Register for Bayer Center classes at http://www.rmu.edu/bcnmregistration.
As usual, The Bayer Center is offering a wide variety of technology classes and one-on-one clinics this fall. Here are classes being held in October through December that are still accepting registrations:
Bagels and Bytes
Join your nonprofit techie colleagues for a new season of this popular gathering. We continue our discussion of managing and maintaining your IT. If you’re responsible for your nonprofit’s technology challenges, you’re someone we want to know! Visit http://tinyurl.com/bagelsandbytes for more information.
- Allegheny (Cost $10)
- Wednesday, Oct. 6 from 8:30–10 a.m. at ACHIEVA
- Westmoreland*
- Tuesday, Oct. 12 from 8–9:30 a.m. at Eat n’ Park, Greensburg
- West*
- Thursday, Oct. 14 from 8:30–10 a.m. at Eat n’ Park, Moon Township
- Allegheny (Cost $10)
- Wednesday, Nov. 3 from 8:30–10 a.m. at ACHIEVA
- Westmoreland*
- Tuesday, Nov. 9 from 8–9:30 a.m. at YWCA of Westmoreland County
- West*
- Thursday, Nov. 11 from 8:30–10 a.m. at Eat n’ Park, Moon Township
- Allegheny/West - Holiday Party (Cost $10)
- Friday, Dec. 3 from 8:30–10 a.m. at TBD (but likely Dave & Buster's at the Waterfront)
- Westmoreland*
- Tuesday, Dec. 14 from 8–9:30 a.m. at Eat n’ Park, Greensburg*
* Breakfast cost is individual responsibility and not included
Excel Day for Office 2007
Excel Day consists of two sessions: Introduction to Excel in the morning and Intermediate Excel in the afternoon. Hands-on instruction with Excel 2007 includes an introduction to new navigation and features.
Introduction to Excel 2007
Tuesday, Oct. 5 from 9 a.m.–noon
Learn Excel basics in the morning session including:
- Worksheet creation
- Formula creation
- Cell formatting using “mouse pointers”
- Absolute cell references
- Printing your worksheet
Instructor: Cindy Leonard, Bayer Center
Fee: $65 per session or $115 for the whole day
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Intermediate Excel 2007
Thursday, Oct. 5 from 1–4 p.m.
Learn more about Excel in the afternoon including:
- Worksheet templates creation and use
- Using functions
- Creating links between worksheets
- Database features
- Chart creation and formatting
Instructor: Jeff Forster, Bayer Center
Fee: $65 or $115 for the whole day
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Managing Your Books Using QuickBooksTuesdays, Oct. 12, 19, 26 from 9 a.m.–noon
If you’re the financial manager or bookkeeper of a smaller nonprofit (30 employees or fewer), QuickBooks is your solution for keeping track of all things fiscal. We teach you how to:
- Track expenses and manage restricted and unrestricted income
- Reconcile bank statements
- Create basic financial statements and board reports
- Complete IRS 990s
This class is intentionally small, so bring lots of questions. We answer them. Basic accounting knowledge is recommended for this course.
Instructor: Kathy Mahoney, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Fee: $180 ($165 if paid by Oct. 5)
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Social Media Planning and Strategy for Nonprofits
Thursday, Oct. 21 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Like any other project, using social media for your organization requires planning, strategy and management. Learn what you should consider before getting your nonprofit started in the social media realm, what to expect afterwards and how to keep the ball rolling. You will have the opportunity to work on a draft strategic plan for your organization’s social media that you can take back to your office and refine. Basic social media concepts and terminology are recommended but not necessary for attending this class. We will focus on planning and strategy rather than on “how to” use the social media tools.
Instructor: Cindy Leonard, Bayer Center
Fee: $125 ($115 if paid by Oct. 7)
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
TechNow
Thursday, Oct. 28 from 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
TechNow is the only event of its kind in the region: an entire day devoted to technology in nonprofits. Not just for techies, TechNow features useful information and stimulating conversation for executives, board members, finance people and fundraisers. This year, The Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management is pleased to feature keynote speaker Katya Andresen, Chief Operating Officer of Network for Good. In her presentation, entitled Homer Simpson for Nonprofits: The Truth about How People Really Think and What It Means for Promoting Your Cause, Katya will discuss how the success of an organization’s online outreach hinges on its understanding of the inner workings of the human mind. You will learn the basics of the new and revolutionary field of behavioral economics and how you can use these principles to craft more effective messages that will win the hearts and minds of your audience. More details are available online at http://technow2010.wordpress.com.
Fee: $100 ($90 early bird special if paid by Oct. 7)
Location: Sewall Center at Robert Morris University, Moon Township
Presented by:
ESC Cheapies and FreebiesThursday, Nov. 4 from 6–9 p.m.
Don’t have a large budget for software? We’ve reviewed hundreds of free software and open source sites for the best finds. We’ll look at some options for user and system utilities, office productivity, website support, and media/graphics. Bring your own laptop and you can download and test the sites with hands-on guidance.
Instructor: Bob Moll and Joseph McLaughlin, ESC Volunteers
Fee: $65 ($55 if paid by Oct. 28)
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
The Constituent Pyramid: Converting Followers into SupportersMonday, Nov. 8 from 1–3 p.m. (WEBINAR)
We spend so much time and effort spreading the word to get followers that we forget what to do with them once we get them! It is time to think about quality rather than quantity. While the initial goal is to get as many people as you can in the front door, you have to stand back and create a plan on what to do with them once they are in your living room. This webinar will look at the Constituent Pyramid and focus on how to convert followers into supporters, manage that relationship and keep them interested to remain supporters for years to come.
Instructor: Michael Weiss, imagistic
Fee: $40 ($30 if paid by Nov. 1)
2010 Tech Survey: Free PresentationThursday, Nov. 11 from 10 a.m.–noon (live presentation) OR
Thursday, Nov. 18 from 2–3 p.m. (Webinar)
If you can’t make it to TechNow, this is another chance to get the results of the 2008 Southwestern PA Nonprofit Technology Survey. Find out what nonprofits in our region are up to technology-wise including: hardware, software and networking; IT staffing; training and support; communication channels; board/executive involvement in technology decisions. The survey report is a valuable way to evaluate your organization’s IT compared with everyone else’s.
Instructor: Jeff Forster, Bayer Center
Fee: Free, but R.S.V.P. is required
Location: Regional Enterprise Tower, 425 Sixth Avenue, 31st Floor (live presentation)
Learning the Language of Website AccessibilityTuesday, Nov. 16 from 9 a.m.–noon
How do you make sure your website is accessible to people with disabilities? Locate the resources you’ll need to develop an accessible website in-house, and learn the appropriate acronyms and buzzwords to effectively communicate your website’s accessibility goals to an outside developer. Nonprofit marketing and web design staff, as well as beginning website developers are welcome. Go deeper with the afternoon session, “Learning the Language of Website Accessibility…Literally.”
Instructor: Tiffany Kuchta, Allegheny Graphics Web Development, LLC
Fee: $65 ($55 if paid by Nov. 9)
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Learning the Language of Website Accessibility…Literally
Tuesday, Nov. 16 from 1–4 p.m.
This class focuses on the underlying theories of website accessibility and their practical implementation, including an in-depth review of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and hands-on instruction. Learn how to use XHTML, CSS and Adobe Dreamweaver to create an accessible website. The morning session, “Learning the Language of Website Accessibility,” is a prerequisite for this course.
Instructor: Tiffany Kuchta, Allegheny Graphics Web Development, LLC
Fee: $115 ($100 if paid by Nov. 9 and includes the morning session)
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Writing for the Web
Friday, Nov. 19 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Writing content for your website is very different from other types of communications, in large part due to the way people read it. Most of your written materials must be altered for use on a web page in order to make it readable and usable. In this class, learn how to improve your written website content, increase your site’s usability, and leverage your website as a communication tool.
Instructor: Cindy Leonard, Bayer Center
Fee: $125 ($115 if paid by Nov. 5)
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Presentation Visuals that WorkMonday, Nov. 29 and Tuesday, Nov. 30 from 10–11 a.m. (WEBINAR)
Bullets are not only dangerous in guns. Although your presence and preparation make a huge impact on the success of a presentation’s ability to inform and persuade, bad visuals can undermine your message. In fact, PowerPoint itself may have taught us bad habits. This class will help you create visuals that will make your facts, stories and ideas stick with your audience.
Instructor: Jeff Forster, Bayer Center
Fee: $40 ($30 if paid by March 22)
Moving from Logic Model to Database
Thursday, December 2 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Once you’ve developed a logic model and indicators of success, you may find yourself facing a big void between those tools and actually being able to track the information you need for evaluation and decisionmaking. This workshop will help you plan the leap from logic model to timely reporting and data analysis that helps you know whether you’re succeeding. Having a logic model and indicators is a prerequisite for this workshop in which you will roll up your sleeves and work through a plan for getting to measurements. Find out what you need to know about database, data integrity and accountability and how to set your organization up for the cultural shifts that are necessary to translate models into evaluation data.
Instructors: Jeff Forster, Bayer Center; Maria Zeglen Townsend, Ph.D., Townsend Associates LLC
Fee: $125 ($115 if paid by Nov. 25)
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Choosing or Changing Your Fundraising SoftwareTuesday, Dec. 7 from 1–3 p.m.
Don’t make a mistake–choose fundraising software that’s right for your organization. We help you figure out what you really need and what you can do without. Then we point you in a direction that won’t break the bank or your database.
Instructor: Jeff Forster, Bayer Center
Fee: $40 ($30 if paid by Nov. 30)
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
See Your PC NakedWednesday, Dec. 8 from 9 am–noon
Ever wonder what’s “under the hood” of your PC? Want to learn how to perform basic maintenance like installing a hard drive, CD and floppy disk drives, RAM memory and video or sound cards? Learn about what’s in there and how to keep it in working condition. This course requires no prior knowledge. We cater especially to the technologically faint-of-heart.
Instructor: Cindy Leonard, Bayer Center
Fee: $65 ($55 if paid by Dec. 9)
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Does Your Website Work?
60-minute sessions available by appointment
Your website may seem just fine to you, but maybe it’s time you had an outsider’s take on it. Sit down with our website expert as she provides an honest (and kind) assessment of your site and recommends changes that may improve it.
Instructor: Cindy Leonard, Bayer Center
Fee: $50
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Dreamweaver Clinic60-minute sessions available by appointment
Have a great idea for a website, but no idea how to do it? Bring those Dreamweaver challenges and questions to our maven, and we’ll help you create the site of your dreams! This problem-specific clinic is for all levels of current Dreamweaver users.
Instructor: Cindy Leonard, Bayer Center
Fee: $50
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Now What? A Clinic on Access Databases60-minute sessions available by appointment
Struggling with an Access database that came with the job and doesn’t make sense to you? Have you built a database that’s grown completely out of control? Bring a copy of that problematic database and we’ll help you make sense of it. Our database guru will:
- Examine and assess its structure and functionality
- Recommend whether to scrap it and start over, buy something off-the-shelf, or clean it up and continue to use it
- Build in some specific tracking and search features if you decide to keep using it.
For intermediate to advanced Access users.
Instructor: Jeff Forster, Bayer Center
Fee: $50
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Presentation Clinic60-minute sessions available by appointment
There is always room to improve the visuals that we use to aid our presentations. Get one-on-one help to make that presentation sing. Clinic can be used for step-by-step instruction on particular techniques (e.g. formatting, animation, incorporating media) or to workshop an existing presentation for ways to punch up its informative and persuasive power.
Instructor: Jeff Forster, Bayer Center
Fee: $50
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Excel/Spreadsheet Clinic60-minute sessions available by appointment
Other people work magic with spreadsheets; so can you! For complete beginners to advanced users with specific questions, this clinic is your opportunity to become the Excel magician you’ve always wanted to be! We’ll teach you handy tricks of the trade that save time and effort.
- Write time-saving formulas so that you never have to hand-tally again
- Read formulas in existing spreadsheets and follow those crazy links
- Format your spreadsheets for readability
- Use spreadsheets to dynamically analyze scenarios
Bring your questions – or even better – a spreadsheet you want to improve.
Instructor: Jeff Forster, Bayer Center
Fee: $50
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Web 2.0 and Social Media Clinic60-minute sessions available by appointment
Have you just been handed responsibility for your organization’s activities in the realm of social media? Are you baffled and unsure how to begin? Let our social media guru mentor you one-on-one and you’ll be an active social media user in no time! Whether you are attempting to use popular social media tools (such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or Flickr), need help setting up a blog or a wiki, or need assistance with social media strategy, we can help.
Instructor: Cindy Leonard, Bayer Center
Fee: $50
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610
Website Accessibility Clinic60-minute sessions available by appointment
Do you serve a population that includes people with disabilities? Are you concerned that your website is not sufficiently accessible to your target audience members? Do you receive federal funding that requires you to be compliant with Section 508 guidelines for website accessibility? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” our website accessibility guru can help. These clinics are one-on-one sessions in which our expert will analyze your website for accessibility, answer your specific questions, and give you recommendations for improvement.
Instructor: Tiffany Kuchta, Allegheny Graphics Web Development, LLC
Fee: $50
Location: Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, 425 Sixth Avenue, Suite 2610