To this end, RTPnet helps nonprofit organizations through its Internet hosting services, Americorps*VISTA projects, annual conference, community technology awards, email lists, collaboration with other organizations, Tech LinkUp, and resource collections on the RTPnet Web site.
Internet hosting services for members
RTPnet offers annual fee-based memberships to North Carolina nonprofit (noncommercial) organizations and community technology centers in the Southeast.
Membership fees fund projects, such as the Americorps*VISTA projects described below.
Membership packages include: Supporting Member, Internet Starter, Mid Internet, and The Works. Internet Services include Web hosting, email lists, and Web-based discussion forums. See Hosting Services for details.
Americorps*VISTA projects
Through the CTC VISTA Project, RTPnet sponsors Americorps*VISTAs (Volunteers In Service To America) working full-time on projects to support local nonprofit organizations.
Fees and expenses are about $4,500 for each VISTA, that is,
about 75 membership fees fund one VISTA. VISTA projects have included tech support, training, and curriculum development for 6th graders and younger children. See RTPnet VISTA Projects for more information.
Annual conference
The RTPnet Conference is North Carolina's only annual statewide conference that focuses specifically on nonprofit technology. The conference mission is to help nonprofits use technology more effectively. RTPnet has hosted the conference for six years. Summaries of the conferences are available online — see 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000
Community technology awards
In 2004 RTPnet, with the assistance of TechCoop, initiated Community Technology Awards to recognize and honor individuals, organizations, institutions, and businesses that have made significant contributions to North Carolina communities in the area of information and computer technology. Awards were presented to the 2005 winners and the 2004 winners at the RTPnet conferences.
Email lists
You can subscribe to the following RTPnet email lists or view their archives — click the list name.
Collaboration with other organizations
RTPnet participates in TechCoop, a collaboration of Triangle Area organizations that make a special effort to serve those segments of the population that are at risk to suffer the ill effects of the digital divide. TechCoop initiated and coordinates the activities of
Triangle 501 Tech Club.
RTPnet is an active member of Association For Community Networking (AFCN), Community Technology Centers' Network (CTCNet), and Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network (N-TEN). Board members and VISTAs participate in email discussion lists and attend conferences, and they share what they learn with local organizations through TechCoop, Triangle 501 Tech Club, RTPnet conferences, and local email lists.
Tech LinkUp
Tech LinkUp was designed to help connect volunteers, sponsors, and businesses with community organizations, and to help connect community organizations with one another for mutual support. However, there are problems with the software, forms, and presentation, and it is difficult to get nonprofits to use Tech LinkUp to ask for assistance. Although there have been only a few cases where volunteers and nonprofits organizations found each other through Tech LinkUp, by monitoring the changes made to the database, the system administrators have been able to match volunteers with several projects.
Development work on Tech LinkUp is continuing.
Resource collections
In its early days,
RTPnet was a directory of local information. Although most people now find the information they want using search engines, many of the resource collections are still useful.
Reuse of computing equipment
RTPnet supports Teaming for Technology (T4T), Triangle United Way's highly successful computer recycling program. RTPnet maintains a collection of useful information related to
reuse and recycling of computers and other information technology equipment.
Goals 2005
See RTPnet's goals for 2005.