February '04 - Leadership and Culture

We Are BCNM

Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management

TechNotes eNewsletter
February 2004

What makes for an effective infusion of technology into a nonprofit? Think leadership and culture, for starters. The culture of a tech-savvy nonprofit must not only be mission-centric but promote constructive change through continual knowledge enhancement. Leadership must communicate priorities clearly, focus on both the bottom-line and the longer perspective, and have the courage to abandon familiar practices that no longer meet the needs of the organization.

In This Issue:

February Technology Classes and Events
Technology in the Community
DiscounTech Guidelines Revised
Encyclopedia of Technology
Food for Thought

Pace School, an educational alternative for many youth with learning disabilities or behavioral issues, is one of those rare organizations who truly utilize technology as a strategic advantage in programming and administration. Learn more about the qualities of Pace School, a local nonprofit, that help make this culture a reality in a new section on the Bayer Center website, Best Practices in Nonprofit Technology: Case Studies.

We'll be periodically publishing other case studies on local nonprofits who are doing good things with their technology so keep checking back!

February Technology Classes and Events
Did you know that if you are an employee of a qualified nonprofit you could get a scholarship for up to 50% of the tuition for a Bayer Center class thanks to the generosity of the Alcoa Foundation? Follow the links to read more about upcoming classes or call 412-227-6814.

Registration information and additional course information is available by visiting our website at www.rmu.edu/bcnm or feel free to call the Bayer Center at 412-227-6814 or e-mail us at bcnm@rmu.edu.

Technology in the Community
If you're not in the heart of Pittsburgh and are feeling lonely, take heart. There could be a nonprofit techie peer group in an area near you. Take a look at Burgers and Bytes, for instance, a group in Westmoreland County sponsored by the YWCA of Westmoreland County. The next meeting for this group is February 10 from 5:30 - 7:00 pm at the Olive Garden on 1085 East Pittsburgh Street in Greensburg, PA. A $15 fee covers the cost of dinner and materials.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Gina McGrath at ginam@ywcawestmoreland.org or 724-824-9390, ext. 20.

A Revision to a Favorite WebSource
This month DiscounTech introduced new changes to their Microsoft Software Donation Program. Effective immediately, nonprofits that receive Microsoft donated products through DiscounTech will be eligible to order again after 1 calendar year, instead of the current 2 year waiting period. Qualified organizations can request up to 6 different products and 50 licenses each (1 license for server products) one time per calendar year.

You can learn more about these changes or other participating vendor's products at www.techsoup.org/discountech

Encyclopedia of Technology
If you can't keep up with the ever-evolving terminology techno-geeks use, you should check out Network World's Network Encyclopedia. Not only do you get a simple definition, but real-life examples that do even more to explain what, for example, "phishing" is.

www.nwfusion.com/links/Encyclopedia/index.html

Food for Thought
Leadership is getting players to believe in you. If you tell a teammate you're ready to play as tough as you're able to, you'd better go out there and do it. Players will see right through a phony. And they can tell when you're not giving it all you've got. Leadership is diving for a loose ball, getting the crowd involved, getting other players involved. It's being able to take it as well as dish it out. That's the only way you're going to get respect from the players.

--Larry Bird

To learn more about the Technology Initiative at the Bayer Center, visit us at www.rmu.edu/bcnm and click on Technology Initiative or give us a call at 412-227-6814.

To subscribe to TechNotes, please visit www.rmu.edu/bcnm and click on "Join our Mailing List."
If you no longer wish to receive TechNotes, please reply to this message with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject.

Nonprofits Build Strong Communities
...We Build Strong Nonprofits

The Bayer Center for Nonprofit Managemen

718 Fifth Avenue, 4th floor

Pittsburgh, PA 15219-3099