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This archived newsletter is from Harbinger Partners, before it joined forces with the Corporate Volunteer Network to become Common Impact. |
From a big picture perspective, we knew we needed a technology plan and knew we needed a database, but we didn't know how we were going to get it. Nobody could really understand or see or feel it. But now, people are running around saying, "Look what it can do!" so much more than we ever thought it would. It's like getting a big holiday gift.
--Mary Gunn, Executive Director of Generations Incorporated, a nonprofit participant in the Technology Pioneers Program
By the end of this year, Harbinger Partners will have served nearly 60 nonprofit organizations in Greater Boston--helping those organizations serve the homeless, disabled, elderly, and at-risk youth of our community better. A gift to us touches multiple nonprofit organizations; we invite you to be a part of this by making a donation. Every dollar you give to Harbinger Partners returns four dollars back to the community.
It's easy to donate online at http://www.harbingerpartners.org/go/donate/; checks made out to "Harbinger" can also be mailed to our offices. We wish you and your families the very best for the holidays!
It's been a busy autumn, as usual! The months have rushed by in a blur of activity centering on the strategic technology planning process with our Fall participants, and the stewardship of the volunteer-based technology projects of last year's Spring nonprofits. It is such a pleasure to work with smart and dedicated nonprofits who, in spite of their already full plates, have so thoroughly engaged in technology discussions with Harbinger Partners and our technology volunteers.
...that need some technology help! We are pleased to open up our application process again in order to select five new nonprofits for the Technology Pioneers Program cycle beginning in April 2005. The application was released November 16th, and we're already pleased by the strong interest! We are looking for nonprofits from all over Greater Boston, so head to http://www.harbingerpartners.org/go/tpp/apply/ to read about the application process and download a copy of the application. Applications are due at 5:00pm on January 15, 2005.
Please join us at our application information session at the Boston Foundation on Monday, December 13th, at 9:00 am. We'll have staff members there to answer all of your questions about the program, applications to take with you, and a light breakfast. Please RSVP to Katie Wang at kwang@harbingerpartners.org to receive further details about this event and to help us know how many people to expect!
We're excited to announce that we've selected our final two participants for Strategic Teams for Technology: Jam'nastics and Prevention NOW! These two programs have joined our eight other organizations to build their IT capacity and to learn about how technology can be shared throughout the after-school sector. Learn more about all of our participants at http://www.harbingerpartners.org/go/stt/profiles/.
We are also looking for a special person to become a Special Assistant to the Executive Director! The Special Assistant will wear a range of hats, developing grant proposals, planning events, and working side by side with our Executive Director. If you're interested in learning more, take a look at the full description and application procedures on our website at http://www.harbingerpartners.org/go/jobs/.
We recently learned that one of our Board Members, Stephen M. Pratt, has been tapped as the new President of Boston's After-School Enterprise (BASE). BASE, which represents the merger of Boston's 2:00-to-6:00 After-School Initiative and Boston's After-School for All Partnership, will focus on expanding, strengthening, and sustaining Boston's system of out-of-school time programs. We know Steve, already a leader in the nonprofit sector, will lead BASE to great heights. Congratulations, Steve!
We are also pleased to welcome Constance Spearnak to our offices as our new Program Intern. Currently a senior at Wellesley College, Constance will be working closely with Zach and Leslie as she completes data collection and analysis during technology needs assessments, writes sections of strategic technology plans, and helps coordinate technology projects with technology volunteers. Welcome aboard, Constance!
On Tuesday night, Harbinger Partners was honored to be one of six nonprofit organizations selected to present its work at the Social Innovation Forum (http://www.socialinnovationforum.org/). The Social Innovation Forum, a project of the Root Cause Institute, strengthens nonprofit organizations by providing innovative leaders with direct access to the human and financial capital they need in order to grow and sustain their organizations. With around 150 people in attendance, the Social Innovation Forum was huge success and gave us the unique opportunity to connect with social entrepreneurs and social investors alike. A huge thank you to Andrew Wolk, Julie Zack, and David Vaughn for their in-depth support over the past few months, our coach Susanne Beck for her invaluable advice, and Jen Coleman for her research assistance. Finally, congratulations to the other five nonprofits: Boston Children's Chorus, the Boston Health Care Research & Training Institute, Close to Home, Rediscovery House, and Viet-AID!
You may think you know what our Senior Program Manager, Zach Goldstein, does best: help nonprofits them use technology better. But it turns out that Zach has a secret talent of his own -- singing! This winter, he is singing with not one, but two choral groups in the area -- the Boston Pops and the Somerville Community Chorus. To catch Zach in action at Boston's Symphony Hall, e-mail Zach at zgoldstein@harbingerpartners.org for concert dates.
In our last newsletter, we told you about a delicious opportunity through vMeals, (http://www.vmeals.com/) an online catering service. When you order your company's lunch through vMeals, they will contribute 10% of your total order to Harbinger Partners. Unfortunately, we printed faulty directions about how to qualify for this contribution. Going forward, when you register, please enter HARBINGER into the Referral Code field (not into the Promotion Code field, as we originally published). We apologize for any confusion this may have caused!
We get by with a little help from our friends -- what an understatement! This month, we would especially like to recognize:
The group of folks who gathered with our staff last month to help us think about our name and the potential it holds for our marketing and communications: Colleen Burns, David Dalena, Eric Dawson, John Goodhue, Mel Tatro Harper, Anne Marcus, Jim Matheson, Tom Subak, John VanPelt, and Willy Wong.
We would especially like to thank Katie Pakenham for getting our creative juices flowing and leading a fun, fruitful discussion!
Battling spam every time you open your Inbox? Well, you're just in time to celebrate the Second Annual Stop Spam Today! On December 15th, 2004, Mailshell is giving spam-filtering software free to American and Canadian nonprofits. To expedite orders, it is recommended that you register with TechSoup before ordering on the 15th. Visit http://www.stopspamtoday.org/ for details. Once you have registered, you can also visit http://www.techsoup.org/spam/ to learn how to fight spam.
Thank you for reading the quarterly newsletter of Common Impact! We welcome your comments and contributions. Please send all inquiries to:
Common Impact
The Athenaeum Building
215 First Street, Suite 25
Cambridge, MA 02142-1236
Phone: (617) 492-3105
E-Mail: info@commonimpact.org