By James B. Hyatt

Nonprofits in the Washington area would have a new resource to help them improve their services and operations through the effective use of hardware, software and the Internet under a plan being backed by a group of funders.

Like NPower, a new nonprofit launched March 1 in Seattle that provides technology assistance to nonprofits in the Puget Sound area, the Washington initiative could be a national model for providing a technology resource for local nonprofits.

Unlike NPower, the Washington group - known as Technology Works - might not be a separate nonprofit entity. Plans tentatively call for it to function as a network or partnership of existing organizations, or to be a service of an existing organization.

The planning process for the Washington initiative began Dec. 1, 1998, and is scheduled to be completed by May. Fundraising will begin then and will determine when the new service will begin.

Once a model for the Technology Works project is developed, it would aim to help nonprofits obtain technology such as hardware and software, as well as training and expertise on how to use technology.

And rather than simply serving as a clearinghouse for the computer equipment, the Washington project likely will emphasize training and consultation as its main priorities.

"We are not interested in promoting technology for the sake of itself, but want to help nonprofits integrate technology in order to help them meet their missions," says Jennifer Keller Jackson, a consultant leading the planning effort. "My guess is a lot of the work [of Technology Works] will be to help nonprofits understand and maximize hardware and software they have already invested in."

Based on a needs assessment survey of Washington-area nonprofits, Technology Works likely will aim to train people to identify the technology their organization already has in place, such as computer systems and software, and to use it more effectively.

The network also probably will offer consulting to groups that need to move to the next technology level, but don't know what to purchase or how to integrate it into an existing system.

The planning effort is being funded by the Eugene and Agnes E. Meyer Foundation in Washington, Microsoft Corp. in Seattle and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation in Menlo Park, Calif., among others. It is being guided by the Rockefeller Technology Project of the Rockefeller Family Fund as part of the National Strategy for Nonprofit Technology.

The National Strategy is a growing network of nonprofit leaders who aim to help make technology more accessible and affordable to nonprofits. Both NPower in Seattle and Technology Works in Washington hope to demonstrate the principles underlying the National Strategy, particularly the need to limit costs and increase the availability of technology for nonprofits.

What is still under study is exactly what form Technology Works will take when it is launched, says Jane Meseck Yeager, Microsoft's community affairs program manager and a member of the Technology Works planning group.

"We're taking a look at what is currently going on in D.C. in terms of technology assistance," says Meseck Yeager, who also is a partner in the National Strategy. "What [Technology Works] may look like at the end of the planning process, it's hard to say right now.

"There are a lot of different organizations in Washington and the surrounding area that are providing technology assistance. It may be the case in D.C. that we can build from an existing company, it may be a link from existing groups, or it may stand on its on as NPower does in Seattle."

NPower is a membership organization whose members pay dues on a sliding scale. It charges fees for services to members at roughly half the rate charged by local for-profit technology assistance providers.

While Technology Works is still in the planning stages, it also would provide shared resources allowing nonprofit workers to find the best places for equipment repairs, locate programmers and other experts willing to work at reduced rates, and get recommendations for the best equipment configurations for specific budgets.

Other technology needs identified by Washington-area nonprofits are:

• Hardware and software upgrades
• Web site development.
• Internet access.
• Local area network installation, administration and maintenance.
• Database creation and integration.
• Hands-on assistance and troubleshooting.
• Y2K assessment and problem-solving.
• Networking and collaboration with nonprofit peers.
• Case studies of similar nonprofits that have successfully used technology.
• Training - maximizing existing hardware and software applications.
• Training on new applications.
• Training on how to think strategically and integrate applications into day-to-day work.

Based on a document prepared for the Technology Works effort, the assistance network will emphasize a "70/20/10" model for technology funding. In this model, 70 percent of the budget is dedicated to planning and staff training; 20 percent is allocated for hardware purchases; and the remaining 10 percent is used for software.

Without extensive planning and training, "expensive equipment gathers dust, frustration levels soar and organizational effectiveness diminishes," the planning document states.

Whatever shape Technology Works takes, its goal is to be a reliable guide for nonprofits, the effort's consultant says.

"The goal is to be a centralized, trustworthy resource - the 'first call/first click'-for 501(c)(3) organizations who often don't even know where to begin to get help and also need help defining their needs," Keller Jackson says.

James B. Hyatt can be reached at
jbhyatt@mindspring.com