A Resource Guide Sponsored By: The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development These materials were developed under a contract, DU100C000005980, between the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Aspen Systems Corporation and by the Harrison Institute, Georgetown University Law Center, under a subcontract with Aspen Systems Corporation. For questions or comments about this manual contact: Lindan Johnson, Aspen Systems Corporation, 1600 Research Boulevard, Mail Stop 3m, Rockville, MD, (301) 251-5792. Ben Hecht, Harrison Institute, Georgetown University Law Center, 777 N. Capitol Street, N.E., Suite 405, Washington, D.C. 20002, (202) 371-9200. DISCLAIMER The statements and conclusions presented in this manual are those of Aspen Systems Corporation and its subcontractor, Georgetown University Law Center and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Aspen Systems Corporation and Georgetown University Law Center have made every effort to verify the accuracy and appropriateness of the manual's content; however, no guarantee of the accuracy or completeness of the information or acceptability for compliance with mandatory requirements of any code, law, or regulation is either offered or implied. The information, strategies and examples presented in this manual are included only as examples of some available approaches, analyses and strategies. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to thank and acknowledge many 2. This book can be ordered from ACTA Publications, people who shared their time and expertise to de- 4848 North Clark Street, Chicago, Illinois 60640 or by velop this manual: phone at 1-800-397-2282 for the price of $15.00. Ben Hecht, Georgetown University Law Center, E. Knorr, PC Bible, 2ND EDITION, copyright 1995 managed the Harrison Institute’s efforts on the Peachpit Press. Parts of this book were reprinted manual. Louise Stanton was primarily responsible by permission of Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, for drafting the document, building on what others Inc. and used in Chapter 4 in the discussion of computer had already written on the subject and creatively hardware. developing new information and examples of successful programs when none existed. Joan Clark D. Rogers and Brian A. Vidic, authors of Com- Woods and Phil Marchesiello did an artful job with munity Information Services Management Guidelines, the format and design of the manual to make it First Edition, published by the infoWorks Partnership, readable, accessible and useful piece for owners, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. property managers and residents of HUD-insured and HUD-assisted housing developments. Special thanks Portions of this book on security (Chapter 4) and also go to Erin Schaden and Mark Vogel for staffing, staff development and volunteers (Chapter conducting telephone interviews with many community 5) are reproduced, with permission. computing centers. A Guide to Comprehensive Property Management- Antonia Stone and The Community Technology Centers’ A Manual for Building Communities Through Good Network (CTCNet), Newton, MA, for their Property Management, written by James Stockard leadership in this area and their materials on starting-up a and produced by Local Initiatives Support Corpora- community computer center. Toni was both a tion (LISC), 1994, for its contribution to the staff wealth of knowledge and a supportive partner. assessment portion of Chapter 5. Lindan Johnson, Aspen Systems Corporation, for her The following community computing centers whose staff guidance and leadership. gave their time to share their knowledge and experience for this manual: Brody and Weiser of Branford, Connecticut, and in particular Frances Brody, Clair Morduch, Tony Hall, Community Builders Mike Burns and Tamar Frolichstein, for their contri- Worchester, Massachusetts butions to Chapter 2 on the resident needs assess- ment, Chapter 5 on evaluations, and Chapter 6 on Good Shepherd Ministries the business plan. Washington, D.C. The Center for Urban Affairs and Policy Research Focus Hope - the Fast Track Program at Northwestern University as publisher of the book, Detroit, Michigan Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community’s As- Oakridge Neighborhood Services Computer Learn- sets (1993). The manual’s approach to inventorying ing Lab community assets and building partnerships with Des Moines, Iowa neighborhood institutions was modeled after this excellent book, by John McKnight and John Kretzman. Parts of this book were reproduced, with permission, in Chapter Somerville Community Computing Center Henry Street Settlement Somerville, Massachusetts New York, New York Plugged In Marietta Area Community Computing Center East Palo Alto, California Marietta, Ohio Harlem Community Computing Center Malden Access Television Studio New York, New York Malden, Massachusetts Palmetto Learning Center PUENTE (People United to Enrich the Neighbor- New Orleans, Louisiana hood Through Education) Learning Center Los Angeles, California St. Alphonse’s Rock Church St. Louis, Missouri Jobs for Youth Boston, Massachusetts The Clubhouse at the Computer Museum Boston, Massachusetts Three Rivers Employment Services Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Cleveland Works Cleveland, Ohio Edgewood Terrace, The Community Preservation and Development Corporation (CPDC) Community Access Washington, D.C. New York, New York SeniorNet Grace Hill Neighborhood Services San Francisco, California St. Louis, Missouri NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS: A RESOURCE GUIDE Your On-Line Guide TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Number CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS, TIMELINE, AND PROCESS What is Neighborhood Networks? 1 What is a Neighborhood Networks Center? 1 How is a NNC Created? 2 How Long Will it Take to Create a NNC? 3 How Should a NNC Steering Committee Be Formed? 4 How Will the NNC Be Governed? 6 Using Chapter 1 to Develop the Business Plan 7 CHAPTER 2 ASSESSING RESIDENT NEEDS AND IDENTIFYING COMMUNITY ASSETS Introduction 9 Assessing Resident Needs 10 Why Do a Needs Assessment? 10 What Data is Collected in a Needs Assessment? 10 How Much Data Should Be Collected for the Needs Assessment? 11 How Do You Gather the Information Needed to Complete a Needs Assessment? 11 Mapping Neighborhood Institutions and Identifying Community Assets or Resources 14 How Should a List of the Neighborhood Institutions be Created? 15 i NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS: A RESOURCE GUIDE Your On-Line Guide TABLE OF CONTENTS (con’t) Page Number How Can a List of the Resources Available at Each Neighborhood Institution be Developed? 17 What Should the Steering Committee Do with All This Information? 19 Does this Idea of Building Neighborhood Partnerships Really Work? 19 Using Chapter 2 to Develop the Business Plan 24 Exhibit 2-1 Neighborhood Networks Center Survey 25 Exhibit 2-2 Guidelines for Organizing a Focus Group 31 Exhibit 2-3 Guidelines for Conducting a Survey of Residents 33 Exhibit 2-4 Inventory of Neighborhood Institutions 37 Exhibit 2-5 Specific Types of Resources by Neighborhood Institution 49 Exhibit 2-6 Inventory of Resources Available 59 Exhibit 2-7 Building Partnerships 63 CHAPTER 3 SELECTING THE RIGHT PROGRAM AREAS FOR THE NNC What Are Likely Program Areas for a NNC? 67 Adult Education Afterschool Activities Job Preparation Job Placement Elder Services Electronic Commerce How Can the Data Gathered About Residents Be Used to Choose Program Areas? 74 How Can the Data Gathered About Neighborhood Institutions and Assets be Used to Choose Program Areas? 75 The Steering Committee's Next Steps 76 ii NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS: A RESOURCE GUIDE Your On-Line Guide TABLE OF CONTENTS (con’t) Page Number Using Chapter 3 to Develop the Business Plan 77 Exhibit 3-1 Instructions for Tallying Survey Results 79 Exhibit 3-2 Tally Sheet 81 Exhibit 3-3 Program Areas Tally Sheet 93 CHAPTER 4 MAKING THE NNC OPERATIONAL— PHYSICAL NEEDS Introduction 95 Space Needs and Utilization 96 Computers 97 Software 97 Hardware 101 Concepts and Terms 107 Non-Computer Needs 109 Furniture 109 Electrical, Telephone, Wiring 110 Security and Insurance 111 Using Chapter 4 to Develop the Business Plan 115 Exhibit 4-1 Checklist of Start-up Physical Needs 117 Exhibit 4-2 Sample NNC Rules 121 CHAPTER 5 MAKING THE NNC OPERATIONAL—SCHEDULING, STAFFING, MANAGING VOLUNTEERS, MARKETING, AND EVALUATING THE NNC Introduction 123 Scheduling 124 iii NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS: A RESOURCE GUIDE Your On-Line Guide TABLE OF CONTENTS (con’t) Page Number Staffing 125 Managing Volunteers 129 Marketing the NNC 132 Evaluating the NNC 137 Using Chapter 5 to Develop the Business Plan 141 Exhibit 5-1 Checklist: Scheduling, Staffing, Volunteers, Marketing and Evaluations 143 Exhibit 5-2 Daily Center Schedule 145 Exhibit 5-3 Staffing Checklist 147 Exhibit 5-4 Guide for Developing Volunteer Job Descriptions 149 Exhibit 5-5 General Release 151 Exhibit 5-6 Community Outreach Planning Worksheet 153 Exhibit 5-7 Sample User Log 155 Exhibit 5-8 Sample Staff/Volunteer Log 157 Exhibit 5-9 Sample Monthly User Report 159 Exhibit 5-10 NNC Evaluations Comment Form 161 CHAPTER 6 FUNDING THE NNC Introduction 163 Budgeting 164 How Is a Budget Prepared? 164 NNC Funding 165 What Are Likely Funding Sources and In-Kind Contributions? 165 Private and Corporate Contributions Government Funding User Fees Electronic Commerce Fundraising Events In-Kind Contributions iv NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORKS: A RESOURCE GUIDE Your On-Line Guide TABLE OF CONTENTS (con’t) Page Number How Should the Steering Committee Go About Soliciting Funds or In-Kind