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| Volume VI Issue 7 |  | July 2011 |
| GroundWork group...Strengthening the ability of nonprofits to achieve their missions | ||
"Is The Cloud Right For You?" GWg 6th Annual Central Ohio Nonprofit IT Conference
Cloud computing…What is it? Time-saver? Money-saver?
What isn't it? Complicated.
Whether you've only heard of the cloud or you've already embraced it and want to make sure your organization is moving in the right direction, we'll have you covered.
Please join us for our 6th Annual Central Ohio Nonprofit IT Conference on October 7, when we'll take a trip into the clouds and find out what makes cloud computing a useful tool and ways it can help your organization.
We'll kick off the day with a keynote address from Kathy Starkoff, CIO, The Ohio State University.
We feature a Panel Discussion on How to Get the Most out of Social Media.
Breakout Sessions include:
- Overview of Cloud Computing-- An introductory presentation for those who aren't as familiar with the concept.
- Fundraising-- Tips on enhancing your fundraising efforts...especially essential in this difficult economic climate and with recent state budget cuts.
- Advanced Cloud Computing Concepts-- If you have already embraced the cloud, this session includes more advanced topics, such as security and file backup/recovery.
- Technology Planning-- A focus on planning for smaller nonprofits who may not have the bandwidth that larger ones have.
Come take part in this exciting day packed full of useful information to help your nonprofit!
REGISTRATION OPENING SOON!
GWg OC – IT Board Matching & Development Program
Lowering the total cost of ownership in technology requires strategic thinking. Wouldn't it be great to have someone on your Board of Directors to help deal with technology in a strategic manner? As a service to GWg Members, GWg Orange County is developing a process to help connect nonprofits with IT leaders in the community.
Dawn Trautman, SVP IT & Strategic Planning at Pacific Life Insurance is heading up the effort along with Ken Venner, EVP Corp. Services & CIO at Broadcom, Julie Sokol, CIO at The Irvine Company and Gene Elias, CEO at GWg OC. This task force will to put in place a solid process to facilitate matching local CIOs with nonprofits. The IT Board Matching & Development Program helps nonprofits vet potential Board Members from the CIO community, educates nonprofits on how best to utilize this valuable resource as a Board Member, helps CIOs understand what it means to be on a nonprofit board, and ensures local companies realize how important it is help nonprofits with their technology endeavors.
If you are looking to add a valuable resource to your Board or simply want to know more about the process contact GWg OC, infooc@groundworkgroup.org, and we'd be more than happy to discuss it with you.
Tech Tip: What is Your Backup Plan?
Disaster can strike at any time. And we’re not just talking about flooding or fire. Disaster can be failed hard drives or RAID controllers or hardware malfunctions causing data loss. So having a good backup plan for data is only part of the solution. A good backup plan for hardware is extremely important also. It is critical that every organization have a documented backup plan for both data and hardware!
The two key aspects of a backup plan are Data and Hardware/Software:
DATA
- Daily Full Backups. Depending on the size of your organization, full data backups should happen weekly at minimum. Having nightly or even real-time backups are good options depending on the critical level and need of your data. External hard drives are becoming a more economical way of backups, compared to tapes.
- Keep backups off site. At minimum, have backups at two separate locations. Choosing the right method of data backup can be key, but don’t limit yourself to a single solution. Having an onsite backup solution, such as tape, is a good backup source. Also keep an updated copy off site, in a safe place, and regularly rotate an updated version.
- Remote backups. Offsite backups are becoming more popular. Utilizing a third-party resource to remotely backup your entire server and data does come with a cost, but is also a good way of automatically having backups accessible off site. Be sure to understand all the costs and capabilities of your vendor. Consider keeping a copy of your backup on site so that you can access it quickly if you need to restore files. Check backups regularly. Be sure that the backups are running, are backing up the right data, and that the backups can be restored.
HARDWARE/SOFTWARE
- Hardware and Software Details. Keep detailed records of your servers’ hardware, warranty, and software information and configuration. Once documented, be sure that this information is kept safely off site. If you ever need to restore the entire server, you will need this information.
- New Hardware Warranties. If you are in the market for a new server, look at purchasing a good warranty for an additional 1-3 years. Depending on the primary service your new hardware is to provide, having next day replacement can limit organizational downtime.
- Include Hardware RAID or Mirrored Drives on Servers. An additional backup solution with any server infrastructure is to have multiple hard drives on the server. A hardware RAID solution or even mirrored drives help – if one hard drive fails, the other hard drives can continue to provide service while the bad drive is replaced.
- Hot swappable drives. A more expensive option for servers is the ability to have hot swappable hard drives so that if a drive does go bad, the drive can be swapped out very easily with no downtime.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
- Cloud computing. Becoming more popular, cloud computing may or may not be a good option for your organization. Having your entire infrastructure located off site, at a data center, or in the cloud, is one way to minimize or even eliminate the need for backup plans from a hardware/server perspective.
- Document your plan. Keep a process record of your backup plan safely off site. Have a copy with at least one other staff member, and remember to review and update it regularly.
Check Out GWg's Fresh, New Web Design
GroundWork group has launched our newly re-designed website! We are excited about the new look and feel of groundworkgroup.org, and we’ve completely updated the content on every page. We invite you to explore our new site and share your thoughts with us. Are you looking for a new web design? GWg is now rolling out website designs and a full line of additional web services to help nonprofits maximize their potential with a stronger online presence.
Your website is your frontline e-Marketing tool and essential in your overall communications to your audiences. A fresh look, regularly updated content and Search Engine Optimization can drive more traffic to your site and keep people connected to you longer. Boost your productivity and your e-Marketing with a dynamic and interactive website that is integrated with other aspects of your business.
GroundWork group’s full line of web services:
- Building – Cost-effectively establish an online presence to promote your mission.
- Hosting –Affordable, reliable and secure web hosting for nonprofits.
- Redesign – Refresh your online presence.
- Content Management – We can do it for you, or we can train you to easily DIY!
- Event Registration – Fundraising & tracking is a breeze with online event management.
- Payment Processing – Secure & completely managed for you; money deposited to your account daily.
- Data Capture & Storage – Retain your organization data & integrate it among all your systems.
- e-Commerce – Use the web to boost your bottom line.
- Donate Online Now – Donors can research & contribute at their convenience.
- Domain Name Management – Worry-free retention of your organization’s web address.
GWg makes it simple. Meet with one of our developers to establish your web enhancement plan. We implement the web services you need and deliver you interactive pages to turn your website into a continual conversation with your site visitors. Our web platform is easy to use. With a quick training session, anyone at your nonprofit can update your web content – anytime, anywhere – with no need for advanced knowledge on writing code.
Visit some of GWg’s website work. We designed and built unverferthhouse.org, anfchallenge.org, apsiohio.org, and of course, groundworkgroup.org.
Contact Russ Shingleton for more information, rshingleton@groundworkgroup.org.
Nonprofit Spotlight: Rebuilding Together Central Ohio
Pictured from left to right, John Hrusovsky, CEO, GroundWork group; Mary Auch, President of the Board of Trustees, Rebuilding Together Central Ohio; and, Mike Uttam, Trustee and IT Chair, Rebuilding Together Central Ohio.
Rebuilding Together Central Ohiowon the 2011 GWg Nonprofit IT Creativity Award for Strategic Planning, among a slate of 14 nominees. Rebuilding Together Central Ohio was recognized for embracing the need for strategic development and including technology in their planning. 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. GroundWork group will feature the winning nonprofits and their programs in our eNews throughout the coming year.
The Rebuilding Together Central Ohio Board engages in long-term and short-term IT planning activities as necessary to determine the mission of the organization, to define specific goals and objectives related to the mission, and to evaluate the success of the organization’s programs toward achieving the mission. Rebuilding Together Central Ohio conducts strategic planning annually to be ready for the coming fiscal year. The strategic plan created by the IT Committee follows a 5-step strategic planning model that includes: Assessment, Baseline, Components, Down to Specifics and Evaluation. On a monthly basis, the Rebuilding Together Central Ohio IT Committee reports actual results to the Board of Directors and the Executive Director to monitor progress.
Rebuilding Together Central Ohio has served Columbus and the Franklin County area since 1991 by working to preserve and revitalize homes and communities. They have provided services for more than 600 homes involving over 14,000 volunteers in service. In addition to working with low income senior and disabled homeowners to make emergency and home modification repairs and updates, Rebuilding Together Central Ohio loans over 200 varieties of hand and power tools to Columbus residents, free of charge, through the Tool Library. For more information, visit rtcentralohio.org.
Upcoming Education Events – Columbus
GWg Nonprofit IT Forum – Topic TBD
| When: | Tuesday, August 9, 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 |
If you’ve never been to a Nonprofit IT Forum, consider joining us. It’s a free benefit of membership in GroundWork group and a chance to network with other IT professionals while enjoying free pizza, salad, and pop, provided by the Tony R. Wells Foundation.
Our group spans the experience spectrum from accidental techies to actual network administrators and IT Directors, so don’t be afraid to come and ask questions – that’s what this group is all about.
At the August Nonprofit IT Forum, we may dive into the topic of Social Media, but we will hit topics driven by the group as there will be time for open discussion, should anyone need feedback on current IT problems and/or IT needs.
Business Productivity Classes – Columbus, OH
| What: | Microsoft© Office 2007 Word |
| When: | Tuesday, August 23, 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 Word Introduction 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – Lunch on your own 12:30 – 3:30 p.m. – Microsoft© Office 2007 Word Intermediate |
| Cost: | Per Class: $35/Full Members; $45/Associate Members; $55/Non-Members and Corporate |
| RSVP: | Carolyn Green, cgreen@groundworkgroup.org |
Microsoft Word is an excellent tool for creating professional looking documents, newsletters, flyers, etc. to help your organization. In the morning session, Introduction to Word will teach you the basics – how to format your document, use templates, insert images, edit your document and more! This course is great for beginners who want to learn what all Word can do for you in your day-to-day job.
In the afternoon, Intermediate Word will build on your knowledge and introduce you to more advanced topics such as mail merge, 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.
Sign up for both sessions to maximize your learning and save $10 dollars on the total cost! All day costs: $60/Full Members - $80/Associate Members - $100/Non-Members and Corporate.
Upcoming Education Events – Orange County
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, August 11, 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, August 18, 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.