CONNECT is a project of the Orangewood Children’s Foundation whose mission is to provide nonprofit organizations with resources to strategically build their capac-

ity for long-term sustainability and growth. CONNECT supports grantees of local funders and other nonprofit organizations, increasing their capacity to effectively and

efficiently deliver services to the children and families in our community.

Program Development is the process of enhancing existing programs or creating new ones with the goal of increasing the scope or effective-

ness of an organization’s services. It can result in increased numbers of clients served, expanded geographic areas targeted, and better quality

of services for clients. Program Development is one of the five critical areas of capacity building identified by the Federal Government’s

Strengthening Communities Fund.

In today’s digital age, having the right technology can make all the difference in how well your organization func-

tions. When considering purchasing new software, there are many different kinds of programs that are specifically

geared towards the nonprofit world. Below are just a few of the different options available to nonprofits, along with

brief descriptions of what they can do for your organization.

Cloud based services are becoming increasingly common amongst programs and services dealing with large quantities of data. If you are not

familiar with the concept, cloud computing means storing all of your data on the internet rather than on your own computer. Although using

a cloud based system can seem very appealing it can have many distinct advantages and disadvantages to consider before deciding to make

the switch. Here is a list of some of the main pros and cons with using a cloud-based system rather than a traditional hard drive based system.

PROS:

Data is stored offsite, so it is not taking up

hard drive space on your PC

Data can be accessed from any computer

with the right software and internet access,

making it easy to share data over multiple

computers

Updates made on cloud based software will

be reflected immediately by any other users

of the cloud, meaning data is always up to

date

CONS:

Completely dependent on the internet,

meaning that if internet access is lost the

data cannot be retrieved

Cloud based systems are often subscription

based, which could mean losing the ability

to access your data if you miss a payment

If the service you are using has technical

problems you could lose access to your data.

Additionally, if the service you are using

goes out of business or is discontinued you

could lose your information permanently

Volunteer management software is another

tool that can save organizations time and

money, especially those with large numbers

of volunteers located at multiple sites. A

volunteer management program assists

organizations in tracking volunteer records,

skills, availability, and more and sorts them

based on those criteria to make it easier to

find the right volunteer at the right time.

They can also be used for generating reports

that can be used to inform funders and

board members.

Fundraising software can provide

nonprofits with many advantages and

greatly reduce time spent keeping track of

financial matters. By investing in a solid

fundraising program, organizations have

the benefit of consolidating all the data

from individual donors, corporate giving,

grants and in-kind donations in one

central place, eliminating the need for

multiple tracking systems. They can also

be used to track donor correspondences

and grant proposals submitted, making it

easy to identify past fundraising efforts

and coordinate new ones.

For more information on specific program

options, for nonprofits, check out

www.TechSoup.org

At the core of any nonprofit organization is

the people they serve and keeping that

organized can be key in providing effective

services. Client management software can

track client data as well as any programs and

services they have been provided, allowing

you to see who is best qualified for additional

aid and track goals to see how effective

services have been. They can also allow you

to make any special notes about your clients

and keep everything organized in one place,

making tracking multiple clients easier and

more efficient.

Thomas House is a family oriented homeless shelter with the goal of keeping

families together and helping them regain independence through the difficulties

of homelessness. Established in 1986, the shelter originally consisted of just one

garden grove apartment and since this time the shelter has been able to purchase

the building they were housed in as well as the one adjacent to it to provide

services to many more families in need. Recently, Thomas House hired a new

executive director Cyndee Albertson, and the organization continues to strive for

excellence in its services to the community.

As an OCCBP grantee, Thomas House has made some major upgrades to their

office equipment designed to enhance their ability to provide workforce

development services to the families that are housed on their property. They are

currently involved in further developing their website and marketing materials

and working on creating a new social enterprise program to assist in the overall

sustainability of the organization.

OCAPICA is a Garden Grove based nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the

health, social, and economic well being of Asians and pacific islanders in

Orange County. OCAPICA offers a wide range of services encompassing

education, health support services youth services, and more.

As an OCCBP Cycle 2 grantee, OCAPICA has been busy setting up new

accounting software to aid in their financial management efforts as well as

engaging in the services of a web design consultant to help launch a

completely revamped website design. They have been working closely with a

consultant to aid in the development of their board of directors and are

currently in the process of beginning work with a revenue development and

marketing consultant to further enhance the capacity of their organization.

All of OCCBP’s second cycle grantees have made strides in the program development field. Here are just a few examples:

Currently completing the process of

becoming accredited by the Commission on

Accreditation for Rehabilitation Facilities.

Have purchased and implemented new

MyCase client tracking software.

Have engaged in strategic planning for their

East Side Community Renewal Initiative

program.

Currently working closely with a marketing

consultant to assist in organizational

rebranding efforts.

Upgraded office IT equipment and

purchased Donor Perfect software to better

maintain fundraising records.

Established a new workforce development

computer lab and expanded workforce

development program

Purchasing computers to support their

workforce development program for motel

families.

Purchased new accounting software to

manage their financial efforts and launching

new website design.

Designed new “Stanton Works!” workforce

development program with workshops and

materials.

Purchased dedicated copier and computers

to expand workforce development program.

Upgraded office IT equipment and

purchased Donor Perfect software to better

maintain fundraising records.

Due to our contract with OneOC, OCCBP has been able to extend the timeframe that it is offering OneOC trainings through October 30th, 2011. Staff at eligible organizations may attend any OneOC workshops AUTOMATICALLY FREE OF CHARGE, with the exception of Breakfast of Champions, 3-Day Grant Writing and AFP Audioconfer-ence.

To signup for a particular workshop, register online

through oneoc.org. At the time of registration, note that

you will be utilizing an Orange County Capacity Building

Program (OCCBP) scholarship using the pull down menu

under “Select Membership Level”

Here are a few of the trainings being offered:

OCCBP Training Scholarships are no longer available

As OCCBP is approaching the end of the two year grant cycle, we will no longer be accepting any scholarships for outside trainings

from eligible organizations. From this point forward, the only trainings that will be available to eligible organizations are those that are

offered by OneOC.

The Orange County Capacity Building Program (OCCBP) is a partnership between Orangewood Children’s Foundation, CONNECT, Children and

Families Commission of Orange County, Families and Communities Together (FaCT), Orange County Workforce Investment Board and OneOC, that

has received a Federal grant from the Strengthening Communities Fund made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

6 Sessions over 3 days

9am-12pm, 1pm-4pm

9/16/2011, 9/23/2011, 9/30/2011

To see a calendar of trainings offered by OneOC, please visit

www.oneoc.org/services/training-services/course-catalog.

9am-12pm

October 19th, 2011

Presented by FoundationCenter.org

September 20th 10:00am-11:00am

Presented by Idealware

September 22nd 10:00am-11:00am

Presented by FoundationCenter.org

September 26th 12:00pm,-1:00ap

Presented by FoundationCenter.org

September 29th 11:00am-12:00pm

Presented by VolunteerMatch.org

October 6th 11:00am-12:00pm

Presented by VolunteerMatch.org

September 20th 11:00am-12:00pm

9am-12pm

September 22, 2011