July 10, 2015 Meeting Notes

Date: Friday, July 10

Time: 9:30 a.m.Location: People’s Resource Center, 201 S. Naperville Road, Wheaton Illinois

Meeting Type: Regular Meeting

How Called: Standing meeting

Convened: 9:35

Attendees: Barry, Maryanna, Katherine

1.1 Minutes

Approval of minutes. Passed.

1.2 New business

Other new business – none

1.3 Follow-up, Accomplishments and initiatives

1. PRC link to PBDD web-site – maybe different place, Maryanna will check.
2. Sharing PRC course materials & procedures- Added Working Online, have link in navigation. Maryanna will check with PRC about linking to https://pbdd.org/peoples-resource-center-training-material/.
3. Barry will add stuff about Tech Tuesday materials. There may also be a video.
4. Mission Statement- No further comments. It rocks.
5. Measuring Impact working group- further follow-up request sent. No response received. Barry will follow up shortly before the conference.
6. Sales Tax Exemption: Further information requested & submitted.
7. Website Updates
  Added White paper, additional content. Katherine will add more–see below.
8. Anatomy of Best Practices Agency white paper – published. Short seems to be good, analysis of how things are done at different agencies is good. Possible topics for the next white paper include: How do get a program started in an underserved area, Sample survey on who is doing computer training, how other organizations (like libraries) fit into a global picture on digital information, how organizations find and use volunteers effectively, measuring impact of programs and communicating that to donors and volunteers (stakeholders including potential grant givers) Katherine will put this list (can be added to) on the Initiatives section of the website. All will review and contribute. Aim to get the next one out in October.
9. Following up with IT-United in Milwaukee and City of Milwaukee – query sent to Milwaukee Library System. No responses, including to the form Barry submitted. Barry also reached out to Independence First, and hasn’t gotten anywhere. Note, how to get started as a white paper may help here. Come up with what to do when you can’t find an advocate. Can look at the history of our partners.
10. Inclusion of PRC Refurbishing procedures on PBDD website – overview document pending, Barry will check again by the middle of August.
11. PRC Facebook link to PBDD – added, Over 30 likes. Maryanna will share with her contacts on Facebook. Katherine will do a bit more of sharing, including adding a link to the PBDD Facebook page on the website.
12. COD Classes in Fundraising and Grant writing. Katherine attended the “Grant Writing” class at College of DuPage. It was more about who to contact for finding grants and not much writing. It’s important to understand their focus, and fit in with it before applying. There is a second part of the class in a normal session that Katherine may go to in fall.
13. GuideStar – Joined, Provided content & received Silver level participant badge, KATHERINE will put the badge on our page. Gold level requires a strategic plan.
14. Tech Soup – Joined. Provides access to donated & discounted software (with administrative fee)
15. bi-monthly newsletter for partners- Released first one July 1
16. Newsletter for donors, biannually or more frequently if have information – what we have spent money on, what we plan to spend money on.
17. Donor Database – defer paying any money for one, until needed. At this point, don’t even need a free one. There’s time and effort required.
18. Site statistics. Referrals in: 18 from Facebook, 12 from PRC, 6 from other partners, 5 from search engines
19. Volunteers – Discuss ideas about how we can use volunteers. Katherine will put this on the website. Include time requirements, flexible.
  1. For organizations addressing the digital divide, could go to the grants given in the grant database (GIVE LINK.)
  2. Someone could become a Microsoft Certified Refurbisher to be a better-informed partner.
  3. Could have someone sift through information on partner’s website for white papers, and the NDIA site, and annual reports of Partner’s for funding, communicating impact.
  4. Look for origin stories of our Partners from website, or newspaper articles, to gather information for how to get started.
  5. Outreach to organizations in Milwaukee, trying to find a partner.
  6. Logo design.
  7. Set up a free donor database that requires a web-server or other technical things.
  8. Investigate Cyber Seniors.
20. Specific potential volunteers so far.
  1. Have a lawyer friend who is willing to help if needed, but doesn’t have time right now. Don’t have a need right now, but good to have a resource.
  2. Have a friend with experience in doing research who is willing to help.
  3. Possibly someone looking for journalism experience/volunteer work.

1.4 Time and Location for next meeting –

Proposal to defer August meeting – Confirm 9:30 at PRC Wheaton. September 11.

1.5 Adjourn –

Adjourned:10:50. Passed.

PBDD