Social Enterprise Cafes of Colorado Event 9/19

Cafe Options, a social enterprise cafe run by CiviCore client Work Options for Women (WOW), is hosting this great event on September 19, 5:30 - 8:00 pm.

The Social Enterprise Cafes of Colorado, sponsored by the Colorado Chapter of the Social Enterprise Alliance will offer a chance to learn more about the incredible work being done by these social enterprise cafes -

Cafe Options, host of Social Enterprise Cafes of Colorado

AspenPoint Café
Café 180
Café Options 
Dirt Coffee (Opening April 2013)
Emily’s Coffee
Fresh Takes Kitchen (Opening October 2012)
Osage Café
Pizza Fusion
The Purple Door (Opening Soon)
S.A.M.E. Café
Women’s Bean Project

Get all the details and register for this FREE event here.

Happy Back-to-School!

In honor of the transition back to school, CiviCore wishes our many education and mentoring partners a very happy and productive school year!

Thank you for all you do for the next generation of movers and shakers.

Victim Service Organizations Have Impact Far Beyond Justice For Victims

CiviCore is honored to provide technology solutions for many Victim Service Organizations doing invaluable work. 

The following research, published in the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, shows that reducing domestic violence has significant social benefits beyond providing justice for the victims and insuring safe homes for all families.

Family Business or Social Problem? The Cost of Unreported Domestic Violence

by Scott E. Carrell & Mark Hoekstra

"Social interest in problems such as domestic violence is typically motivated by concerns regarding equity, rather than efficiency. However, we document that taking steps to reduce domestic violence by reporting it yields substantial benefits to external parties. Specifically, we find that although children exposed to as-yet-unreported domestic violence reduce the achievement of their classroom peers, these costs disappear completely once the parent reports the violence to the court. This suggests that the public has an interest in helping families to overcome their problems in general and to report domestic violence in particular. It also suggests that social and judicial interventions may help combat negative peer effects in schools."

Click to read the complete research.

*Carrell, S. E. and Hoekstra, M. (2012), Family Business or Social Problem? The Cost of Unreported Domestic Violence. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management. doi: 10.1002/pam.21650

Congratulations Dr. Naumer!

The CiviCore team is thrilled to congratulate our Co-Founder, Charles "Chic" Naumer for successfully completing his PhD in Information Science.

Dr. Naumer defended his dissertation "Understanding Information Needs and Framing: A grounded theory study" last Wednesday. Following his successful defense, his committee noted the "excellence of his work especially for its novelty and complexity crossing the areas of information behavior, human-computer interaction (HCI) and policy."

Congratulations Chic!

Chic during his dissertation defense. Congratulations Dr. Naumer!

Summer Food Service Program

Summer means summer vacation from school and all the fun that goes with it. It is also means the students who rely on certain meals to be provided by school may not have access to the food they need.


The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federal nutrition program designed to ensure low-income children have access to nutritious food when school is out. Federal reimbursement is provided to schools, local governments, and private non-profit community based organizations that serve free meals and/or snacks to children aged 18 and younger throughout the summer. 


This recent story by Denver's 9News highlights the work being done through SFSP to provide 12,000 Denver kids with healthy free meals daily.

CiviCore partnered in this initiative by building the SFSP site locator tool, providing an easy way to identify summer food sites throughout the state within a specified distance from an address or by zip code. 


The SFSP is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and implemented through local sponsors. This program has grown by more than 60 percent since 2009, and will provide healthy meals every day this summer to an estimated 30,000 children statewide.

Tech4Good Forum: CRM Software

On May 15, Tech4Good Denver invited CiviCore founder's Charles "Chic" Naumer and Rich Rainaldi to discuss the what, why, and how of Contact Relationship Management (CRM) software.

CiviCore's Rich Rainaldi, Chic Naumer, & Kristi Orr

CRM software is a broad conversation, even for those with a strong understanding. 

The presentation provided a structure for understanding the specific needs of an organization before exploring the available solutions. This includes 

• Identifying stakeholders
• Defining relationships
• Prioritizing data needs

The investment of knowing what needs to tracked and why upfront will pay off when evaluating options, watching demos, and making a final decision.

Tech4Good Denver Chair Amy Quinn introduces the session.

Tech4Good Denver is an affiliate group of NTEN, offering forums for people working in nonprofit technology to exchange valuable information in a fun, informal setting. Forums are free and held every other month. 

Learn more about Tech4Good Denver and the upcoming forums here.

Colorado Mentoring Symposium Brings Together 275+ Mentoring Leaders

Serve Colorado and the Youth Mentoring Collaborative hosted the first Colorado Mentoring Symposium on Friday, April 20. 

Over 275 mentoring leaders from throughout the state gathered for a day of cutting edge presenters and facilitated discussions. Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia's opening remarks focused on the role of mentoring and education in closing the achievement gap, a continued reality in Colorado although progress is being made.  Keynote speaker, Dr. Susan Weinberger (aka Dr. Mentor), shared her mentoring expertise in her presentation of "Mentoring: An Idea whose Time Has Come" and led Executive Staff participants in a discussion exploring the creation of a Colorado Mentoring Partnership. 

CiviCore was honored to share in the productive day. We are excited for the continued forward movement of the state's mentoring leaders and partner organizations in promoting mentoring to serve Colorado's youth.

Colorado Mentoring Symposium Leaders: Amy Humble, Mary Hanewall,
Dr. Susan Weinberger, Lt. Governor Joe Garcia, and Toya Nelson. 

Our team is growing --- Project Manager/Application Builder opening

The CiviCore team is growing! We have the following opening.

Project Manager/Application Builder

The Project Manager position is the link between our great nonprofit clients and our customized database solutions. As part of the Project Manager team, you work directly with our clients to understand their specific needs and configure applications to meet those needs. CiviCore values the social impact being made by our mission driven clients and strives to support their efforts with customized and efficient systems.

Job Responsibilities

Configure applications using internal systems (no programming required)

Consult with nonprofit clients to understand needs

Participate and (when ready) lead client meetings

Manage project schedules

Communicate project status to clients and CiviCore team

Required Experience

Strong computer skills (do not need to be a programmer)

Interest in technology

Excellent communication skills

Proven ability to manage multiple projects

Required Education

Bachelors Degree

Benefits

Competitive entry level salary

Healthcare plan

Paid vacation and holidays

RTD EcoPass

To apply for this position please e-mail cover letter, resume and
salary expectations to recruiting@civicore.com.

Goodwill Supports Denver High School Students

On Thursday February 23, Goodwill Industries of Denver held a Career Panel discussion for students at South High School. CiviCore Project Manager Michaela Cullen was honored to be on the panel and support Goodwill, a long time CiviCore client. During this hour long discussion Michaela and several other volunteer panelists shared information and stories of their individual career paths and the important role that education plays in meeting their professional goals.

During the question and answer portion of the discussion, Michaela asked each student what their dream job was and their plan for making that dream a reality in the future. Michaela was impressed by each student’s ability to quickly identify what their career focus is and what they need to accomplish in order to meet their professional goals and dreams.

Prior to meeting with the students, Goodwill's Ruthann Kallenberg briefed the panelists of the high school drop-out rate in Denver, which is now an overwhelming 50 percent.

The panel discussion proved to be insightful for Michaela. After getting to know the students, it is even more apparent to Michaela the important work of Goodwill. This organization and others like it continue to support and encourage students to stay in school by highlighting the importance of education and following your dreams. The difference Goodwill is making within our community is evident and continues to drive Michaela’s passion in her own career.

Tech4Good Denver Event - January 17th

CiviCore's Dave Ryan is on the Advisory Board of Tech4Good in Denver. The organization is having an event on January 17th on "Getting Started with Technology Planning". Please come if you are able and learn about technology planning!

CiviCore Launches Education Evaluation System

CiviCore is excited to announce the recent launch of an education evaluation system for CSR Colroado, a partnership between Denver Public Schools, the University of Colorado, and Padres y Jovenes Unidos. Here's what Pam Buckley of the University of Colorado had to say about working with CiviCore:

“CSR Colorado – Read, Lead, Succeed” is a joint partnership between Denver Public Schools, the University of Colorado at Boulder, and Padres y Jovenes Unidos. CSR is a set of strategies that improve reading comprehension, vocabulary, and content learning for middle school students. The project is funded through a U.S. Department of Education Investing in Innovation (i3) grant. The partnership contracted with CiviCore to design a database for measuring CSR implementation. CiviCore quickly developed a system that is easy to access, efficient, and effectively captures information essential to monitoring the project’s success. Throughout the development phase, CiviCore staff was professional and responsive to the needs of all partners on the grant. They met deadlines and were flexible in creating a system that is customized to capture the data requirements of a very complex federal project. The system recently went live and we have had no major complications or problems. Our users are pleased with how easy and intuitive it is to enter data, and how quick and useful it is to run customized reports (that we are already using to inform and guide our implementation). We thank CiviCore for their fantastic work!

CiviCore Launches Volunteer Management Database for Second Harvest Heartland

CiviCore is proud to announce the recent launch of a volunteer management system for Second Harvest Heartland, the largest hunger relief organization in the Upper Midwest. Last year, Second Harvest Heartland collected and distributed more than 60 million pounds of food to those in need. They utilize thousands upon thousands of volunteers to accomplish this feat, and enrolling, scheduling, and managing volunteers on this scale is a logistical challenge.

We are proud to announce the recent launch of a CiviCore Volunteer Management System that helps Second Harvest Heartland deal with this logistical challenge. Potential volunteers may browse through opportunities, enroll as individuals or as groups for shifts, and "check in" on-site through our unified, web-based system. Staff members can manage the entire process and produce powerful reports through. Here's what Jessica Hultgren, Director of Volunteer Services, had to say about working with CiviCore:

"Partnering with Civicore for the development of our volunteer management system has been a solid decision all the way around. Our processes necessitated a significant level of complexity and we chose Civicore because they offered the right balance of stability and adaptability at a competitive price. We were also extremely impressed by Civicore's commitment to customer service and their genuine desire to build and maintain a long-term relationship with their clients.

I was pleasantly surprised by the development process, as well. Admittedly, I did not think that Civicore was going to be able to accurately assess our needs without visiting us on site. But I was amazed at their intuitive ability to ask the right questions at all points in the process. In many instances, they were able to identify needs that we hadn't even considered. They demonstrated extreme patience and were great listeners as we worked through all the intricate process decisions required for a system of this nature.

Ultimately, working with Civicore has proven to be extremely positive. Our IT Director agrees and has said, on many occasions, Civicore is one of the most professional, connected and responsive software developers he has encountered. Thank you, Civicore!"

We'd like to thank Jessica Hultgren, Matthew Steiner, and the rest of the team at Second Harvest Heartland for the fantastic work that they do. We look forward to helping them continue to grow.

New Hire at CiviCore - Rob Acker

CiviCore is proud to announce the recent hiring of our newest Project Manager here at CiviCore, Rob Acker.

Previously, Rob worked for two years as an instructor for Readak Educational Services, teaching in schools around the world in more than 30 countries. He has also worked in the Political Research Department of Project Vote Smart. This combination of research and education experience makes Rob a great fit here at CiviCore.

Rob received his B.A. in Political Science in 2009 from College of the Holy Cross, located in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Welcome aboard, Rob!

A nice note from a long time client

Mentoring Today is a long time client of CiviCore's who recently received a grant to conduct an in-depth evaluation of their program. They serve youth both before and after they are released from incarceration to support their successful reintegration into their families and community.

We just received a message from mentoring today saying that after a review and tour of the CiviCore database, the evaluation firm stated that "it was one of the best databases for juvenile justice that they've ever seen!"

We'd like to thank Whitney Louchheim and the rest of the staff at Mentoring Today for partnering with us on this project. We are proud to have Mentoring Today as a client and we appreciate all that they do.

SOS Outreach International Partners with CiviCore!

SOS Outreach International has partnered with CiviCore over the past five years to manage both client and contact systems.  They recently upgraded their systems to CiviCore's new platform, a move that provided them with a customized solution that integrates disparate summer and winter program registration as well as a contact management system - all within one database.

Here's what Seth Ehrlich, Development Director at SOS, had to say about their experience,

"Throughout our relationship with CiviCore, and particularly during the recent system upgrade, I feel that they strive to understand the unique needs of our organization and have created efficiencies in our program delivery and contact management through available technology.  The planning process was instrumental in challenging SOS to think of our standard operating procedures differently and to understand what is possible through technology.  As a result, we have an effective system to manage offer 5,000 annual participants and 15,000 organization contacts." 

We'd like to publicly commend the work SOS Outreach does as well as their loyalty over the years - thanks!

CiviCore client Colorado Youth Corps Association receives $1 Million Grant

     CiviCore is proud to announce that the Colorado Youth Corps Association recently received a $1 million grant from the State Government.  The money will go towards creating "... 400 statewide outdoor jobs for young adults through the CYCA ... Young people hired will work on stewardship projects for Colorado's trails, parks, open spaces, and wildlife habitat."

   CYCA has used CiviCore software for more than 5 years to accurately track and report outcomes to the state from all youth corps, and our partnership has helped CYCA demonstrate the impact of their organization across the state of Colorado.

For more information on the grant, and to read the full press release, click HERE.

Congratulations, CYCA!

CiviCore launches Client Tracking System for Colorado AgrAbility

  CiviCore is proud to announce the launch of a version of our Client Tracking platform for AgrAbility Colorado. Founded in 1990 and funded through the Farm Bill, The Agrability Project aims to "enable a high quality lifestyle for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities." AgrAbility is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and consists of a National Project and 24 State-Level projects, each involving collaborative partnerships between land grant universities and various nonprofit disability service organizations.

  Here in Colorado, the AgrAbility project is collaboration between Colorado State University Extension and Goodwill Industries of Denver. The CAP (Colorado Agrability Project) seeks to assess agricultural work sites and tasks, recommend adaptations to equipment, refer to services, and provide workshops and information for disabled farmers and agricultural workers.

  CiviCore's Client Tracking System has been deployed to help the CAP more efficiently track, manage, and report on client information, site visits, and the services rendered on behalf of their clients.  We are excited to be a part of such an inspiring project, and we'd like to thank the team from CAP and Goodwill for partnering with us on this project.

CiviCore launches Client Tracking system for Bright Beginnings Colorado

CiviCore is proud to announce the recent launch of a version of our Client Tracking platform for Bright Beginnings Colorado.  Bright beginnings was established in 1995 by former Colorado Governor Roy Romer and former Charmain of Procter & Gamble Brad Butler in an effort to make Colorado "the best place to raise a child."  Since then, the organization has provided support and early education, free of charge, to more than 140,000 families throughout Colorado.  Here is what Kim Easton, the Executive Director of Colorado Bright Beginnings, had to say about their experience working with CiviCore:

"We are thrilled with our new statewide database!  It allows us to better track and report on important data pertaining to the families we serve as well as the agencies/volunteers we collaborate with. Being able to work with CiviCore to build a system that works for our unique statewide organization structure was key to the success of this product for us. The process – from development to launch - has been amazingly smooth.  The Civicore staff are extremely professional and responsive and have been wonderful to work with."
 

We'd like to commend Kim and the rest of the team at Colorado Bright Beginnings for the great work they do, and we look forward to working with them going forward.  Thanks, all!

CiviCore 2010 Year in Review

CiviCore is proud to work exclusively with non-profits, public agencies, and foundations.   In 2010 CiviCore began providing databases for over 60 new organizations.  We now serve over 350 customers across North America (including Canada, Mexico and Guatemala) who all have one thing in common...they are in the business of helping others. Knowing that there are hundreds of thousands of people (and in some cases cats and dogs!) benefiting from the services CiviCore's customers provide is the reason we do what we do every day.  Here are just a few of the ways that our customers are making a difference in the communities they serve: Young people who need support and direction are being matched with a caring adult mentor. Volunteers are signing up to work on projects that improve parks, trails, and our  natural environment. Crime victims are getting the help they need to recover and move forward. Cats, dogs and other animals are benefiting from the care they need provided by committed volunteers. Adults are receiving job training and other assistance to move towards self-sufficiency. Senior citizens, families, and people with disabilities are having their homes repaired by teams of motivated volunteers to ensure that their homes are warm, safe, and dry. Families in crisis are receiving emergency assistance in the form of shelter, food, kindness and other household necessities. Children are receiving quality early learning opportunities. College-bound students are applying for and receiving scholarships. And much, much more!

2010 CiviCore Highlights

Completed the development of a brand new cloud-based technology platform that allows CiviCore to build even more sophisticated database systems for our clients at an affordable price. Contact Dave Ryan at dave@civicore.com or Rich Rainaldi at rich@civicore.com to learn more about the new features we are able to offer our clients. We added some very talented new members to our team.  Our expanded team allows us to meet the needs of our clients in the areas of project management, customer service, and new technology.  Please contact Joni Zisman at joni@civicore.com to learn more about how we can meet your training and customer service needs.  Click here to see our team member bios. Partnered with several national organizations to create database systems to help them manage information throughout large affiliate networks. Created and hosted the technology platform for Colorado Gives Day, the largest one-day fundraising effort in the country in 2010. Expanded our work with clients in our core areas of mentoring, volunteer management, case management, evaluation, and victims' services.  CiviCore Grows to Meet Increased Demand      Over the past year, CiviCore has nearly doubled in size.  Brief staff profiles are available at http://www.civicore.com/ourteam. We have also begun to provide on-going webinars for affiliate based organizations, and we are happy to conduct and record refresher trainings for your organization as your staff changes.  Please contact joni@civicore.com if you are in need of further training.      Over the past 10 years, our growth has come largely from referrals.  We truly appreciate our customers recommending us.  Please let us know if you refer a colleague who becomes a CiviCore customer and we will recognize your gesture with a free month of hosting!

We are always available to help you!  Please contact any of our staff, send email toinfo@civicore.com or call us at 303-477-0900.  We are here to empower those making an positive impact on their communities by helping implement unique data systems for the public sector. Follow us any way you'd like:   http://www.civicore.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.blog https://twitter.com/CiviCore http://www.facebook.com/CiviCore Sincerely, The entire CiviCore Team We look forward to continuing to work with you in 2011!

CiviCore Launches Mentoring Management System for TeamMates

     TeamMates Mentoring Program recently launched their multi-chapter CiviCore Mentoring database.  Tom and Nancy Osborne founded the TeamMates Mentoring Program in 1991 in an effort to provide support and encouragement to school aged youth. The goal of the program is to see youth graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary education. To reach this goal, youth meet one hour per week with a caring adult who serves as a mentor. Mentors are volunteers from the community who have dedicated themselves to making a difference in the life of a young person. Mentors give youth a sense of hope, purpose and vision.     They serve thousands of youth and mentors across hundreds of Chapters in Nebraska.  


Allyson Horne, Regional Coordinator, and the manager of the CiviCore project from TeamMates, had this to say about their CiviCore database: 


"I just wanted to say WOO HOO AWESOME!  I called [our ED] yesterday after I got off the phone with you and Kasey - so excited to tell her about it and just so excited in general.  Thanks for all the hard work that has gone into this and please send my appreciation to all the CiviCore staff.  It is wonderful to know how much better our data collection is going to be.  It's been a long haul for all of us, but when you work hard and get such amazing results, it's AWESOME."


Here at CiviCore, we'd like to thank Allyson and the rest of the staff at TeamMates for the great work they are doing.  We are excited that our software can help this organization make a difference in the lives of more and more young people.