TechBridge, Inc., NPower and Verizon Foundation Renew Grants For Nonprofit Technology Training
Seattle, Wa. – May 26, 2006 – NPower announced today that they will continue to provide training grants for nonprofit organizations, thanks to renewed funding from the Verizon Foundation. The partnership, a part of the Verizon Foundation Resource Center, allows organizations to attend classes at no cost on a variety of computer programs and technology-related topics.
The Verizon Foundation Resource Center, first launched in May 2005, is a suite of free, web-based professional development courses and resources that help nonprofits better manage their charitable business. The Resource Center was designed to offer nonprofits, which often have no or small training budget but face ever-expanding operations and increasing client demand, a free one-stop, operational and training resource.
“For nonprofit organizations, cost is typically a major barrier to getting technology training,” said Scott Schaffer, Executive Director of NPower. “Through the Verizon Foundation training grants, NPower has been able offer hundreds of organizations the opportunity to give their staff the technology skills they need to be more effective, which in turn helps their communities. We are delighted to partner with the Foundation again this year to continue this valuable work.”
Through their participation in the Verizon Foundation Resource Center in 2005, nine NPower affiliates provided nearly 500 training grants to 250 nonprofit organizations. Classes included software titles like Access Basics and Dreamweaver, as well as strategy classes such as “Web Site Planning” and “Fundraising for Technology.”
Other partners of the Verizon Foundation Resource Center include ePhilanthropy, TechSoup.org, Volunteer Consultant Group, Society for Nonprofit Organizations, and the Foundation Center. To date, the Resource Center has offered in-class, blended and online courses in 96 different subject areas including marketing, board member recruitment and technology. More than 800 individuals representing more than 450 nonprofits nationally have benefited from training to date.
NPower affiliates in the following locations expect to offer training grants through the Verizon Foundation Resource Center through May 2007: Atlanta, Denver, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Portland (Or.), and Seattle.
For more information about these training grants or other materials in the Verizon Foundation Resource Center, visit http://foundation.verizon.com/resourcecenter/.
ABOUT NPOWER
NPower is a national network of local nonprofits that help other nonprofits use technology to better serve their communities. NPower programs serve thousands of nonprofits nationwide by providing a suite of high quality, affordable, unbiased technology services including assessment, planning, implementation, support and training, as well as providing the TechAtlas online technology planning tool. The NPower Network has expanded from one to twelve local NPowers since its inception in 1999. More information is available at www.npower.org.
ABOUT THE VERIZON FOUNDATION
Verizon delivers technology that touches life. The Verizon Foundation uses that technology and its financial resources to improve literacy and K-12 education; help families victimized by domestic violence; and improve the delivery of health care. In 2005, the foundation awarded more than $74 million in grants to charitable and nonprofit agencies in the United States and abroad. The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, one of the largest employee volunteer programs in the United States responsible for 2 million hours of community service since 2000 and $35.6 million in combined contributions to nonprofits in 2005 alone.
Contact:
Lindsay Bealko
Phone: 206-957-7724
Fax: 206-286-8881
lindsayb@npower.org
