not the $250 Brioni kind recently written up in the New York Times. No, I'm talking about tees associated with organizations and causes that throughout the years have shaped my life and life’s work. I don't know what it is, but a T-shirt with an eye-catching design or clever slogan creates an instant connection between the wearer and others, even in unfamiliar surroundings. In 1966, for example, I was traveling across southern Cameroon and came across a boy on a bike sporting the logo of Slippery Rock State University. That shirt was a long way from home, but somehow it helped bridge the gap between us.

As you might imagine, after more than four decades of social activism, my closets are stuffed with T-shirts that mean something to me. My collection is so extensive, in fact, that out of necessity we’ve had to adopt a household rule: Every time I buy a new T-shirt, I have to dispose of an older one. Rules were made to be broken, of course, and I periodically flaunt that one. I mean, how could I ever part with my "Kaapu for Mayor" T-shirt (circa 1969), even though it hasn't fit me for...oh, twenty years. It doesn't matter. It just makes make me happy to remember all those times I wore it and, in so doing, gave a "shout out" to the first native Hawai’ian to run for mayor of Honolulu.

Of course, in the years since tees have become the world's most enduring emblem of a social conscience. Today, you can buy a Gap T-shirt and contribute to the global fight against AIDS/HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. You can wear a "Girl Effect" T-shirt produced by Nike. You can promote an anti-animal cruelty message by wearing any of a dozen different ASPCA T-shirts.

And as more and more young people turn the upper half of their bodies into mobile billboards for a good cause, the message to nonprofit organizations is clear: Find a fair-trade T-shirt producer, find a wordsmith to craft a snappy slogan and an artist to create a great design, and start promoting. These two companies can help:

Through its philanthropic division, Now and Zen Productions, one of America's largest suppliers of novelty tees, assists nonprofits and charities by selling their T-shirts at cost. The company also will donate an additional 10 cents on the dollar to charities and projects it supports through its "+A Dime" program.

Colorado-based One Tribe, a branding and marketing firm that bills itself as "a new model for social enterprise," designs and sells 100 percent organic tees for a select group of not-for-profit clients. Not only are the T-shirts beautifully designed, but a hefty 50 percent of the purchase price ($46) is turned over to the nonprofit. The firm, which is currently working with four nonprofits, is accepting applications from other worthy causes.

Got a favorite nonprofit T-shirt slogan that has stuck with you over the years? Use the comments section to share it with others.

-- Michael Seltzer

Joanne Kepics, Regional Training Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Reading on My Mind

When I woke up Friday morning, it was pouring rain in Decatur. As I got ready for work, I was thinking, what a lovely day to loll on the sofa reading a book of no redeeming social value. 

I sat down to breakfast and opened the Atlanta Journal Constitution (yes, I still read a newspaper with my morning meal). The paper contained two articles related to literacy:

1. The Dollar General Literacy Foundation recently awarded a youth literacy grant for $3,000 to the New Schools at Carver Media Center in Atlanta. This was one of 1,101 grants awarded by the Foundation this year for schools, libraries, and nonprofit organizations to establish or expand literacy programs.
2. The Junior League of Atlanta launched a statewide initiative to promote literacy and school readiness on August 25. This “Million Minute Read” initiative is a partnership between the Junior League and the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning’s Bright from the Start program. Bright from the Start, around since 1993, provides high-quality preschool experiences for Georgia’s four-year-olds. Volunteers from the Junior League of Atlanta and its sister organizations around the state will read one million minutes to Georgia children from September 2009-April 2010.

Those articles reminded me of two outstanding literacy organizations serving the metro area:

• Literacy Volunteers of Atlanta, located in Decatur, brings volunteer tutors and students together for one-on-one instruction geared to the individual student’s needs. It has various programs, including adult basic literacy, English as a Second Language, family literacy, and workplace literacy.
• Literacy Action, based in Atlanta, provides teacher-led classroom instruction for functionally illiterate adults. It also provides employment-oriented educational programs.

If you can read this blog, you’re literate. If you are in the nonprofit field, you might want to read a book or journal article to increase your skills or broaden your perspective. The Foundation Center – Atlanta has a library of more than 3,000 titles covering a wide array of nonprofit topics. About 1,000 can be checked out by registered users. To see if we have any books or articles to address your needs, check out the Catalog of Nonprofit Literature.

Reading is a fundamental skill for success in life. It not only helps one function on a job and in day-to-day activities, it brings great joy and personal enrichment to our lives. What do you read? What role does reading play in your life? I would love to read your comments. In the meantime, I think I’ll go read a book.

Pattie Johnson, Director, Foundation Center - Atlanta

Questions to Ask if You’re Thinking of Starting a Nonprofit

Recently, I was working at the Foundation Center – Atlanta reference desk when a couple came in.  They asked for information about starting a nonprofit.  I showed them some books on the subject (see the Foundation Center’s FAQ on the topic) and referred them to the Georgia Center for Nonprofits’ start-up kit.  I also suggested that they attend our class “Before You Seek a Grant: A Checklist for New Nonprofits” either in person or as a webinar.

Just in case you’re thinking of starting a nonprofit, let me ask you a few questions.  These questions need thoughtful answers before you proceed:
(1) What’s your tolerance for paperwork? Doing the paper work – incorporating, writing by-laws, recruiting board members, filing the 1023 for the IRS, etc. – is tedious and time-consuming. The start-up paperwork is the most voluminous, but paperwork does not go away once you have established a 501(c)(3) charity.  You have to make annual and sometimes monthly or quarterly reports to various government agencies.  There are budgets, applications, proposals, evaluations, and reports.  The most difficult part for some people is that the paperwork takes them away from actual service delivery – the reason they wanted to start the nonprofit in the first place.

(2) What makes your nonprofit different?  The first step on the road to starting a nonprofit is not the paperwork; it is deciding if there is a demand for your idea and mission.  What makes your idea different from that of other nonprofits?  Are you serving those who are not being served?  If you serve youth, what makes you different from Girls, Inc. or Boy Scouts or some other well-established youth-serving organization?  You have to look at your community and make sure that your nonprofit concept addresses a real need in ways that are productive and helpful. 

(3) Do you believe in what you are doing sufficiently to ask for money?  Regardless of the mission, a nonprofit needs money to operate.   People frequently fail at fundraising because they are reluctant to ask for support. If you feel passionately that your mission is worthwhile, you will be eager to give people the opportunity to invest in your project.  Just that little mindset change can help you secure the support your organization needs.

If you have a mission that fills a need and you have the passion and perseverance to slog through the paperwork and fundraising, your nonprofit will succeed and the community you serve will be better off.  If there is no need for your service or you are lacking in passion and perseverance, it simply won’t happen. 

The couple I mentioned earlier is on the right track. They were taking their time and learning what is involved in the process.  They may or may not establish a nonprofit, but whichever path they take, they will have made an informed decision.

Pattie Johnson, Director, Foundation Center – Atlanta 

4 Easy Ways to Work Your Net

Networking is a crucial component of your success.  This truism was brought home to me while attending a networking event sponsored by the Atlanta Nonprofit Professionals and the Georgia Center for Nonprofits at Dania’s.  I also found out how some people who attended classes I taught at the Foundation Center put their new knowledge to work.  
 
Dominique Harper, who is growing his nonprofit M.A.D.E (Making a Difference Every Day), is now contracting with Shameika Logan, Ed.M, LMSW and Fana Abay, BS. After attending one of my classes, Shameika and Fana joined forces to start Your Grant Solutions, a grant writing consultancy. They already had the skill and knowledge, but only after I mentioned that organizations often need skilled proposal writers did they get the idea of starting a consulting firm. 
 
Working your net works both ways.  At this same networking event, I also met David Lurry, a marketing professor who volunteered to answer any questions that I have concerning marketing my forth coming book (7 Secrets Every Woman Should Know: How to Create a Joy-Filled Life). In turn, I was able to help him coordinate an informational interview with a top local organization.
 
Here are some tips to keep the flow going:

• Show-up - It’s easy to want to skip formal opportunities to network. Often times they are after work, or a bit out of the way. Make every effort to attend. When you do arrive, be sure a good attitude is with you. But don’t miss the informal opportunities to network as well, such as in the grocery store or at an event.

• Follow-up - This is where most of us stumble. We keep the business card and don’t do anything with it. Contact the people and let them know that you enjoyed meeting them. Offer to be of assistance; better yet, if you can call with something that will help them immediately, don’t hesitate to do so.

• Be on the up-and-up - Don’t inflate what you can do for someone else. Be honest and do your best to help. Remember, it’s better to under promise and over deliver than vice-versa.

• Shut-up – And listen. How can you help someone else get what they want if you don’t stop talking? Learn as much as you can daily. It’s not just for you, but for you to be a blessing to someone else.

Happy Networking!

Asia M. Hadley, Training Coordinator, Foundation Center-Atlanta

Staying Legal in Tough Economic Times

By Rachel Epps Spears

Donations are down; requests for assistance are up.  Nonprofits that already operate on a lean budget are tightening the belt another notch or two.  Now is not the time to let down your guard when it comes to the legal health of your nonprofit.  Here are tips for keeping your organization out of legal trouble while you weather the economic downturn.

#1.  Don’t stop paying your taxes.

With decreased revenue, nonprofits sometimes fall into the trap of not paying employment taxes to the IRS.  Don’t do this!  The IRS won’t be moved by your charitable works; the Service wants its money.  Also, Board members should know that they can be held personally liable for a nonprofit’s failure to pay employment taxes.  As a related issue, make sure that any one you are treating as an independent contractor is correctly classified as such.  Follow the IRS guidelines or seek legal counsel to determine whether a worker is an independent contractor or an employee.  Make sure that you are properly withholding and paying employment taxes for anyone who should be treated as an employee.  See the IRS web site for more information.

#2.  Be careful when laying off employees.
 
When laying off employees, you must keep several things in mind to avoid future legal challenges to your decisions.  First, prepare a written layoff plan and carefully document layoff decisions.  This will help protect you from accusations that your decisions were made improperly.  Make sure that the business reason for the layoffs is clear and that the selection criteria for determining who is laid off is clearly defined so that you will have evidence if your decisions are later questioned.  Always remember that you cannot make termination decisions based on an employee’s race, national origin, sex, age, or any other characteristic protected law.  Also, before an employee is laid off, you must check if the employee has an employment agreement  and if there is an agreement, check for a certain period of service and for a severance payment.  Be aware that when you lay off an employee, he or she may be eligible for unemployment compensation.  It is important that you consult legal counsel to assist in creating a layoff plan that will be compliant with various applicable laws.

#3.  Make sure you pay minimum wage and overtime as required.

As an alternative to layoffs, you might consider retaining your employees but reducing their compensation.  Any such compensation reduction program must comply with federal and state wage and hour laws.  If you decide to lower salaries, make sure that you are still paying at or above minimum wage.  Also, don’t slack off on paying overtime to non-exempt employees.  If you don’t know the difference between exempt and non-exempt employees or haven’t carefully considered this classification, seek help.  See the Department of Labor for more information.

 #4.  Keep up to date your insurance premiums.

Insurance is costly but you need it more than ever when times are tough.  Be sure to pay all premiums due on general liability, workers’ compensation, director’s and officer’s liability and any other insurance that is vital to your organization.

#5.  Keep the Board informed and engaged.

Make sure the Board of Directors is well aware of the financial challenges facing the nonprofit and be sure to give them time to respond to those challenges.  Board members should meet more frequently, if necessary, and stay on top of any potential problems.

#6.  Check your contractual obligations.

If a lease or contract (including an independent contractor agreement) becomes too expensive or unnecessary to your business and you want to terminate, be sure to read the termination clause first and understand what risk you face by ending the contract. There may be cancellation fees or other requirements. 

Also, don’t use funds from one contract or grant to cover shortfalls in operations or other less-funded programs without properly considering your obligations under the contract and taking any necessary steps.

#7.  Renegotiate outstanding debt.
 
If you have a mortgage or other type of loan and are having trouble keeping up with the payments, don’t avoid your lender.  Most lenders would rather renegotiate the debt than foreclose. Contact your lender and see what can be arranged.

#8. Be sure subcontractors are being paid.

If you are in the process of building or renovating, don’t get caught between your general contractor and any unpaid subcontractors.  Make certain that your general contractor signs a release that he has received payment to pay subcontractors and make sure he pays them. 

A subcontractor that does not get paid by the contractor can put a mechanic’s lien on the property to obtain his payment.  Mechanic’s liens increase during difficult economic times.   Make sure that you have evidence that the owner paid the contractor in order to protect your organization.

#9. Be careful about additional fundraising efforts.

Nonprofits look for new and innovative ways to raise money in a bad economy but be aware that there are many laws and regulations for fundraising.  For example, Georgia has strict gaming laws governing raffles, door prizes and bingo games.  The IRS has many regulations that affect fundraising, including rules about unrelated business taxable income (UBTI). 

The UBTI regulations may require organizations to pay tax on any income (including fundraising income) that is not directly related to their charitable mission.   Finally, if you decide to try to raise additional funds by hiring a professional fundraiser, make certain the agreement will not affect your tax-exempt status.

#10. To Merge or Not to Merge?

Combining forces with another organization may be the only way to survive an economic downturn.  Although it is important that your organization’s mission, programs and culture are sustained, you must consider that merger with another organization may be the key to surviving during a period of fierce competition for scarce resources.  Combined organizations are more likely to attract funding than each organization alone and also experience more efficiency in operations.  Attorneys can help with the many legal issues that arise in a merger.

Rachel Epps Spears is the Executive Director of Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide free legal services to other nonprofits.  Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta matches eligible nonprofits with volunteer attorneys who can assist the organizations with legal issues related to corporate governance, tax-exempt status, employment, contracts and leases, trademark and copyright, and real estate.  In order to be eligible, the organization must be a Georgia nonprofit with 501(c)(3) status that provides direct services to low-income or disadvantaged individuals.  For more information, visit www.pbpatl.org. You can also listen to our interview with Rachel Spears about how nonprofits in Atlanta can qualify for free legal assistance to manage and grow their nonprofit organizations.

Let us know your tips for navigating these tough economic times. 

Nonprofits and the Chains That Bind Them

More than 300 people spent last Friday morning listening to author Dan Pallotta talk about his 2008 book - Uncharitable – that has provoked debate in the nonprofit sector for asserting that entrenched cultural beliefs about charities are crippling nonprofits' ability and potential to respond to the scale of social ills they confront. (Tactical Philanthropy has a good example of this debate.)

Pallotta's book stems from his experiences as the founder of the now defunct Pallotta TeamWorks, a for-profit company that organized large-scale, multi-day walks and bike rides, raising $305 million over nine years for causes like AIDS and breast cancer.

Palotta argues that nonprofits will never achieve the scale of capacity they need to create real change because public perceptions deprive nonprofits from enjoying freedoms afforded corporations, especially in regards to:

• Executive compensation: Low salaries turn away good talent and leadership, yet high salaries draw suspicion
• Marketing: Nonprofit advertising is OK only if it's donated
• Risk-taking to generate revenue: Nonprofits are afraid to take risks because of the criticism that will ensue if they fail
• Investment in long-term revenue growth: Everything is measured in 1-year increments, which doesn't fit all nonprofits
• Profit as incentive to raise growth capital: Profit-making ventures draw suspicion

Less controversial but no less provocative was his argument that nonprofits are especially harmed by the overhead-program ratio -- "What percentage of my donation goes to the cause?" -- what Pallotta calls the "most sinister question" perpetuated by charity watchdogs and the media. Sinister because it:

• Makes the public think overhead is not part of "the cause"
• Forces nonprofits to forgo what they need to increase capacity to solve problems, like a powerful (but expensive) new leader or a major ad campaign to increase long-term giving
• Gives donors bad information since it says nothing about program quality (Did it make a difference?) and is subject to aggressive accounting methods

(See Pallotta's blog postings for HarvardBusiness.org to read his key arguments, many of which he echoed in Friday's presentation.)

A panel discussion followed Pallotta's presentation.  Participants included the author, plus:

• Joe Bankoff, president and CEO, Woodruff Arts Center
• Bill Bolling, founder and executive director, Atlanta Community Food Bank
• Martin Lehfeldt, author and former president, Southeastern Council of Foundations
• Milton J. Little, Jr., president and CEO, United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta
• Carol Naughton, vice president for communities, New Community Ventures, LLC
• Dennis Young, Professor of Public Administration and Urban Studies and director of the Nonprofit Studies Program at Georgia State University

Some recurring themes and questions were:

• Nonprofits need to do better at educating donors and the public about their accomplishments and return on investment, but how?
• Nonprofit workers are drawn to the sector for altruistic motivations, but how to balance that with personal economic interest?
• What is the 10-second answer to the persisting question of overhead-program ratio?
• How can the nonprofit sector adopt and/or hybridize some corporate methods, like social purpose investing?
• The whole nonprofit sector could use a re-branding campaign to improve its image (Pallotta's suggestion: "social transformation sector")

Our Events Archive will post a video of the event within a few weeks so that you can see and hear the full discussion as well as the audience Q&A session afterwards. 

Do you agree with Pallotta? What can nonprofits do, if anything, to change public perception of the sector?

Sandy Pon, Virtual Library/Learning Center Specialist

TechBridge Announces Winner of 2009 Technology Innovation Award

The Tommy Nobis Center was announced as the winner of the 2009 Technology Innovation Award at the annual TechBridge Digital Ball held on Sunday, May 9^th. Each year the award is given to a deserving Georgia nonprofit with an innovative vision for using technology to increase the efficiency of day-to-day operations, improve effectiveness in serving clients and key stakeholders, or grow fundraising, advocacy, or volunteer efforts. For more information on the award and past recipients, see this section of the TechBridge site.

Serving the greater Atlanta area, the Tommy Nobis Center provides job training, employment and vocational support to the disabled. The Center is seeking to develop a client tracking system that would streamline operations and allow the organization to expand their client base by 10% - or about 90 to 100 people - annually. Such a system would also result in a shorter waiting list for services and enable faster job placement for clients. You can read more about the Center's initiative in this article from the Atlanta Business Chronicle. As the winning organization, the Tommy Nobis Center will receive $25,000 in TechBridge services, $25,000 in Microsoft software, a one-year TechBridge membership, and a $5,000 cash grant towards implementation of this project.

Two additional organizations, Habitat for Humanity – North Central Georgia and Project Open Hand, were designated as award finalists and will each receive a TechBridge technology assessment, $10,000 in Microsoft software, a one-year TechBridge membership, and a $1,000 cash grant towards their own projects.

For information on software or technology for your nonprofit, see our resource list, Computer Software for Nonprofit Organizations, or visit the following web sites for additional resources:

• Idealware
• TechSoup
• Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN)
• NPower

Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta