Transcript Website Sustainability: Staffing Fundraising Budgets

Website Sustainability:
Staffing
Fundraising
Budgets
NTAP Training July 20, 2006
Introductions
• NTAP and Pro Bono Net
• Bruce Perrone, Legal Aid West Virginia
• Erik Cole, Tennessee Alliance for Legal
Services
• Angie Tracker, Atlanta Legal Aid Society
Introduction
• Focus of today’s training: Statewide Websites
initially funded by TIG
• Goal of the training – focused on participants
needs – answering questions, highlighting
resources and making connections with other
website staff who can share experiences.
• Questions and comments are welcome – if you
need to be on mute and/or are feeling shy feel
free to use the chat box.
• Participants will
show you who is on
the training. You
can raise your hand
to ask a questions
or check yes or no.
You can also mute
your own phone by
highlighting your
name and pressing
mute.
• Chat allows anyone
to post a question,
suggestion or
answer.
Copy of PowerPoint and Resources:
http://lstech.org/ntap/trainings/training_topics/SWEB/SWEB126
Sustainability ….Big Picture
• TIG Conference January 2006 presentation:
http://www.lri.lsc.gov/confmat/tig_06/TIG06_sustainability_handout.pdf
• NTAP Training Fall 2005:
http://www.lstech.org/ntap/trainings/training_topics/SWEB/SWEB123
Sustainability “building blocks”
• Staffing:
– How are other people staffing the statewide website?
– How many staff do most programs dedicate to the project?
– What is the role or job description of those staff members?
• Budgets:
– How do programs decide how much funding to dedicate to the
statewide website?
– What are the line items other programs have for a website
budget?
– Do most programs have a “separate” website budget?
• Fundraising:
– How are programs without development staff fundraising for
the website?
– Where have people gotten grants/money for their website
projects?
– What resources/samples can I use.
Staffing…how much (or how
little) does it take?
How many people currently staff your statewide website?
Answer
Count
Percentage
No answer
1
7.69%
Less than 1 FTE (Q11A1)
5
38.46%
1 FTE (Q11A2)
5
38.46%
1.5 FTE (Q11A3)
2
15.38%
2 FTE (Q11A4)
0
0.00%
3 or more FTE (Q11A5)
0
0.00%
Staffing Goals:
Survey responses ranged from .25 of a staff attorney’s
time to 1.5 FTE with the assistance of additional
interns and/or content providers.
Example of website staffing goals:
• Our long term goal is to maintain at least a half time
person (with or without TIG funding) for our website
and continue to promote its growth and use by both
clients and staff.
• My personal goal is 1.5 FTE, plus students/interns
during the school year and intensive L-1 law student
interns each summer.
• We think 1.5 FTEs plus volunteers is about right, with
maybe more content contribution from other staff.
• Continue as is: half-time attorney as Content
Manager; half-time techie to handle the hard stuff.
• To maintain one FTE
W.Virginia Example and
Discussion:
• West Virginia Statewide Website:
– Received funding for 1st year website in 2005.
– Decision to apply for TIG was based on
organizational decision that website would be
of value.
– Developed Advocate website first.
W.VA Staffing Plan
1 Part-time staff attorney to manage
content, do outreach and promote the
site.
1 Part-time IT staff to manage technical
maintenance and development.
Role of a staff attorney
• W.Virginia – An existing staff attorney
with ½ time devoted to advocacy support
(training, resources and litigation support)
– resources and training now is work on
the website.
Role of IT/Tech Staff
• On the website project the IT staff works on
technical improvements to site, posting of
certain content, addresses technical issues
as they arise.
• Before the TIG funding, the program had
never had a qualified tech person. It had
become achingly apparent that we
desperately needed one, for all kinds of
reasons.
Organization Philosophy
• The site will continue, as a part of the larger
commitment to (1) advocacy support, and
(2) technical support, even if there isn't
future outside funding for it.
Questions and Discussion
• Advice for a resource/support attorney
who is “taking on” the website.
• Advice for programs who do not have (or
have never had) resources devoted to
advocacy support.
• Risks/benefits of “adding” the website to
an existing attorney’s list of projects.
Staffing: How to determine
what you need:
• Whether due to staff turn-over, budget
changes or project growth determining
and hiring new website staff should involve
evaluation of what role that staff will play
in the organization.
• How do you determine the job
description, skill-set and find that person.
Tennessee Example
• Statewide support organization –(nonLSC funded supports 4 LSC funded
organizations.)
• Has 3 websites – Public – TennLegalAid,
Advocate – TALS and TennHelp (a
directory of social service organizations).
• Faced staff turn-over and need to increase
community support for all 3 projects.
How the job description was
determined:
• What role do the websites play in the
mission of the organization?
• What staffing is necessary to maintain and
improve the website – and use the
websites to achieve the
mission/organizational goals?
• What responsibilities are essential to the
success of the project?
Skill-set
• Technical expertise began at the top of
the list.
• Community organizing, project
management and ability to work well with
others were also desired skills.
Job Description:
1. Significant experience with web-site creation, design, architecture,
and content management.
2. Must be a team player who can solicit ideas and input, work
collaboratively, and drive implementation of shared goals.
3. Experience in the non-profit environment or in the legal system
preferred.
4. Excellent communication, organization, conflict resolution and
interpersonal skills a must.
5. Strong writing and editing skills required.
6. Demonstrated experience with project management and
coordination.
7. Demonstrated experience with HTML and basic web design and
creation are a must. TALS uses an Open Source Template built upon
the Zope web development platform. Knowledge of Zope and SQL
server technologies are a plus, but not required.
8. Desktop publishing, graphic design, and printing management are a
plus, but not required.
Reality of the Key Qualities
1. Significant experience with web-site creation, design, architecture,
and content management.
2. Must be a team player who can solicit ideas and input, work
collaboratively, and drive implementation of shared goals.
3. Experience in the non-profit environment or in the legal system
preferred.
4. Excellent communication, organization, conflict resolution and
interpersonal skills a must.
5. Strong writing and editing skills required.
6. Demonstrated experience with project management and
coordination.
7. Demonstrated experience with HTML and basic web design and
creation are a must. TALS uses an Open Source Template built upon
the Zope web development platform. Knowledge of Zope and SQL
server technologies are a plus, but not required.
8. Desktop publishing, graphic design, and printing management are a
plus, but not required.
Why those qualities?
• Community organizing and project management
background assisted on getting the websites
organized, on-track with reporting and building
community involvement.
• Interest and buy-in from key community
members is a critical part of success of the sites
and long-term viability.
• Technical skills were able to be learned and/or
supplemented through outside sources.
Questions and Discussion
• Copy of the TALS job description is
available in the resources section. (Along
with several other job descriptions and
volunteer descriptions).
• Recommendations for determining skill
set.
• General hiring/staff transition
recommendations.
Staffing strategies:
• Integration of website work into existing jobs
within the organization.
– Pros: Integrates the website into the work of the organization.
May not require additional funding.
– Cons: Unrealistic expectations of amt. of work required and
website is neglected.
• Use of TIG (and other) funding to hire and
maintain website staff.
– Pros: Dedicated staff focused on the website project, job
description and skill set can be tailored to the website project
needs.
– Cons: Funding must be maintained after TIG. May be seen as an
“outside project”.
• Use of volunteers and interns.
– Pros: Provides additional staffing at low-cost, provides way to
expand the project without large budget expansion.
– Cons: Requires supervision and planning. Frequent turn-over.
Use of volunteers/interns:
Do you use volunteers, interns or students to work on your website?
Answer
Count
Percentage
No answer
0
0.00%
Yes (Y)
5
38.46%
No (N)
8
61.54%
What do volunteers do?
• Upload new content, work with attorneys to review content for
accuracy, create staff website e-newsletter, format materials for
public website (eg- brochures, pamphlets, etc.), research and
post events for event calendar.
• Editing, content development, web development
• Collect and scan court decisions from court clerk\'s office;
collect and enter information on \"helpful organizations\" other
than legal service entities; research or write information which
is posted to public library; and research or write resources for
staff advocates, for posting to private library.
• VISTA volunteers help with outreach and content
• Currently one off site volunteer uploads news articles and
calendar events. College-level summer intern works on site
projects. Two other summer volunteer law students are working
on content development and maintenance part-time. One
summer volunteer law student is working on planning outreach
and promotion of the EITC project beginning in Sept. of 06.
Total hours committed to web work for summer = 1FTE
How can you start using
volunteers?
• Review sample volunteer job descriptions and
paid intern options (VISTA, work-study,
fellowships).
• Determine who will supervise the
volunteers/interns and determine the specific
job descriptions for them or projects that meet
your needs and eligibility requirements for
fellowships/grants.
• Develop a long-term relationship with schools in
your area – law schools, technology programs,
undergraduate.
The great budget dilemma…
Often organizations struggle with
whether to have a “separate” website
budget or integrate the costs of the
website into the various existing budget
line items. Either way, it is important to
understand what the working costs of
the website are so that you can budget
the appropriate amount.
Do you have a working budget for your statewide website?
Answer
Count
Percentage
No answer
0
0.00%
Yes (Y)
6
46.15%
No (N)
7
53.85%
How are budgets determined?
Survey responses:
• The amount allowed on the TIG grant.
• Staff time
• Director determines the budget
• What my grant gave me.
• A statewide committee and the Florida
Bar Foundation got information and
had a presentation by and discussion
with ProBonoNet.
When are budgets determined?
When do you anticipate needing to create a budget?
Answer
Count
Percentage
When we exhaust all TIG funding
(Q19A1)
1
7.69%
When we apply for additional funding
(Q19A2)
3
23.08%
When someone threatens to eliminate
the project (Q19A3)
4
30.77%
1
7.69%
Brow se
Other
Is there a magic number?
• Statewide budgets range from less than $25,000
– $500,000 (+) per year.
• Depends on:
– Size of state.
– Perceived value and use of the statewide community
using the site.
– Organizational philosophy of program managing the
site.
– Support by other organizations.
– Vision of what the site can and should be supported
by determination, fundraising and community
building.
In a perfect world?
Step 1: Determine the goals of the website, the
value it adds to service delivery, how it
should grow to meet the needs of the state
justice community.
Step 2: Determine cost to achieve those goals.
Step 3: Develop a plan to
provide the necessary funding
for the cost determined.
Budget Basics
• Personnel
–
–
–
–
Project management
Content (Public, Advocate, Pro Bono)
Outreach (Public, Advocate, Pro Bono)
Fundraising
• Technology
– Hosting
– Technical Support
– Maintenance and Enhancements
• Marketing and Outreach
• Evaluation
• Overhead expenses
– Space, equipment, communications, travel.
Where these items might fit
into an overall budget:
• Personnel:
–
–
–
–
Communication/Outreach
Advocacy Support – Litigation Support
Training
Pro Bono
• Technology
– Technology budget
– Communications budget
• Marketing and Outreach
Where website funding is in
current budgets:
Where in your organization budget is the website a line item?
Answer
Count
Percentage
Technology (Q21A1)
3
23.08%
Training (Q21A2)
0
0.00%
Community Education (Q21A3)
1
7.69%
Specific grant projects that use the
website (Q21A4)
1
7.69%
Questions and Discussion
• What are your biggest challenges in
creating website budget?
• Who will decide/approve the budget?
• What are barriers to getting other
programs using the website to contribute?
Fundraising
• Internal commitment to keep the website going
is a key element to a long-term website funding
plan.
• Website costs may be integrated and committed
to as part of an organizational budget.
• This doesn’t preclude the potential for outside
funding to expand the website or cover new
website projects.
• For programs where internal commitment is
lacking, outside funding can help to boost the
website’s legitimacy.
Fundraising: Georgia Example
• Jumping in….lessons from the Georgia
statewide website…
When it is “no one’s” job to
fundraise:
• 69% of survey respondents said organization running
statewide website does not have a development staff person.
Fundraising 101
• Research opportunities.
– Community foundations
– Technology funders
– Local opportunities
• Don’t be afraid to submit a proposal.
• If rejected the first time - contact the
funding organization and ask why – often
they are willing to meet with you to
discuss an unfunded proposal.
Questions and Discussion
• What is the “scariest” part of fundraising?
• What prevents you (or your organization)
from submitting grant proposals for the
website?
Website specific funding isn’t
the only option:
• Include the website costs in other
proposals.
• Consider substantive law opportunities
that provide funding for content
development.
Funding beyond TIG: Where programs
have received funding:
• Bar Foundations – Colorado, Florida, Illinois
(may or may not be IOLTA funds)
• IOLTA – Ohio, Kentucky (request in)
• Administrative Office of the Courts
• Substantive Content Development (includes
web component)
–
–
–
–
HUD Housing Counseling Grant, Fair Housing
Attorney General – Consumer Rights
Health Access Foundation
ABA Child Custody Mini-grant
Other Potential Sources
• Local Community Foundations
– Explore potential angles – may be language
translation, outreach, content development.
• Locally based corporate foundations
– Often “employee recommended” look for contacts
to
• United Way
– Statewide aspect, potential partnership with 211
initiatives and partnership among multiple United
Way funded organizations.
Fundraising Discussion and
Questions:
• Resources requested in the survey:
– Staff time
– Sample proposals
– Listing of funding opportunities
• Success stories
• Challenges
Fundraising Resources
•
Research:
1.
http://www.grantstation.com/ - Quarterly membership
is $159 and includes federal sources- great value
2.
http://www.guidestar.org- limited free search
3.
http://fdncenter.org/ -can subscribe for one month at
$19.95; foundations only
4.
http://www.internet-prospector.org/found.html –
listing of major prospecting resources
Sample Grant Applications
• Washington LawHelp (through Northwest
Justice) successful application to Office of the
Attorney General – Consumer Rights Division.
(2004) available in Pro Bono Net SWEB Library.
• Virginia LawHelp successful application to
Virginia Law Foundation to hire law students for
work on the advocate website. (2004-2005)
available in Pro Bono Net SWEB Library.
Sample Technology Proposals
• Central New York Legal Helpline Proposal
to Community Foundation:
http://www.lri.lsc.gov/confmat/tig_06/tig06_hoccf_pro.pdf