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Dear friends of CRC: Lots of exciting things are happening at the Community Resource Center, including the announcement of our new office location! Our new home is on the first floor of the Mile High Chapter of the
American Red Cross Building. We will be right down the hall from Metro
Volunteers and across the street from the Colorado Nonprofit
Association. A special thanks to Metro Volunteers and the American Red Cross for their warm welcome! This month's E-Line includes a guest article, written by representatives of the Anschutz Family Foundation and The Colorado Trust, entitled "The Value of Evaluation: A Grantmaker's Perspective." In addition to this article, we have included several links to information on evaluation in The Reading List on our blog.
CRC is integrating more evaluation infrastructure into our programming and activities, and we encourage all of our partner organizations to do the same. We will keep you posted on our successes and challenges as we work to integrate more of these tools into our activities.
We are interested in what your organization is doing to integrate evaluation strategies, and how it is working. Visit our blog, Around Colorado with CRC, to tell us about your efforts. Thank you for your continued support of CRC, Sarah Fischler and Kelleen Zubick Interim Co-Directors, CRC
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The Value of Evaluation A Grantmaker's Perspective
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  So why evaluate, why report? Of course, there are
accountability justifications and people generally recognize the value of
transparency (unless you're Bernie Madoff). Yet observation suggests that
evaluation is often seen as cumbersome; a requirement of someone else,
someplace else, and extraneous to the real work of the organization. The bet is
that most nonprofits are so dedicated to mission and to results, that they are
purposeful and confident in the evaluative process. Further, evaluation can
illicit the same panic response as speaking in public or jumping off a high
bridge into deep water. A typical grantmaker fear is to hear, "Sorry, what do
you want us to measure?" Can a nonprofit gain competence and confidence in the
process of evaluation to the point that the organization clearly defines
priorities and actions? Not having confidence about evaluation is a
capitulation-it puts someone else in charge. Now imagine an organization that
has devoted a reasonable amount of energy to the evaluative process. It should
have asked many questions, defined parameters, sought third-party verification,
checked out the work in the field, and conducted a literature review. It sounds
daunting, until one realizes that it's the same process that most people use to
pass a driver's license test. We evaluate all the time-a movie, a restaurant, a
singer on American Idol-and we often use both subjective and objective
measures, both fact and intuition.
Can the evaluation process be implemented so that it is both
integrated and ingrained within the organizational culture? Click here to continue reading. |
| The Reading List
Resources for Learning More About Evaluation
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Want to learn more about how evaluation can help your organization? Check out these resources for some varied views on this topic.
Have another resource to share? Post it on our blog!
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| Upcoming Trainings and Workshops |
Weathering the Storm Workshops
Fundraising and Financial Management During Difficult Times
CRC and the Colorado Nonprofit Association are partnering to bring two trainings on fundraising and financial mangement during difficult times across Colorado. We are coming to these locations:
What Participants Get
In addition to each affordably priced training, each participant will receive a comprehensive toolkit full of practical ideas and resources that will help you implement what you learn at the trainings immediately within your organization. Additionally, the presenters will be available for follow-up and coaching after the presentation.
To register for any of these trainings, click on the bold heading to be taken to CRC's online store.
Financial Management
Using Quickbooks in Your Nonprofit
June 25, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
August 6, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Essential Strategies for Financial Management
July 23, 1:00 to 4:00 pm
Introduction to GiftWorks Donor Management Software
July 17, 1:00 to 4:00 pm
August 18, 1:00 to 4:00 pm
Basics of Nonprofit Budgeting
September 10, 1:00 to 4:00 pm
Grant Seeking Clinic (3 days)
July 20, 1:00 to 4:00 pm, and
July 21 and 22, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Introduction to GiftWorks Donor Management Software
July 17, 1:00 to 4:00 pm
August 18, 1:00 to 4:00 pm
July 8, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Otero Junior College
Trinidad Building Toward Tomorrow: Board and Staff Roles
July 9, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Call Penny Bieber, Executive Director of the Trinidad Community Foundation at 719-846-3943 to receive the full course description and to register for this session. Steamboat Springs The New Common Grant Report FormAugust 4, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Save the Date! Class description and registration information coming in our July newsletter MontroseAugust 6, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Save the Date! Class description and registration information coming in our July newsletter |
| Where in Colorado? |
Each month, we feature a photo taken during our travels around Colorado. Last month, we featured this photograph to start off with an easy one. We had five correct guesses, with Aaron Miller submitting the first correct answer. Aaron gets a free copy of CRC's toolkit, Fundraising: Essential Strategies for Fundraising Success During an Economic Downturn.
For this month's "Where in Colorado?" we are inviting guesses on a more challenging photo. Those of you who travel Colorado's backroads will have a distinct advantage this month. We will offer one hint - this image is from one of the counties in CRC's Western Slope Rural Philanthropy Days region.

The first person to correctly identify the location (correct guesses can include the road from which the photo was taken, the name of the nearby trailhead, or the name of the tallest mountain in the photo) by posting the location on our blog will receive a free copy of CRC's toolkit, Fundraising: Essential Strategies for Fundraising Success During an Economic Downturn.
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| Colorado Capital Bank Announces Amanda Fein has been named Community Shares of Colorado's 2009 Volunteer of the Year |
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From Colorado Capital Bank, proud sponsor of the Colorado Grants Guide:
We are pleased to announce that Amanda Fein, Vice President at Colorado Capital Bank-Cherry Creek, has been named the 2009 Volunteer of the Year by Community Shares of Colorado, one of CRC's partner organizations.
Alyssa Kopf, CEO of Community Shares, says, "Colorado Capital Bank has quickly become known as a consistent and generous funder of the nonprofit sector with a broad reach of recipients and sincere interest in the organizations it sponsors. As an individual, you are a wonderful addition to our board of directors and have greatly contributed as Treasurer and chair of our Audit Committee. Your personal support has provided more strength to the organization than you know. You serve as a shining example of corporate citizenship."
Colorado Capital Bank is a proud sponsor of the Community Resource Center, the Colorado Grants Guide and numerous nonprofits in our communities. We currently serve over 130 nonprofit clients and have eight locations in the Colorado region to serve your nonprofit needs: Boulder, Castle Pines, Cherry Creek, Colorado Springs, Denver Tech Center, Eagle Ranch, Edwards and Parker.
Please visit us at www.coloradocapitalbank.com to find a location nearest you or call us at 1.800.913.5120! We invite you to contact us - our job is to ensure the continued growth and strength of your nonprofit organization. We are committed to your success! Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. |
| Thank you for reading the E-Line! |
If you have any ideas about future topics that you would like to see covered, please let us know!
Sincerely,
CRC's Staff
Sarah, Kelleen, Carol, Frank, Lauren, Debbie and Marianne | |
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| CRC Has Moved! |
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Effective June 1, CRC will be located at 444 Sherman Street in Denver.
Please update your records with our new address:
444 Sherman Street Suite 102
Denver, CO 80203
All other contact information will stay the same.
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| Upcoming Events |
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Western Slope Rural Philanthropy Days
June 17 to 19,
Mt Crested Butte
This event will sell out! Register today!
This event is for nonprofits in Delta, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Mesa, Montrose, Ouray, and San Miguel counties.
Save the Date!
Northwest Rural Philanthropy Days
September 16 to 18, Steamboat Springs
This event is for nonprofits in Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt counties. |
| Hurry and Get Your 2009-2010 Colorado Grants Guide While Supplies Last! |
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Help improve the sustainability of your organization by purchasing a 2009-2010 Colorado Grants Guide, Colorado's premier resource for grantseekers.
Annual Online Subscription: $150
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| Join CRC on Facebook |
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Keep track of CRC's activities and get updates on capacity building tips and tools for your nonprofit organization.
Search "Community Resource Center of Colorado" to join!
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| CRC Staff Contacts |
303.623.1540
www.crcamerica.org
Consulting Services:
Training:
Rural Activities:
Community Development:
Other Staff Contacts:
Sarah Fischler
Interim Co-Director
Kelleen Zubick,
Debbie Stolz,
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