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| Volume VI Issue 8 |  | August 2011 |
| GroundWork group...Strengthening the ability of nonprofits to achieve their missions | ||
In this issue...
"Is The Cloud Right For You?" GWg 6th Annual Central Ohio Nonprofit IT Conference
Friday, October 7, 2011 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Fawcett Center, The Ohio State University Campus, Columbus
Keynote Speaker: Kathy Starkoff, CIO, The Ohio State University
Panel Discussion: >How to Get the Most Out of Social Media
Breakout Sessions: Cloud Computing, Fundraising, Technology Planning
Nonprofits, Volunteers, Business Leaders and Funders,
Please join us for a day focused on the impact of cloud computing on organizations.
Kathy Starkoff, CIO,The Ohio State University, kicks off the conference with her keynote address highlighting how Ohio State is leveraging technology to be a leading university in the 21stcentury.
Breakout Sessions designed to increase the ability of nonprofits to implement the cloud based on their size and their needs.
| Overview of Cloud Computing | An introductory presentation for those who aren't as familiar with the concept. Presenter: Ron Savoia of Stratus Innovations |
| Fundraising | Tips on enhancing your fundraising efforts...especially essential in this difficult economic climate and with recent state budget cuts. Presenter: Doug Allinger of Allinger & Company |
| Advanced Cloud Computing Concepts | If you have already embraced the cloud, this session includes more advanced topics, such as security and file back-up/recovery. Presenter: Tom Walters of Quick Solutions |
| Technology Planning | A focus on planning for smaller nonprofits who may not have the bandwidth that larger ones have. Presenter: Ramona Swayne of Alvis House |
Panel Discussion: How to Get the Most Out of Social Media. Area technology leaders will share the social media strategies at their organizations. They'll alsoprovide insight into the development of your social media policies and invite comments and questions from attendees to help you address your specific social media needs.
- Bill Balderaz,Founder SEO, PPC Social Media at Webbed Marketing
- Sandy Blanquera,Curator at StartupDigest, Head of Web Communications at Dublin Entrepreneurial Center, Social Medial Principal at Social Boomerang
- Charles Barber, Communications Manager at Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks
Whether you've only heard of the cloud or you've already embraced it, we'll have you covered.
The Olin Group Partners with GroundWork group Orange County
No matter how successful your business model is, expanding to a new region brings challenges in a new market place, and that is exactly what GroundWork group has faced as it opened its affiliate office in Orange County. GroundWork group Orange County (GWg OC) has made great strides in establishing its brand and value to nonprofits in Southern California, and a large part of that success is due to the partnership GWg OC has formed with a local partner —The Olin Group.
The Olin Group is a capacity building firm that works with Southern California nonprofit organizations to determine effective strategies to build revenue, communicate impact and value, and bolster organizational capacity – all based on current analysis of the market and philanthropic environment. This approach and the support of The Olin Group team have been instrumental in helping GWg OC establish its brand as a trusted technology advisor that can help address the business challenges faced by nonprofit organizations in Southern California.
But The Olin Group doesn't just serve nonprofits; it strives to make an impact on the community through its own social ventures. In support of a growing movement dedicated to shared spaces, The Olin Group has teamed with Orange County Shared Spaces as association manager for The Village at 17th Street in Santa Ana. The Village is a nonprofit multi-tenant center dedicated to increasing organization capacity and fostering communications and resource sharing between nonprofits, and is the first center of its kind to open in Orange County. It is also the location of GWg OC regional headquarters.
The Olin Group also manages Charitable Ventures of Orange County, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing fiscal sponsorship services to emerging charitable initiatives. The mission of Charitable Ventures is to bring great ideas to life without the early burden of nonprofit incorporation, which not all initiatives need to take on. Through its service offerings and social ventures, The Olin Group works hard to support a vibrant and sustainable nonprofit sector.
As Gene Elias, CEO of GWg OC put it, "The Olin Group really helped GWg OC hit the ground running. The team there has been outstanding in supporting our programs and helping us connect with the nonprofit community in Orange County. They are the model of what true partnership is all about!"
For more information about the Olin group, email info@theolingroup.comor check out their website at www.theolingroup.com.
Nonprofit Spotlight: VSA Ohio
Pictured from left to right, John Hrusovsky, CEO, Ground Work group and Erin Hoppe, Executive Director, VSA Ohio.
VSA Ohio, the state organization on arts and disability, won the 2011 GWg Nonprofit IT Creativity Award for Marketing, among a slate of 32 nominees. VSA Ohio was recognized for using technology as an effective marketing tool through the use of an interactive website, regular updates to their website and consistency between web and print marketing messages. The award event honored nonprofits for the innovative and meaningful ways in which they are leveraging Information Technology (IT) to support their business functions to help them effectively and efficiently achieve the goals of their missions. This is the second in a series of articles featuring one of the winning nonprofits and their programs in our eNews each month.
Keeping constituent needs at the forefront, VSA Ohio created a website that ensures full accessibility, room to grow, and the easy-to-use maintenance software Dreamweaver. In addition to general organization information, the all new VSA Ohio website has numerous valuable components.
- The Artist Registry allows artists with disabilities to connect with new patrons. The service is still growing, but 15 artists have work on the site, and 3 pieces have already sold.
- The Arts & Disability in Ohio Calendar is an online Google calendar, listing hundreds of accessible events and opportunities across Ohio and America. The seamless interface with Google allows easy updates and has provided a platform for a centralized internal staff calendar and document sharing.
- Since January 1, 2011 over 41,000 hits were made by more than 2,500 unique visitors; up 141% from all of 2009.
Technology has been an invaluable platform for VSA Ohio to advance their mission, reach new audiences, and secure online donations. Electronic newsletters, video posted on their website, Google, Constant Contact, Facebook, and Dreamweaver have streamlined administrative efforts, have expanded the reach of their resources, and have been a platform to develop new programs.
Providing services since 1986, VSA Ohio, the state organization on arts and disability, works to empower individuals with disabilities, creatively and inclusively, through the arts. VSA Ohio programming aligns with four focus areas: Education, Professional Development, Cultural Access and Public Awareness Outreach. For more information on VSA Ohio, please visit www.vsao.org.
Upcoming Education Events - Columbus
GWg Nonprofit IT Forum – TechSoup & Microsoft
When: Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Where: Jewish Family Services, 1070 College Ave., Columbus, OH 43209
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Cost: None. Pizza and salad lunch provided by the Tony R. Wells Foundation.
RSVP: Carolyn Green, cgreen@groundworkgroup.org
It is about to get easier to acquire Microsoft products through TechSoup!
Come to the September Nonprofit IT Forum and learn about the new Microsoft requirements.
As always, the forum will open up to discussion on any topic participants want to bring to the group.
GWg Business Productivity Classes – Columbus, OH
What: Microsoft© Office 2007 Excel Introduction & Microsoft© Office 2007 PowerPoint
When: Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Where: Franklin University, Dublin Campus, 495 Metro Place South, Room 106, Dublin, OH 43017
Time: 8:30 – 11:30 a.m. – Microsoft© Office 2007 Excel Introduction
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Lunch on your own
12:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Microsoft© Office 2007 PowerPoint
Cost: Per Class: $35/Full Members; $45/Associate Members;
$55/Non-Members and Corporate
RSVP: Carolyn Green, cgreen@groundworkgroup.org
Microsoft© Office 2007 Excel Introduction
Does using Excel give you butterflies? Not anymore. Our beginner Excel 2007 course is a simple, hands-on approach to learning all the Excel basics. Learn how to manipulate worksheets, format data, create simple formulas, size columns and rows, use relative and absolute references, sort data effectively, create basic charts, and proof and save Excel workbooks.
Microsoft© Office 2007 PowerPoint
PowerPoint is an excellent application for creating professional looking presentations in a "slideshow" format. Learn how to create and edit your own PowerPoint presentations in this class. The PowerPoint class will teach you how to create slides, and edit them by adding text, images, and other formatting tools. Learn how to add animations, set the timing of the slides, and more.
Increase CDC Event – Columbus, OH
Calling all small business owners, partners, supporters, corporate managers, service providers and government agencies! Don't miss the opportunity to REJUVENATE your business at the 2011 Entrepreneurs Conference & Expo on October 6thsponsored by Fifth Third Bank. Register by August 30thand SAVE $10. Visit www.increasecdc.org/conference.
Upcoming Education Events - Orange County
GWg Business Productivity Classes – Orange County, CA
Space is limited– so please register soon to ensure your seat!
What: Microsoft© Office 2007 Word Introduction
When: Thursday, September 1, 2011
Where: Delhi Center, 505 E. Central Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92707
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon
Cost: $25/Student
RSVP: Carolyn Green, cgreen@groundworkgroup.org
Microsoft© Office 2007 Word Introduction
Microsoft Word is an excellent tool for creating documents, flyers, newsletters, etc. Need the basics, or just transitioning from Word 2003 to Word 2007? Come learn the essentials of this application – how to navigate within the tool, format, use templates to increase efficiencies, insert images, format pages, edit and proof your documents and more! If you are a beginner, this is a great course to learn what Word can do for you in your day-to-day job! And if you're experienced in Word 2003, this is a great course to become familiar with the 2007 version and transition all of your knowledge.
What: Microsoft© Office 2007 Word Intermediate
When: Thursday, September 8, 2011
Where: Delhi Center, 505 E. Central Ave., Santa Ana, CA 92707
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon
Cost: $25/Student
RSVP: Carolyn Green, cgreen@groundworkgroup.org
Microsoft© Office 2007 Word Intermediate
Intermediate Word will build on your knowledge and introduce you to more advanced topics such as mail merge, book formatting, shortcuts, copying data from Excel to Word, and customizing Word to help you become more efficient. This is a great class to take your knowledge of Word to the next level.