Comments on: NTC on Passover and Good Friday http://zenofnptech.org/2007/02/ntc-on-passover.html Thoughtful and sometimes snarky perspectives on nonprofit technology Wed, 17 Mar 2010 05:19:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Katrin http://zenofnptech.org/2007/02/ntc-on-passover.html/comment-page-1#comment-107 Katrin Sat, 10 Feb 2007 20:06:29 +0000 http://www.zenofnptech.com/?p=82#comment-107 Michelle, Judi and all -- thanks for the comments and discussion. A few things: I wish the NTC was at a different week, believe me. I got here seven months ago and what was done was done, and we now have to make the best of it. The hotel is certfied kosher, there is a move to organize a seder, and there are religious services nearby for Good Friday. It is not a substitute for not having the conference that week, but it may be possible for some to attend nonetheless. I am also happy to discuss a special rate with anyone who would like to come for only part of the conference for religious reasons. As far as our constituency is concerned: The NTEN membership and larger community is comprised of three segments. 60% or so of our membership are nonprofit staff. Of those, about 20-30% are in small organizations, 10-20% in medium-sized organizations, and the rest in large organization, so skewing to either side of org size. About 25% of NTEN's community is consultants and providers, the rest is vendors, funders, etc. So, we are very keen on providing services and programs to NPO staff, who, after all, constitute the vast majority (and growing) of what NTEN is. We like to hear from everyone and all in that community as to what you would like to see, so please to not be shy in letting me and Holly, NTEN's Program Director know. Meanwhile, I do hope that despite the scheduling, we can come together as a community in the spirit of the respective holidays: in community, collaboration, regeneration, hope, and joy. Katrin Michelle, Judi and all — thanks for the comments and discussion. A few things: I wish the NTC was at a different week, believe me. I got here seven months ago and what was done was done, and we now have to make the best of it. The hotel is certfied kosher, there is a move to organize a seder, and there are religious services nearby for Good Friday. It is not a substitute for not having the conference that week, but it may be possible for some to attend nonetheless. I am also happy to discuss a special rate with anyone who would like to come for only part of the conference for religious reasons.

As far as our constituency is concerned: The NTEN membership and larger community is comprised of three segments. 60% or so of our membership are nonprofit staff. Of those, about 20-30% are in small organizations, 10-20% in medium-sized organizations, and the rest in large organization, so skewing to either side of org size. About 25% of NTEN’s community is consultants and providers, the rest is vendors, funders, etc.

So, we are very keen on providing services and programs to NPO staff, who, after all, constitute the vast majority (and growing) of what NTEN is. We like to hear from everyone and all in that community as to what you would like to see, so please to not be shy in letting me and Holly, NTEN’s Program Director know.

Meanwhile, I do hope that despite the scheduling, we can come together as a community in the spirit of the respective holidays: in community, collaboration, regeneration, hope, and joy.

Katrin

]]> By: Michelle Murrain http://zenofnptech.org/2007/02/ntc-on-passover.html/comment-page-1#comment-106 Michelle Murrain Sat, 10 Feb 2007 13:07:03 +0000 http://www.zenofnptech.com/?p=82#comment-106 Well, the larger question about the representation of faith-based organizations is very similar to the issue of representation at NTEN of accidental techies - people in small organizations without dedicated tech staff. Somewhere there is a survey about that - but I know they are a minority. There, for sure, and a voice, for sure, but not represented in as large numbers as dedicated tech staff, or consultants and the like. But, I do agree with you that every nonprofit, no matter how small, should look to NTEN for resources and help. Well, the larger question about the representation of faith-based organizations is very similar to the issue of representation at NTEN of accidental techies – people in small organizations without dedicated tech staff. Somewhere there is a survey about that – but I know they are a minority. There, for sure, and a voice, for sure, but not represented in as large numbers as dedicated tech staff, or consultants and the like.

But, I do agree with you that every nonprofit, no matter how small, should look to NTEN for resources and help.

]]> By: Judi Sohn http://zenofnptech.org/2007/02/ntc-on-passover.html/comment-page-1#comment-105 Judi Sohn Sat, 10 Feb 2007 02:43:03 +0000 http://www.zenofnptech.com/?p=82#comment-105 Like many conservative Jews, we celebrate Passover by having Seders on both nights. It's not an either/or situation, and it's not something that my family would accept me squeezing in so I can dash off to a conference. :-( Like many conservative Jews, we celebrate Passover by having Seders on both nights. It’s not an either/or situation, and it’s not something that my family would accept me squeezing in so I can dash off to a conference. :-(

]]> By: Michael Stein http://zenofnptech.org/2007/02/ntc-on-passover.html/comment-page-1#comment-104 Michael Stein Fri, 09 Feb 2007 15:53:42 +0000 http://www.zenofnptech.com/?p=82#comment-104 I had a very difficult time making the decision to attend NTC during Passover. As a faith-based individual, whose family gets together every year for Passover, it was a hard call to make. I'll still be able to do a first night Seder, but it changes the feeling to have to dash off to attend NTC. --Michael Stein, Berkeley, Calif. (http://www.michaelstein.net/) I had a very difficult time making the decision to attend NTC during Passover. As a faith-based individual, whose family gets together every year for Passover, it was a hard call to make. I’ll still be able to do a first night Seder, but it changes the feeling to have to dash off to attend NTC.
–Michael Stein, Berkeley, Calif. (http://www.michaelstein.net/)

]]> By: Amanda http://zenofnptech.org/2007/02/ntc-on-passover.html/comment-page-1#comment-103 Amanda Fri, 09 Feb 2007 13:01:39 +0000 http://www.zenofnptech.com/?p=82#comment-103 I hadn't even noticed that it conflicts with Passover. Humbug. The first night of passover is April 2, though, so you ought to be able to squeeze in a sedar, especially if you skip out on the Day of Service on April 4. I hadn’t even noticed that it conflicts with Passover. Humbug.

The first night of passover is April 2, though, so you ought to be able to squeeze in a sedar, especially if you skip out on the Day of Service on April 4.

]]> By: Judi Sohn http://zenofnptech.org/2007/02/ntc-on-passover.html/comment-page-1#comment-102 Judi Sohn Tue, 06 Feb 2007 20:33:27 +0000 http://www.zenofnptech.com/?p=82#comment-102 Thanks for the link. I've been enjoying your blog for quite some time and I'm thrilled you've now found mine. :-) Anyway, I think you bring up a bigger issue: "most faith-based organizations aren't large enough to pay tech staff..." My organization is small. Very small. Probably smaller than most of the faith-based organizations you're thinking about. We're less than 2 years old and have 3 fulltime employees, soon to be 5. I wear a lot of hats as Director of Operations, and one of those hats is the technology one. I think *every* nonprofit that has an email address should be looking at what an organization like NTEN has to offer. We were thinking about and budgeting for technology before we even had our 501c3. It was foolish to expend the effort needed to get off the ground and do it in a manual, backwards way. Does NTEN really only cater to the tech consultants and vendors, and not the smaller nonprofit employee juggling many hats such as myself? That would be the biggest disappointment. Could it be that the smaller nonprofit *is* invested in technology, they're struggling with all these issues around integration just like the the rest of us? They're just not talking about it and NTEN is not doing the best job of reaching them to say, "join us...you're welcome here"? They probably wouldn't be happy with a conference on Passover either. ;-) Thanks for the link. I’ve been enjoying your blog for quite some time and I’m thrilled you’ve now found mine. :-)

Anyway, I think you bring up a bigger issue: “most faith-based organizations aren’t large enough to pay tech staff…” My organization is small. Very small. Probably smaller than most of the faith-based organizations you’re thinking about. We’re less than 2 years old and have 3 fulltime employees, soon to be 5. I wear a lot of hats as Director of Operations, and one of those hats is the technology one. I think *every* nonprofit that has an email address should be looking at what an organization like NTEN has to offer. We were thinking about and budgeting for technology before we even had our 501c3. It was foolish to expend the effort needed to get off the ground and do it in a manual, backwards way.

Does NTEN really only cater to the tech consultants and vendors, and not the smaller nonprofit employee juggling many hats such as myself? That would be the biggest disappointment.

Could it be that the smaller nonprofit *is* invested in technology, they’re struggling with all these issues around integration just like the the rest of us? They’re just not talking about it and NTEN is not doing the best job of reaching them to say, “join us…you’re welcome here”? They probably wouldn’t be happy with a conference on Passover either. ;-)

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