By Cathy Stevens
Boston
Hundreds of Boston nonprofits are cheering on a new team these days, and with this team, there's no losing.
TeamTech is an ongoing partnership between United Way of America, IBM and Americorps*VISTA. In its second year, it is a project designed to increase the technological capacity of nonprofit organizations.
The three have come together in a nationwide effort to provide technology assistance programs to nonprofits in 16 U.S. cities, says Chris O'Keeffe, director of the United Way in Massachusetts Bay. Each player on TeamTech makes a different contribution to the team.
The local United Way is in charge of assessing the technology needs of its area affiliates and developing a game plan to help them, says O'Keeffe.
Sherry Swick, IBM's U.S. Community Programs Manager, says IBM then makes available $45,000 in hardware, software and technology services to each United Way and fits the grant to meet that city's needs.
Americorps*VISTA, or Volunteers In Service To America, then helps the United Way put its plan in place.
In Boston, the United Way has decided to help nonprofits that have operating budgets under $1 million, O'Keeffe says. In a recent survey of 100 nonprofits in the state, 87 percent said they need help preparing their computers for the year 2000, commonly called Y2K.
Since then, TeamTech in Boston has held Y2K workshops for human service agencies and worked with 65 other agencies on Y2K compliance, says O'Keeffe. In addition, Boston's United Way is offering technology planning workshops and individual assistance with technology plans, says O'Keeffe.
The IBM grants will also be used to upgrade technology and to improve business operations, he says.
By September 2000 the goal is for TeamTech to have helped area nonprofits come up with sustainable technology strategies for hardware, software, training and support, O'Keeffe says.
Maura Banta, IBM's Manager of Corporate Community Relations for New England, says IBM wanted to help nonprofits with technology assistance but could not afford to send consultants directly to the organizations. The partnership with United Way and Americorps enables them to help.
"This is a pretty exciting initiative for us. It's a wonderful win-win situation," says Banta.
In the first year, IBM made grants to 11 cities, but Swick says they have expanded the program to 16 just recently, after seeing the progress being made.
Nationally, TeamTech has provided $4.8 million in technology and technical services to more than 1,200 organizations in two years and hopes to provide another $1.2 million by the end of 1999, says Swick.
Don McKee, spokesperson for United Way of America, says that TeamTech provides specific, hands-on experience to the nonprofit sector, and this is right in line with United Way of America's focus.
"We see this as a key community-building activity," he said.
One of TeamTech's biggest challenges has been finding enough volunteers. In today's high-tech world, people with the necessary technical skills often opt for higher-paying jobs, but Swick says they have been doing fairly well finding VISTAs.
Many VISTAs, she says, are students headed for law or medical school who want to take a year off and help out their community.
"They have a lot of passion for community service," says Swick.
As the program enters its third year, it is evident nonprofits are becoming more self-sufficient and are relying a little less on IBM and United Way, says Swick. Nevertheless TeamTech will continue to expand as the positive results pour in.
"We plan to be in it for awhile," she says.
By Cathy Stevens can be reached at
Cathy.Stevens@furman.edu
