The Confluence Gallery and Art Center has flourished since 1988 as a hub of the arts community in Twisp, Washington. The nonprofit gallery holds seven group and individual exhibits each year, showcasing the work of local and regional artists from North Central Washington. Special exhibitions draw from farther afield, highlighting noteworthy artists from the Pacific Northwest.

As participants in NPower’s statewide training and technology support program funded through the Greater Everett Community Foundation in 2008 and 2009, Confluence Gallery completed a Stable and Secure Assessment which pointed to a severe need to upgrade aging hardware. NPower consultants assisted Gallery staff in selecting a new desktop system, provided funds to cover the purchase (thank you GECF!), and procured software donations (Microsoft Windows and Office — thank you Microsoft!) to support key accounting and grant writing functions. In an “extreme makeover” story, Executive Director Sybil Macapia says Confluence Gallery is now in a much stronger position to support the administrative needs of the organization, and recently procured a much-needed grant that she links directly to the availability of that single new computer system.

Congratulations, Confluence staff! And thank you to the Greater Everett Community Foundation, Microsoft and our other supporters who make miracles like this one possible for nonprofits in Washington state.

The New York Times ran an article earlier this week indicating that 20% of online users choose a simple, easily guessed password to protect their data.  Imperva, a data security vendor, examined a list of 32 million passwords that were stolen from a social network software company.  According to their analysis, the five most popular passwords are 123456, 12345, 123456789, password, and iloveyou.

While it is preferable to have a different password for each Web site or account, this is difficult for most to implement and track.  To help minimize the risk of a stolen password, experts suggest “at least two different passwords — a complex one for web sites where security is vital, such as banks and e-mail, and a simpler one for places where the stakes are lower, such as social networking and entertainment sites.”

For more information on establishing good password policies and practices, check out the following resources:

• TechSoup’s Security Corner: Tips, articles, blog posts, and resources on securing your information.
• NTEN: Suggestions and resources for creating strong passwords and establishing a password policy.  (Although this is an older post, it still offers relevant advice.)
• Microsoft Security: Tips and resources to keep online activity as secure as possible, including a password checker.
• Slate Magazine: General password tips and an algorithm for developing strong passwords.
• Vassar Computer Center: Basic rules and examples for creating strong passwords.

The New York Times article is available on their website.  In addition, you can read Imperva’s full analysis in their white paper on Consumer Password Worst Practices.

Happy New Year!  Hope that 2010 is off to a good start for everybody.

Before all the decorations are packed away and the last of the eggnog has been drunk, here are December’s most viewed posts from the NPowering: Nonprofit Technology blog:

• The Hierarchical Nature of Data: Discussion on how to take advantage of data hierarchy when using accounts and campaigns in Salesforce.
• Snow Day: Here are Suggestions for readying yourself for a work from home day due to inclement weather.
• Choosing a Future of Rejuvenation: Takeaways from Paul Light’s presentation at October’s Nonprofit Governance Conference in Tacoma.
• The Path to End of Year Fundraising Success: Resources and advice for improving the message and strategy of your end-of-year appeal.
• Windows 7 Evaluation & Upgrade Resources: Online nonprofit resources for evaluating and planning a Windows 7 upgrade for your organization, including guides from TechSoup, TechFlash, and Lifehacker.

P.S. Remember to check us out on Facebook.

Interested in hearing about new trainings, recent nonprofit Web site launches, opportunities to work or volunteer at NPower and the latest on our 5th Annual Nonprofit Technology event? We’d love to share the news and hear from you on Facebook.

Become a fan on our Facebook page!

Oh the weather outside is frightful,
But the fire is so delightful,
And since we’ve no place to go,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

If there was still any room for denial that winter is upon us, the recent cold spell has certainly caught our attention.  In our house, that has resurfaced fond memories of last year’s snow and the prospect of more snow days.  Unfortunately, the grown up realities of work take away much of the associated magic.  In fact, a snow day can actually turn out to be a stressful affair when there is work to be done back at the office and you cannot get there to do it.

So what can be done to help prepare for this possibility?  Borrowing from the wisdom of Benjamin Franklin, an “ounce of preparation can prevent a pound of frustration.”  Below are some suggestions for readying yourself for a work from home day:

• Get Ready: Before you actually need it, make sure that you are setup for remote access to your work’s network and have the instructions for how to do so.  If you are unsure about either, check with the IT manager, network administrator, or whoever wears that proverbial hat within your organization.
• Trial Run: Once you are setup and know the process for connecting remotely, give it a try … preferably before you actually need it.  This will allow you to work out the kinks, especially if there is any assistance or support you need to get it working.
• Be Prepared: Now that you have successfully connected to your office remotely, make sure that your essential work is accessible, including email, documents, and databases.  Also, make sure that you have access to any applications required for working with your data.  If you have a laptop, make sure that you have all the accessories available, in particular a power adapter and/or extra batteries.
• Know the Policy: Before the snow arrives, make sure that you know your organization’s inclement weather policy.  How will an office closure be communicated?  What is the expectation for working if the office is closed?  What if the weather is fine at your house, but not at the office (or vice versa)?  Are there any exceptions or restrictions to the policy?
• Communicate: If your office is closed due to weather, do not necessarily assume that your customers or partners will be closed also.  So start the day by confirming or rescheduling any meetings or appointments on your calendar.  To make this easier, make sure that your contact list is readily available.  Keep in mind that everybody might not have access to email, so you might want to make a phone call instead.
• Have Fun: Despite your best effort to be productive, sometimes it’s just not in the cards.  No power at home?  Unable to connect to the office?  About to go stir crazy?  Put the keyboard down, grab your kids, spouse, partner, neighbor, and/or dog, and reacquaint yourself with the fun and promise that a snow day once held.

In which case, get out the sled, build a snowman, or enjoy a cup of cocoa in front of the fire … and let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Following up on last week’s Windows 7 release, below are some online resources for evaluating and planning an upgrade for your organization.

As always, our friends at TechSoup have a wealth of information available, including upgrade guidance, migration checklist, and product donation.  Their Windows 7 homepage is a great starting point, but here are a couple of things to call to your attention:

• Special Extra Donation: Microsoft is allowing qualified nonprofits to place an extra donation request for Windows 7 or Vista.  (Much better than double secret probation.)
• Software Compatibility: A consolidated summary of Windows 7 compatibility statements from the companies that provide desktop software donations through TechSoup.

As referenced in my earlier Windows 7 post, Microsoft has helpful tools for upgrade evaluation and preparation:

• Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor: A downloadable program that will scan your PC for potential issues with your hardware and software and provide recommendations on how to proceed.
• Windows 7 Compatibility Center: A collection of compatibility information for popular devices and software titles to help you easily identify what will or won’t work with Windows 7.
• Windows 7 Features: Explore Windows 7’s new features and functionality through online videos.

In addition, TechFlash and Lifehacker have both assembled very comprehensive Windows 7 guides:

• TechFlash Windows 7 Resource Guide: Includes a plethora of links to reviews and other resources.
• Lifehacker’s Complete Guide to Windows 7: Includes an extensive review of new features and mouse/keyboard shortcuts.

Hope you find this information useful.  If you have come across other helpful Windows 7 resources, please share them with the rest of community.

Happy weekend!

Yesterday Microsoft released Windows 7, the latest version of their flagship operating system.  While this has taken place without all of the fanfare associated with its predecessor, Window Vista, you have probably been hearing and reading about this for some time now.  Now that is has arrived, you may be wondering whether or when you should take the plunge.

The early reviews and word of mouth have been positive, which is encouraging.  However, most are not advocating an “update immediately” philosophy.  In fact, a common theme is that there is not a critical reason to upgrade or replace a Windows Vista or XP computer if you are happy with its performance and capabilities.  Given the limited budgets and resources of most nonprofits, we concur with that assessment.

Our recommendation to customers is to “walk (slowly), don’t run” to upgrade.  Let the early adopters find the glitches and work out the kinks.  A guideline we like to use is the availability of the first Service Pack, as this will include the initial round of fixes and improvements designed to make the product more stable and reliable.  This walk slowly approach seems to be echoed by the business sector.  According to a report from Information Technology Intelligence Corp., 19% of the companies surveyed plan to upgrade within the first three months, while 41% plan to hold for a while, including 11% waiting for the initial Service Pack.  The remaining 40% do not currently have a definitive migration timeline.

As you examine the circumstance within your agency, make sure to take into account your existing environment – computers, software, and staff.  If you are looking to upgrade your existing computers, keep in mind that the performance and user experience will be affected by the age and specifications of the equipment.  Also, check to make sure that the software applications and peripheral devices used by your agency are compatible with Windows 7.  If you find that a critical program is not certified or tested for Windows 7, contact the manufacturer to see what the issues are and their timeline for addressing.

As with any new operating system or application, there will be a learning curve involved.  For Windows 7, the changes will be more dramatic if you are coming from Windows XP (or earlier), instead of Windows Vista.  Depending on your staff’s appetite for change and self-discovery, you might consider investing in training upfront to acquaint everybody with the new operating system and effectively use its features and functionality.  To help manage your internal support demands, it is always helpful to standardize on a common version.  So if possible, upgrade everybody in your office when you are ready to make that investment.

Let us know what your organization is planning for Windows 7.  And if you are one those early adopters, share that experience with us.

I’ll be joining a panel discussion at the Puget Sound Grantwriter’s Association conference in Seattle on 10/16 to share suggestions for some smart investments that may help your nonprofit raise capital or provide you with resources that go beyond a large check. In other words, how to engage corporations in assisting nonprofits in ways that are useful and that reflect the new reality of tightened corporate giving budgets.

Here are some suggestions I have heading in, thanks to some help from my friends here at NPower Seattle. I’ll be sharing these thoughts at the PSGA conference, and I’ll write again with new ideas gained from that discussion.

Doing More with Less Suggestions

Account for all the costs in grant requests to limit the budget-breaking “hidden costs” to your organization. (This may seem counterintuitive in a “Doing More with Less” list because it drives the overall project budget UP, but it’s better in the long run to ask for what you need to cover your costs.)

For example:

• the “soft” costs of technology like software, training, set up and maintenance
• Temp help to cover for staff who attend training

For technology projects, get cost estimates from a recognized IT provider to add credibility to your request.

• Contact an IT service provider, like NPower Seattle, to get a proposed scope of work or estimate for your workstation, server, database, Web site or other technology upgrade. Include the estimate in your proposal.

Be creative about identifying matching and in-kind contributions. Include things like:

• The value of your own staff and volunteers’ time that’s not covered by grant funds
• The value of your IT provider’s time for providing a free estimate or any pro-bono services
• The difference between the retail value and a discounted rate you receive (through TechSoup, Microsoft, Google, NPower…) for software, hardware and training. For example, NPower has negotiated with some nonmember groups to charge our discounted member rate for our services, and allow them to apply the difference as an in-kind contribution from NPower in a grant proposal.

Be convincing about the need for infrastructure upgrades and support.

• Pitch the idea of a progression from a Stable and Secure Foundation to Effective Use to Innovation. You can’t get to the fancy stuff without reliable work stations, internet access, email, etc.

• See NPower’s Tech Impact profiles for an example of how one local organization, Treehouse, benefits from scheduled support services to keep their technology infrastructure stabel and secure – visit http://www.npowerseattle.org/about-us/tech-impact/

TechSoup – self-serve information and discounted technology products

• online information and resources at the Learning Center– visit http://home.techsoup.org
• the weekly “By the Cup” e-newsletter
• Discussion Forums where nonprofit staff connect with each other and with technology experts who chime in. Visit the Discussion Forums main page at http://forums.techsoup.org/cs/forums/
• a product philanthropy service called TechSoup Stock – visit http://www.techsoup.org/stock . Nonprofits can access donated and discounted technology products, generously provided by corporate and nonprofit technology partners. Partners include Microsoft, Adobe, Cisco, Grant Station…
  • For example, Microsoft Office software purchased through TechSoup comes with a 2-year software assurance agreement for free upgrades. This is a significant savings.

Microsoft - free software and training resources

• Software donations

Through a partnership with TechSoup, Microsoft and NPower, agencies who are NPower customers may be able to get their Microsoft software at zero cost as part of the Microsoft Direct Donation Program. Please check with NPower for more details.

• NGO Web site

The Microsoft NGO Connection site at www.microsoft.com/ngo offers free curriculum and training materials for nonprofits to use for internal staff training or for public training with clients.

Salesforce – free licenses and a growing nonprofit community

• Free licenses

Licenses for the first 10 users are provided free to nonprofits, thanks to the Salesforce.com Foundation. Some organizations have been granted additional licenses at no charge, and additional licenses are available from the Foundation at a deep discount.

• Implementation of your Salesforce CRM is made faster and less expensive by the nonprofit template developed by NPower Seattle. Contact NPower for details.
• See NPower’s Tech Impact profiles for stories of how two organizations (Arts Corps and Friends of the Orphans) have benefited from free Salesforce licenses and assistance from NPower – visit http://www.npowerseattle.org/about-us/tech-impact/
• One other draw is that the nonprofit community of users is large (hundreds of nonprofits use Salesforce) and a source of free advice and peer support.
  • There’s an active discussion group on the web (search Google Groups for “npsf”).
  • Seattle Nonprofit User Group: Whether you’re just exploring Salesforce, a beginning user, or an expert with tips to share, you’re welcome to attend the monthly Salesforce Nonprofit User Group hosted by NPower Seattle. Join us at the NPower Seattle offices on the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 8:00 a.m. Visit http://usergroups.salesforce.com/nonprofits_seattle/ to register for the Nonprofit User Group and to check out the Salesforce Nonprofit User’s blog.

Google – free applications, ad words and video hosting

• Google apps like Google docs and Google calendar
• Google ad words – free to nonprofits for key words up to $1 per click
• YouTube’s charity initiative allowing nonprofits or any YouTube user to post their cause driven video with an added overlay link. Learn more at http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2009/06/youtube-videos-getting-off-site-overlay-links.html

Misc. cost-saving or no-cash ideas

• Social media for reaching out to and inspiring donors and volunteers (Facebook, Twitter, FlickR, YouTube…)
• Tips for online fundraising from the NTEN blog, like Raise Money on Facebook: Four Strategies You Need to Know About, at http://nten.org/blog/2009/09/24/raise-money-facebook-four-strategies-you-need-know-about
• Communications expertise and tips via webinar and blog from Nonprofit Marketing Guide.com
• Tech tool comparisons and guides from Idealware
• Private training at NPower Seattle – if you have at least 7-8 people to train at the same time, it’s less expensive to schedule a private group session than to register individually. See details here.
• Protect yourself from cyber theft – set up a dedicated work station for online banking. See the recent post by John Joynt on NPower’s blog for details: http://community.npowerseattle.org/npowering/cyber-theft-p1/

Your thoughts? What have I missed?

~Peg Giffels

A number of recent events have provided a reminder of the importance of security in our computing lives.  Instead of elaborating in one long blog post, I will break these out into smaller, individual discussions.  Top of mind for me today is the recent trend of cyber theft – costing businesses, schools, and other organizations tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The general approach is for the attackers to use a keystroke logging program, typically placed on a computer system through a virus or malware, to steal the credentials that the organization uses to manage its bank accounts online.  A common method for placing these spies is through email promoting “too good to be true” offers like an unexpected refund/rebate or generous money making opportunity.  Once in place, these rogue programs may go undetected by your antivirus protection software.  Once the thieves have gathered the necessary bank credentials, they can then access them online to make outbound transfers to their network of accounts.  The money movement does not stop there, as the funds will be moved again and eventually land overseas.

So what can we do to help protect ourselves?  Unfortunately, in today’s wired world, we cannot insulate ourselves completely.  However, we can reduce our risks by implementing the following precautions:

• Email: Always be mindful that not all email is good email.  Only open email from trusted sources.  And even then, if the message seems suspicious, treat it as such or check with the sender to verify before opening.
• Antivirus: In addition to having antivirus protection software installed and running on your computers, make sure that they are being updated with the latest virus signatures.  Outdated signatures leave you at risk from new and evolving threats.  If a computer does happen to become infected, consider seriously the risk/benefit of reinstalling the operating system and applications, instead of just removing the virus.  The upfront inconvenience may reduce or eliminate future frustrations.
• Bank Accounts: Stay vigilant in monitoring your banking activity.  In the several instances that I am aware of personally, the organization spotted the fraudulent activity itself.  Early detection will help limit the potential loss and increase the chance of recovering those funds.  In fact, failure to identify and dispute unauthorized activity on a commercial account within a couple of business days greatly reduces the likelihood of retrieving any of the money that was transferred.
• Dedicated Terminal: To maximize protection from unwanted access, dedicate a computer for online banking and then limit it to only that activity.  Do not do any other web browsing or email from that workstation.  When you are done with your banking, turn it off until you need to access your account again.

The Internet provides us with many benefits, but it also leaves us open to unfriendly human interference if we are not careful.  So use common sense as you surf and email.  If you have questions or concerns about the safety of your network and computers, work with your IT professional to review your environment and implement any necessary changes.

If you want to read more about this trend in cyber theft, check the following posts from Brian Krebs’ blog:

• Cyber Crooks Target Public & Private Schools
• Data Breach Highlights Role Of ‘Money Mules’

Let’s be safe out there …

Apple recently released Snow Leopard, an updated version of their Mac operating system.  One of the new features with this version is integrated support for Microsoft Exchange Server using Apple’s Mail, Address Book and iCal applications.  Before you get too excited, keep in mind that Snow Leopard only supports connecting to Exchange Server 2007.  If you are connecting to  Exchange Server 2003 (or earlier), Snow Leopard offers IMAP support, but you will not get the same integrated experience.  However, for users who need to connect to a mail server running Exchange 2007, this may be reason enough alone to upgrade.  For more information, check out the links below:

• Apple - Mac OS X Snow Leopard
  
• Snow Leopard and Microsoft Exchange First Impressions
• Snow Leopard In Depth: Exchange