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January 2005
In this issue:
You Can Help: Tsunani Relief Fund
Center for Community Solutions Seeks Awards Nominations
Wanted: Outstanding Volunteer Stories
Ohio's CCP ... Training and Funding
Standards for Excellence Clinic Begins
Our Secrets for Better Computing
Akron Community Foundation’s Tsunami Relief Fund Pools Resources to Help South Asians
Akron Community Foundation has joined forces with Coming Together Akron, the Akron Beacon Journal, FirstMerit Bank and Summit County Red Cross to provide financial assistance to tsunami victims.
The Tsunami Relief Fund will combine the donations of Akron-area residents to help people in need half a world away. In 2001, the same group of organizations set up a similar fund to purchase a new fire truck and other rescue vehicles for New York. In both cases, the goal was to move quickly, allowing the community to make a large, single aid contribution that directly impacts in the devastated area.
“This is one of the great advantages of a community foundation,” said Akron Community Foundation President Jody Bacon. “We provide a means for local residents to pool their resources and provide quick assistance in times of great need.”
Donations can be made in person at any FirstMerit Bank branch or by sending a check to the address included on the donation coupon found at the Akron Community Foundation Web site, http://www.akroncommunityfdn.org, or in the Akron Beacon Journal. Checks should be made payable to Tsunami Relief Fund - ACF. All donations are tax-deductible.
For more information, contact the Tina Boyes at the Akron Community Foundation: tboyes@akroncommunityfdn.org or 330-376-8522.
Center for Community Solutions Seeks Nominations for Cuyahoga County Awards
Award deadlines are approaching quickly for two nonprofit awards presented annually by The Center for Community Solutions. All agencies serving Cuyahoga residents are eligible.
Don't let year-end and new-year details cause your organization to miss out on these two opportunities to increase public awareness and obtain additional resources:
- The Most Treasured Volunteer (MTV) Awards for individuals who give of their time and talent to help others on a volunteer basis (deadline 1/12/05), and
- The $20,000 Anisfield-Wolf Memorial Award for outstanding service by an organization in 2004 (deadline 1/19/05).
More information and nomination forms are available at www.CommunitySolutions.com or call 216-781-2944 x424.
Summit United Way Seeking Outstanding Volunteer Stories
The Volunteer Center of United Way of Summit County is accepting outstanding volunteer stories as part of their 4th Annual Volunteer Celebration, which will be held Tuesday, April 19, 2005.
The theme for this year’s event is: “Volunteers Make an Impact.” Consider submitting stories of individuals or groups who have exhibited outstanding volunteer service within your organization and even within your own neighborhood—“neighbors helping neighbors.” Also consider submitting stories of volunteers representing diverse backgrounds.
Due to program planning, Volunteer Story Submission Forms must be submitted no later than 4pm, Thursday, January 13, 2005. The Celebration Committee will closely review each story as a potential selection for a video, which will be produced to display and represent the extraordinary volunteer service and impact in our community.
To submit a volunteer story, or for more information, visit www.uwsummit.org/Vol_Center/volunteersubmissionform.htm or contact Pam Beals or Sonia Rice at 330-762-7601; email: pbeals@uwsummit.org or srice@uwsummit.org.
Training & Funding: Ohio Compassion Capital Project
The Ohio Compassion Capital Project is a statewide initiative to assist Ohio’s grass-roots, faith and community-based organizations so they may increase their effectiveness, enhance their ability to provide social services and create collaborations to better serve those in need. The Project will provide training, technical assistance and mini-grants to faith and community-based organizations serving their neighbors in need.
Area workshops, each a four-hour session, will introduce the Ohio Compassion Capital Project to those interested in participating in any of the major aspects of the project, including: training; sub-award funding; and technical assistance. Participants will also learn about the role of the GOFBCI.
Sessions are scheduled for January 7 in Columbus; January 19 in Maumee/Toledo; January 21 in Cincinnati; February 15 in Akron; and February 24 in Gallipolis. There will be no cost to trainees. Continental breakfast will be provided. All sessions will run from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
For more information, visit http://www.fbciohio.gov/OCCP_Orientation.htm.
AFP Presents: Time Management Skills for Professionals
January 10, 12:00 – 1:30
Guy’s Party Center, Akron
$11 Members / $20 Non-Members
www.afpncoh.org
Have you ever tried to cram 24 hours of work into 8 hours? Have you been given an assignment and not known where to start thus creating more time management issues for yourself? Sometimes time itself is our worst enemy. At the AFP January session, you will learn the ten top tips for improving your time management along with the key questions to ask yourself in order to know where to begin.
Dr. Mark Frohman is President of Frohman Consulting Corp., a firm that has worked with more than 400 organizations in change management, leadership coaching, strategy setting, conflict management, training, team building and employee relations. His clients have ranged from start-ups and small firms to members of the Fortune 500. He has worked extensively with senior executives to develop programs that support strategy and action plans, strengthen leadership, and improve teamwork across the organization. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1970 and worked in the industry for 15 years before founding Frohman Consulting Corp. in 1985.
To register, or for more information, visit http://www.afpncoh.org/news2005/january.htm.
Community Welfare Forum Spotlights Victim Assistance Program
January 19, 11:45 – 1:30
First Congregational Church, Akron
Guy’s Party Center, Akron
$6.40 for lunch; $10.00 for membership
Rev. Robert Denton will speak to January's Community Welfare Forum about Victim Assistance Program. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about what all this organization does for our community. Rev. Denton has also had vast experience in aiding the victims of disasters in many places and will be able to answer questions you may have.
Reservations are required by the end of the day on Thursday, January 13th . Please respond to Andrea Denton at dentona@admboard.org or 330-762-3500 or to Jamie Bricker at brickerj@usa.redcross.org or 330-535-2549.
Be prepared to share any information that you want to communicate from your agency and bring any written information to place on the tables for people to take with them.
OANO Begins Standards for Excellence Series
In 2001, the Ohio Association of Nonprofit Organizations (OANO) adapted and implemented the Standards for Excellence, a comprehensive ethics and accountability program developed by the Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations, in Ohio.
The Standards for Excellence program has three primary components:
An ethics and accountability code that establishes 8 guiding principles and 58 specific benchmarks for ethical and accountable conduct in nonprofit leadership and management.
An array of technical assistance resources - including information kits and training curricula - designed to help nonprofits understand and achieve the Standards.
A voluntary self-certification program for organizations that wish to demonstrate a formal commitment to the Standards.
The next 4-session clinic series begins January 19th. During each session, two of the eight major topic areas in the OANO Standards for Excellence ethics and accountability code will be covered in detail with special guest speakers and OANO staff. A facilitated peer-to-peer exchange follows each topic overview.
For more information, visit http://www.oano.org/Standards.asp or contact Jennifer Campbell, Executive Director, at jennifercampbell@oano.org.
Service Spotlight:
Project Connect's Computer Training
330-315-1335; hotline@infolineinc.org
Flex those mental muscles and improve your organization’s computer fitness! Project Connect offers a variety of classes to help your staff become computer savvy. (No sit-ups, we promise!)
Work smarter, not harder
Is your staff spending their days struggling to do tedious tasks? Learn to automate and improve efficiency through Project Connect! Whether you have beginners or advanced users, we have something you need!
You can teach an old dog new tricks
Already have experienced users? Send them to learn advanced techniques for the software they use everyday, or join us for the whole series – they’ll be amazed at what they learn. We’ve also upgraded our Microsoft Office curricula to Office 2003, so even if they’ve come to class before, it might be worth another visit.
Get it together
Maybe everyone knows how to use Word, Excel, and Outlook, but did you know you can make them work together? Learn to make your software interact, allowing you to benefit from the strengths of each individual program.
We won’t leave you out in the cold!
Once your staff members have taken a course, they have full access to the Technical Hotline for topics related to that course.
Guilt-free Smorgasbord!
Here’s a sampling of courses we offer, guaranteed fat-free. Unlike some buffets, you don’t have to start at the beginning of the line – if you meet the prerequisites, jump in where you like!
- Basics for beginners and self-taught users: Introduction to Computers 1: The Basics; Introduction to Computers 2: Increasing Your Efficiency; Introduction to the Internet
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word Series: Document & Formatting Basics through Graphics and Newsletters (5 courses)
- Microsoft Excel Series: Spreadsheet & Chart Basics through Formulas and Data Analysis (4 courses)
- Microsoft PowerPoint: Slideshow Basics, Animation & Graphics (2 courses)
- Microsoft Publisher 1 & 2
- PageMaker 1 & 2
- Microsoft Access Series (5 courses)
- Web Developers Series (includes FrontPage and PhotoShop)
For a complete list, as well as class times and registration info, visit our website at http://www.infolineinc.org/connect/training.htm and serve yourself up a big helping today! (Members are entitled to repeat a course for free, which means you can have seconds!)
Don’t have time to attend a full-length course?
Then you certainly don’t have time to waste wrestling with your computer! Try our new Quickies courses, designed to be task-focused, and best of all, brief and on-point.
- Making Data Entry Fun and Easy! Creating Tab-and-Type Forms in Word
- Managing Yourself & Your Staff: Advanced Techniques in Outlook
- Collecting Data the Easy Way: Taming the Survey Monkey!
Unlike the regular half-day sessions, these one-to two-hour Quickies are down-and-dirty, learn-the-ropes-then-get-out-of-here-and-do-it-yourself courses. (Call for scheduling info.)
Not just another face in the crowd
These hands-on classes are designed specifically for you, the staff and volunteers of non-profit organizations. Plus, class sizes are limited to 12 students, so learning is personalized. So make plans to join us for a no-sweat workout – call today and sign up, or register online at http://www.infolineinc.org/connect/register.htm and Get Technical!
Amy's PC TIP:
Compact & Repair Your Access Databases Every Month!
Access databases you use frequently can get gunked up just like your hard drive. It's important that you "burp" them on a regular basis. At least once a month ... or when the database is not acting the way it should … or if the size is much too large … go to Tools/Database Utilities … Compact and Repair Database. This will eliminate unneeded space and delete any corrupted areas you have.
Cool test: use Windows Explorer to determine the size of your database. Then do a compact and repair. Check the size again ... it should be considerably less!!
Join us this winter for a cup of cocoa and a refresher course, or learn something entirely new! Call 330-315-1335 or e-mail register@infolineinc.org to register or receive a copy of our winter schedule. Cost is $40 per person for staff and volunteers of member organizations;$60 per person for staff and volunteers of non-member organizations.
Don't know whether your organization is a member? Visit our members page to find out: Project Connect Members
Not a member? Join Project Connect today and save! Visit www.infolineinc.org/connect.htm for more info.
QuickBooks
- Setting Up Your Company
1/13/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon- Statements & Reports
1/21/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon- Beyond the Ledger
1/27/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonMicrosoft Word
- Document Basics
1/5/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon- Tables, Merges & Macros
1/12/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon- Forms & Advanced Tools
1/19/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon- Graphics & Brochures
1/26/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon- Newsletters
2/2/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonMicrosoft Excel
Excel 1: Spreadsheet Basics
2/3/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonExcel 2: Formulas
2/10/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonExcel 3: Advanced Tools
2/17/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonExcel 4: Data Analysis Tools
2/24/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonMicrosoft Access
Introduction to Access: Data Entry & Other Basics
2/9/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Website Development
FrontPage 1:Themes & Shared Borders
1/4/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonPhotoshop: Graphics for the Web
1/11/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonFrontPage 2: Formatting Your Web Pages
1/18/2005 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonFrontPage 3: Cool Tools
1/25/2005 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonAdobe PageMaker
PageMaker 1: The Basics
2/8/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonPageMaker 2: Newsletters
2/15/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonMicrosoft Publisher
Publisher 1: The Basics
2/22/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonPageMaker 2: Newsletters
3/1/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonDatabase Developers Series
Access 1: Planning & Set-Up
2/16/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonAccess 2: Tables & Relationships
2/23/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonAccess 3: Queries & Basic Forms
3/2/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonAccess 4: Forms & Reports
3/9/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 NoonAccess 5: Troubleshooting
3/16/05 - 9:00 AM - 12:00 Noon
Visit www.infolineinc.org/connect/training.htm to see our latest training schedule. Or call us at 330-315-1335 and we'll fax you a copy.
Are you getting the best deals for your technology dollar?
Don't buy anything technology-related until you've visited these three websites first!! They offer significant discounts for nonprofits with Microsoft, Dell, CDW, Adobe, and more!
As always, we are interested in hearing from you to learn how we can best meet your technology and connectivity needs. Give us a call at 330-315-1335 or e-mail us at connect@infolineinc.org.
Enjoy!
Be sure to include your fax number!
Want to see previous newsletters? Go to www.infolineinc.org/connect/updates.htm
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