Testimonials

The work and impact of the Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College is best reflected in the comments and support it enjoys from the community it serves:

Cynthia K. Pearson, Executive Director, Day Nursery of Abilene (Abilene, TX):
(7/20/06) I attended one of your seminars recently in Snyder, TX.  I’ve worked in non-profit management for 15 years and found your presentation very thorough, interesting and informative.  I knew that I didn’t “know it all” and was certainly glad to learn so much from you.  I have shared the information with several board members and will again with my executive committee. 

Thanks for the work and training that you do and for doing such an exceptional job in communicating the message!

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Alan Luecke, Co-Founder, Charity Partners of Austin:

Charity Partners of Austin is a startup nonprofit that solicited assistance from ACC.  Our organization is made up of ex-business executives, and we feel very qualified in attesting to the value-add that the organization provides:

• ACC provides an essential service to both the nonprofit community and the entire community.  They support new and growing nonprofits in helping them move to the next level of service to the community, and they provide a key match-making and networking resource between the nonprofit and for-profit community.  There is no other entity in the Greater Austin area providing this level of support. 

• Based on our extensive research during our start-up phase, ACC’s breadth and depth of resources for nonprofits far exceeds that available from any other local or regional entity.  We learned more in 1 hour at ACC than we did in weeks of research elsewhere. 

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Yuki Miyamoto, Senior Research Analyst, Austin Police Department:

I work at the Austin Police Department, so we are not the "traditional" non profit that is served by the Center. However the Center serves the critical function of information sharing between nonprofit agencies and the public sector. As a participant on the listserv, I am notified of grants and training opportunities that I would otherwise be unaware of.  In many cases, I can share your announcements with the nonprofit providers that we work with on projects. For example, APD's Office of Community Liaison coordinates the Austin Faith Community Network. When I see a message that might be relevant to the faith community, I am able to share it via the faith network. We also have your organization to thank for the access to grant station.

One last thought and comment--there are a lot of "one time, short term" efforts to build the capacity of nonprofits. The ACC CCBNO is a permanent resource in our community that offers stability and continuity of information and resources. On a personal note, I have enjoyed the SPURS night that has facilitated by the ACC CCBNO a couple of years ago. While you hear a lot about corporations that hold special events, it was nice to have a social opportunity for those of us who work in the public and nonprofit sectors.

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Dixie Tischler, Austin Public Library (ACAO)

While I do not have easily-available records of how many Austin Public Library staff members have benefited from your services, I know that since I have been aware of your training opportunities (approximately two years) that many of our staff, myself included, have attended sessions at the ACC CCBNO.  We have attended many sessions that were free but would have expected to pay up to $200 for some of the classes (comparing the training to vendors such as Fred Pryor, CareerTrack, etc.)  Staff members have also attended training that has been very low cost.  Many of the topics would not have been made available to our staff since we have very limited funding and could not have brought in a trainer for those classes.  The courses that I have attended (and the comments from others attending) have been very good quality.  We first started making your classes available to staff when our already limited budget was reduced to 1/3 of the amount that we had the previous year.  Many staff members received training (and continue to do so) that would not have been possible without your services.  

The services are almost always of equal quality (sometimes better) to those obtained from other vendors.  One class that I attended (I don't recall the exact name but was the one on diversity, taught by Jeremy Solomons) was one of the best that I have ever attended.   Others have provided feedback about the good quality of the courses.  The Myers-Briggs classes that several staff attended (there was a small cost for the instrument) received excellent comments and the cost was extremely reasonable.  The cost was less than another local vendor than we had hired previously and while I did not personally attend the ACC CCBNO; from feedback from staff have reason to believe that the CCBNO classes were superior to the other vendor.   One manager commented that she and one of her employees attended that class and that the knowledge they obtained about their different styles has made a tremendous/positive difference in their working relationship. 

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Trish McAllister, Executive Director, Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas:

The Center is an incredible resource.  There is nothing like it that is free and that offers so much information in one spot.  The programs that are offered are much less expensive than other non-profit providers to non-profits (e.g. Greenlights for Non-Profits).  Plus, the grant station resource has personally led me to 3 different funders.  We got $11K from a funder that we'd never applied to before solely because I saw it on that resource.

I love you guys!

Eileen Garcia-Matthews, Executive Director, Texas State History Museum Foundation:

The Center is invaluable.  It is the only free source of expert advice for the nonprofit professional in the community.  The array of services and resources made available by ACC-NPO (You have my permission to change the acronym if I got it wrong.) is extensive, and Barry Silverberg has personally provided me with sophisticated expert advice in the areas of fiscal responsibility and financial management.  For me, it is the single source within my community for staying in touch with other nonprofits in the area.  I have found jobs, learning opportunities, donations, volunteers and interns through their list-serve, and I am kept abreast of the latest goings on within the community.
 
The only comparable local entity that I know of is costly.  ACC-NPO courses are extremely affordable and the staff generously provide guidance and resources at no cost.  The only affiliations I am part of that are comparable on a local or national level require hefty membership fees, that all the same, are well worth it.  I am astounded by the services provided by ACC-NPO at such low cost.  I have worked with a variety of different nonprofits -- some which are small and struggling and others which are sophisticated and stable.  It is wonderful that ACC-NPO, due its affordability and sophistication, is able to meet the needs of all of these organizations.

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Barbara Pearce, Executive Director, The Georgetown Project, Georgetown, Texas   

We have used the center and your expertise in the following ways:

• A valuable and consistent resource for information and support regarding all aspects of non-profit work from information on available grant opportunities to many types of diverse training to connections with consultants who could meet specific needs of our organization.

• Connector - your listserv is a valuable resource from which we glean amazing bits of information on a regular basis.  It is important for us that there be a central point of contact and consistency to maintain good communication especially since we are in Georgetown and do not often attend meetings in Austin to network and gather information. You help us connect the dots!

• We have used your early publications assist in writing policies and procedures.

• It is difficult to place a dollar value on these services because they would have to be obtained from the private sector and exceed our ability to pay or they don't exist for us.  We are a small non-profit located in Georgetown and focused on community mobilization for children and youth. We began in 1997 and since the Center has been present, the information and support we receive has made us a part of a bigger regional picture of opportunities and knowledge.

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Tommy Chiodo, former President, Samaritan Center for Counseling & Pastoral Care:

I have been actively involved, as a volunteer, with a variety of non-profit organizations in Austin for over 20 years.  Currently, I am a member of the board for the Samaritan Counseling Center, and just stepped down as that board's president.  Because of that active involvement I have become familiar with the services of the Center for Community-Based Non-Profits primarily through the regular email communications published by the Center.  The Center is regarded as a hub for non-profit activities in Central Texas, communicating what is going on as well as providing support, training and organizational assistance to the non-profit community.  I am not aware of any other organization that provides comparable services and support.

Although I have not attended any workshops or seminars sponsored by the Center, I have been made aware, via the Center's electronic newsletter, of several seminars that I attended.  Were it not for the newsletter I would never have known about these great seminars.

Further, the Center's Director, Barry Silverberg, is a tireless advocate for non-profit efforts in Central Texas and a seasoned trainer and facilitator in a wide range of topics relevant to the non-profit community.  He will soon be facilitating the training of members of the Samaritan Center Board through a process of systematically developing and growing our board membership to keep track with the growing success of the Samaritan Center.

Again, I know of no other organization like the Center for Community-Based Non-Profits that provides the type of training, support, and primarily, communication and organization.  I consider the Center to be an essential part of the successful functioning of the Central Texas non-profit community.

Carol Miller, LMSW, Government Relations Coordinator, National Association of Social Workers, Texas Chapter:

I have had the pleasure of participating in learning opportunities through the ACC Center for Community-Based & Non-Profit Organizations for several years now.  In 2005 alone, I attended 6 excellent training sessions free of charge.  As an employee in the non-profit sector, neither my agency nor I personally would have prioritized budgeting enough to cover the cost of any of these professional development opportunities, had they not been subsidized.  The Center has contributed significantly to my skills in management, coalition-building, cultural diversity, and public speaking. 
I am very grateful to Barry Silverberg and the amazing work of the Center for providing me with this invaluable information.  I believe my agency, as well as the non-profit sector as a whole, are deeply enriched by the activities of the Center, and I believe the work of the Center directly contributes to efforts for social justice and change by enhancing skill-building among many who would not otherwise have the opportunity to excel and be most effective in these areas.

Odessa Pierce, City of Austin

Center services, "if sold and separately," are valued at several thousand dollars and be outside the financial capability of the very organizations most in need: small and medium sized start ups and fledglings.  Training opportunities offered through the Center afford small and start up organizations access either free or at a fraction of the costs elsewhere; similar seminars are advertised for three, four, and sometimes five times Center costs. Topics are timely; classes small and un intimidating; faculty are competent

The Center provides a host of services: job bank, opportunity for service on boards of directors, networking, resources for strengthening capacity, etc, simply as part of a listserv.  Organizations such as Alliance, Society for NonProfit Management, etc. require membership, sometimes as much as several hundred dollars.

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Crystal Cao, Austin Partners in Education:

The Center provides frequent, thorough, and relevant communication to non-profits throughout Central Texas.  For me, it is the lifeline to other non-profits and opportunities.  Not only does it provide helpful information, but it offers professional development that I may not otherwise be aware of. 

The Center is necessary to Central Texas non-profits!  It links us all together in a way that is relevant to all kinds of non-profits.  It informs us, provides us resources, and I consider it to be a one-stop shop.  I know I could go to the Center with questions and they would know how to answer them.  United Way of Central Texas is also a central database for non-profits, but the Center is more frequent, personal, and thorough with their communication.  Not only do I feel like I need them, but I feel like they need me (their members) as well.

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Carol Lauder, CPF, Grant Project Manager, Texas Comptroller's Office:

The CCBNO has greatly enriched my experience of the non-profit community in Austin.  As a two year board member of the Austin Chapter of American Society for Training and Development, and as a founding member of the non-profit organization “Impact Austin,” the center provided us with meeting space on more than one occasion when we were in need.  In addition, I have attended several classes sponsored by CCBNO, free of charge, which have enriched my participation in the non-profit community, as well as my own personal and professional development. 

The Executive Director of CCBNO, Barry Silverberg, served as a consultant to the board of directors of a brand new non-profit, Impact Austin.  Along with his leadership and guidance, the Impact Austin board developed their by-laws, a strategic plan, and full working procedures on how to manage our grant program.  He also assisted us in the proper ways to network with the local non-profits who were eligible to benefit from the grants made available by Impact Austin.  Barry’s assist has been invaluable to our organization.

I often receive messages from the center that make furniture and other office equipment available to non-profits, free of charge.  This service has helped many organizations find needed equipment at the right price – free! 

I commend the CCBNO at ACC for the outstanding services they provide.  We are so fortunate to have their support and wisdom for our non-profit community. 

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Joan Martin-Thurman, Executive Director, CASA of Bastrop:

Your services have proven extremely valuable to Casa of Bastrop, Inc.  Not only do we receive weekly information, we also receive notice of any and all information during the week that is beneficial to our non-profit organization. 

To put a dollar figure on this service would be extremely difficult.  We are not in the metro area and do not have the resources to support an individual or individuals to seek this information on our behalf.  If we were to seek out this information on our own, we would be spending a minimum of $2,000.00 per month for a salaried position.

The information received has assisted us with free furniture, mini-grant opportunities and giveaways for our fundraisers.

Karen Kirkpatrick, Morning Mists Retreats:

The Center provides us a value of $1000 per year in classes and promotion.

Being a start up nonprofit organization, having free classes available to help with training and information is invaluable.  Receiving promotion of events to this extensive ListServ is also of great value.  Other information available to nonprofits free of charge for the Austin Area is also of great value.  Starting up our organization would have been very difficult without the support of the Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College

Barbara S. Grano, Director, Communications, Lakeland Community College, Kirtland, Ohio

Lakeland Community College in northeast Ohio launched their Nonprofit and Public Service Center in 2005.  After an extensive search of the internet and telephone conversations with nonprofit center leaders across American, we determined the Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College was among the most proactive in the country.    We believed this so strongly, that I traveled to Austin and spent an afternoon with the Executive Director to learn how we could better serve nonprofit organizations in Ohio.  Not only has he shaped the Austin response, he has also impacted the way we conduct our center in Ohio.  This impact will be long-term and meaningful to hundreds of people far beyond the borders of Austin.

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Christine Laky:

This non-profit organization is highly needed in our community. It helps me to obtain the professional development needed that coincide with my line of work with workshops that are not offered by the professional development department at no cost. The center also helps many non-profits that could not otherwise afford the proper training to help there business function within the guidelines the government requires.

Patricia Dabbert, AISD Business Partner Liaison, Austin Partners in Education, Office of Planning and Community Relations

Your organization has assisted AISD on several occasions to inform schools of available resources in the community. Your information is timely and very useful.   Schools have benefited from the information you provided by obtaining needed furniture for their campuses.

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John S, Wood, Austin:

Speaking as a director of: Ten Thousand Villages of Austin, CenTexWFS, Partners for the Americas Texas chapter and sitting on the International Business Council of the International Business Institute of Austin Community College and a member of a few more nonprofits, and a former director of the International Hospitality Council of Austin I can say the following;
The information I have picked up from you [Barry & the Center] over the last five years has been a great help to me and to the organizations whose boards I have and do sit on. In addition your wise counsel has enabled us to get free furniture, probably a $300 + value, for a non profit and to comply with best practices in several cases.

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Silona Bonewald, Executive Director, League of Technical Voters:

The Center for Community Based and Nonprofit Organizations has been crucial and supportive to the creation of my new non-profit, the league of technical voters.  I have seen some of the low cost classes I have taken there several hundred dollars elsewhere. So in an immediate fashion I can say that it has saved me hundreds, what I can’t quantify is the level of support and interaction.  Nonprofits really need to communicate with one another more and Barry and his lists supply that communication.

I am working with Barry to organize Penguin day.  I am on the Board of Directors for EFF-Austin and one of our missions is to educate nonprofits about inexpensive open source software.  Without the support of this organization the expense of rounding up and talking to all the nonprofits in town would be prohibitive.   We can dream big because this center makes it possible.

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Norman Kieke, Executive Director, Disability Assistance of Central Texas, Inc. (DACT):

I am pleased to hear of your possible inclusion for a grant which might expand your capacity in serving nonprofit agencies in central Texas.

Your trainings have been an exceptional value for this agency.  I have participated in roughly ten various sessions and have seen similar trainings offered for an average registration fee of $100.  Other staff members from this agency have participated in a similar number of trainings through your program.  A total of twenty sessions would translate to a value of $2,000.00 to this agency.  Translating that calculation to your value in the community, I cannot begin to do the math, (the number of sessions) x (the number of participants), but the total would be astounding.  Thank you for that!

Your trainings are consistently high quality; good trainers, timely information, good support materials, available and approachable trainers who do not mind a follow-up phone call or email.  I have discontinued membership with other training sources due to the quality and consistency of the trainings offered at your shop.

You have been responsive to the community in terms of trainings offered, meeting the need as you become aware of it.  When your requests for training ideas are received here, I distribute them to our staff and I know that many of the ideas suggested from our staff members have become real and valuable sessions.

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Susan Wills, Executive Director, Volunteer Healthcare Clinic:

I would like to express my highest regard for the Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College.  As the executive director of a non-profit I have been making use of the Center for the last 6 years and I have found it to be an invaluable resource.  I have learned many new skills and have improved my ability to lead because of the classes, networking opportunities and the individual guidance I have received from the volunteer faculty and the executive director, Mr. Barry Silverberg.

Working within a charitable organization providing free healthcare for the poor means that our budget is greatly limited.  My volunteers and staff would never be able to afford the continuing education opportunities offered at cost by other nonprofit resource agencies in Austin.  I cannot begin to estimate the improvements the Center has made in the organizations with which I have worked and in the lives of the many people I serve.

I also find that The Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College has the best selection of continuing education opportunities available.  The Center knows what a nonprofit needs and has been responsive to that need.  Overall it has not only enhanced the ability of my organization to serve it has greatly strengthened Austin as a community.
If you have any questions or you would like to discuss my observations in greater detail I can be reached at (512) 923-8634.

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Anne R. Yeakel, Executive Director, Texas Bar Foundation:

I have selectively attended ACC CCBNO classes. There are several characteristics of the organization that are uniquely valuable to me as Executive Director of the Texas Bar Foundation.

Because it is in Austin, I am able to attend classes without both the expense and the time away from the office that travel requires.

The facilities provided by ACC are outstanding. I have attended both teleconferences and live seminars.  The teleconference facility is especially good.  The ACC location is easy to access.

The caliber of presenter has been excellent.  I was able, for example, to hear Jan Soifer speak on the law of non profits, and she formerly ran the Texas Attorney General's division that oversees non profits.

I wish I attended more.

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Patricia Speier, Executive Director, The Seton Cove:

The Austin Center for Community Based and Non-Profit Organization provides an invaluable service to the Austin Community. I was privileged to teach classes there on Leadership and Spirituality and was impressed by the caliber of students who were in my class. All of them expressed gratitude for the classes the Center makes available to them. Through the Center they are able to get the kinds of instruction and information that normally would cost hundreds of dollars. In addition they are able to make invaluable contacts and build relationships with individuals they otherwise would not have met. The Center’s classes are comparable to those offered by organizations such as Greenlights.

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Alice Wilson, Executive Director, Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin:

 The Center has always provided top quality resources for the Breast Cancer Resource Center. We’ve attended at least ten workshops in the last three years and always found them to be exceptionally valuable. Part of what makes the Center so useful is that their offerings are not “one size fits all” most of the groups in town that do anything similar tend to address very general topics like “Fund Raising” not recognizing that the topic breaks down into many subsections and that a group like ours that is ten years old has very different needs from a start-up or from well established groups.

The Center rarely charges for its services and when they do its very nominal and that means we’re more likely to try and attend a workshop to address a problem quickly. It’s really important for nonprofit staffs to have opportunities for development and up leveling of skills and at the same time most non-profits have very limited budgets for staff development. The Center has been a great consistent resource that has helped me and my staff feel connected to a larger community and world and because of its accessibility it’s also been a big factor in keeping burn-out at bay.

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Nadine Pédusseau, LMSW, Resettlement and Community Support Program Manager. Basic Needs Department, Caritas of Austin:

On a personal level, I really appreciate all the training opportunities the center offers. I have an extremely limited budget for training and your workshops are great and free. I attend the trainings for my own professional development and I encourage my staff to attend the workshops they like. In addition, I have asked staff to attend trainings that were beneficial for the whole group and improved the quality of services we offer to our clients. If I had to pay a fee, I wouldn’t have been able to offer that opportunity to my staff (6 to 7 people).

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Andrea Sparks, Program Expansion. Texas CASA:

I am the Program Expansion Specialist at Texas CASA.  My job is to help local communities in the State of Texas develop CASA programs.  CASA programs are local non-profit corporations that advocate for abused and neglected children in the court system. 

Because I work so closely with new and developing non-profits, I frequently rely on the expertise and resources made available at the Center for Community Based and Non-Profit Organizations at Austin Community College.  The free training and materials I receive through the Center have been invaluable to me as a non-profit consultant for our local programs.  In addition, the Center’s Director, Barry Silverberg, has conducted an annual training for our new local Executive Directors for the past several years and provided them with wonderful resources for working with their Boards of Directors.

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Jewell Stremler, Peer Counselor Coordinator, Texas Department of State Health Services, Nutrition Services Section:

I have found the ACC CCBNO to be a valuable resource for training and networking opportunities.  I have taken advantage of several free or low cost training opportunities, as well as, attending the major conference the organization sponsored in 2005. The caliber of trainers and speakers has been remarkable. The announcement listserv has also been a wonderful resource. It has made me aware of many organizations and opportunities and services that I have been able to recommend to others that I may not otherwise have known existed.

Mitchell Gibbs, Communications Director, Austin Habitat for Humanity:

The Center is an invaluable resource to the Austin nonprofit community.  Through the Center, Austin Habitat for Humanity has established new affiliations with other non-profits which greatly enhanced our HomeBuyer Education programs which help prepare low-income HomeBuyers for the responsibilities of successful homeownership.  The Center has also assisted our organization by providing a mechanism to inform new and existing agencies about our programs and services.  Austin Habitat has also participated in several workshops through the Center - training new Board Members and educating staff and volunteers.  

The Center continues to connect nonprofits in our community in a way that, thus far, no other entity has been able to provide.  We have found that because of its quality services and affordability, both large and small organizations utilize the services and through the wide diversity of these associations, we learn, mentor and network more freely with our peers.  We very much appreciate knowing that such a resource is available when we need it and look forward to strengthening our relationship in the near future. 

Katy Kappel, Executive Director, Services for the Elderly, Inc.:

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Richard Rodarte, Executive Director, Neighborhood Housing Services of Austin:

The Center provides many valuable and accessible resources to the non-profit sector and community, so much so that the lack of their presents would leave a critical void in the non-profit sector and the community. 

The Center is my first resource to access training, events, and networking opportunities.  All their services offered are low or no cost to the client. 

Nelvia A Hamblin, NABA-Corporate Relations:

I'm on the Board of the local Austin Cen-Tex Chapter of NABA (the National Association of Black Accountants). And of course a part of all our responsibilities is to fundraiser.  Therefore, know how in relations to Grants is very important.

The Center provides a holistic (for lack of a better word) and hold your hand if necessary educational approach for those of us who have not a clue on how to go about sourcing funds at any avenue.

The center has been a Godsend for me because I've done some research seeking Grant Writing Classes/Certification and has found it expensive, time consuming, indifferent, must travel long distances to keep cost down, and incomplete in relations to how it ties into other forms of fundraising.

I searched via the internet and found the lowest cost other than the Center, to be $450.00 in North Carolina and was solicited by a company who wanted $995.00.  As a nonprofit, that's a lot of money.  The Center is only charging $75.00 and related services complimentary.

Thank God for THE CENTER.

Tracy Gehman:

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Reagan Rylander, Board Member, Mission:Possible! Austin:

We are very excited about what ACC's nonprofit center is doing here in Austin & look forward to getting more involved in 2006. The information provided so far has been very valuable & is definitely a needed service.

Garry McDaniel, Ed.D., PeopleWorks (nonprofit consultant):

From my point of view, the value you provide to non-profit organizations is quite significant.  At a minimum, if these organizations had to pay for the training you offer, the cost would be in the neighborhood of $100 per person.  So if you take the number of people who have attending one of your workshops over the year and multiply by $100- you have a sizable amount of free service.

The value of that training applied on the job is a bit more difficult to cost out, but you can certainly infer a number of significant savings for non-profits:

-  Enhanced service and quality of service/product due to better trained staff
-  Retained staff and volunteers (due to higher morale and better management)
-  Increased funding (from grants, interactions with potential funding sources, etc.)
-  Less rework, scrap or waste of resources
-  Less stress, interpersonal conflict, etc. within the organization
-  Ability to attract staff (good image)

Terry Franz:

The center provides an invaluable service to me as a volunteer non-profit member.  You connect us with information so that we don't have to get in trouble to find out what the rules are.  Personally I also appreciated that when I replaced my printer, your service allowed me to give my dot matrix printer to a deserving non-profit I'd never heard of who hadn't had a printer. 

Thanks so much for what you do.

Sandra Molinari:

The Center is valuable to me as a non-profit professional because it provides quality professional development at low or no cost.  I have found the professional development offered by the Center to compare in quality/effectiveness to other such opportunities provided by the local universities, but at a much lower cost. 

Audrey Puryear, Associate Director, Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services & Texas Center for Child and Family Studies:

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Dianne Bangle, Executive Director, Shoes for Austin:

Access to the free seminars on such key topics such as budgeting, managing volunteers, and specific computer software skills (such as QuickBooks and Nonprofit books) adds up to a value for us personally as a full-time staff of two of around $750 of training a year. I can only estimate that this number would increase significantly depending on the number of staff at larger agencies that have full free access to the Center's learning opportunities.

I am not aware of another Center or organization that provides such a varied and extensive choice of "free" learning opportunities specifically tailored to the local nonprofit sector. Every seminar at the Center that I have personally attended was conducted in the same professional (if not even more) manner that I have experienced at other fee-based seminars open to the public. One major difference and a positive one is the open access to the instructor during the break and after the class has concluded. It has been my experience that each instructor is qualified and well-versed in the topic. The seminars at the Center are small and intimate enough that you are able to approach the instructor to help you with your particular situation. Some instructors have even offered to continue the consultation over email even after the seminar has concluded.

The Center also promotes and fosters collaboration among all of the nonprofits in attendance by encouraging each attendee to introduce themselves at the beginning and also participate during the seminars and share their stories with their colleagues in attendance. I have not experienced this atmosphere at other fee-based seminars. While informative, seminars that I have attended at other locations tend to be designed in a lecture format with limited input and discussion from the group in attendance. To be honest, I have a hard time comparing other seminars or learning opportunities with what the Center offers because of these unique characteristics that I've pointed out above.

Heidi Gibbons, Family Eldercare:

We estimate the value the Center provides Family Eldercare in resources, seminars, employee upgrading of skills – value?  $1,000 a year guess.
ACC gives more technical, hands-on practical training [than other entities to which it may be compared].

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LaVerne Rodriguez, Executive Director, Extend-A-Care for Kids:

The Center is the primary resource I use to obtain training, to post job opportunities and announcements (we have space for lease!), and to follow what's going on of importance to nonprofits.  One example of how the families served by Extend-A-Care for Kids have benefited from the Center's assistance is that this month Extend-A-Care saved $15,401 on our insurance premium for the coming year because I followed the advice of one of the risk-management presenters at a Center seminar on "The Board:  Liabilities, Pleasures and Duties" held on 4/16/04.  The savings will allow us to subsidize after-school child care fees for additional low-income school-aged children.  I have been working on changes to our insurance since the seminar and could not get them in place by our renewal date last January, but we accomplished it this January.  Our new agent came in with a bid $15,401 lower than our now-former-agent did this year, and we are very pleased.  Austin and Extend-A-Care are fortunate to have the resources of the Center available.   

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Terrell Blodgett, Mike Hogg Professor Emeritus in Urban Management, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin:

I wish to make a statement in regard to the Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College.  I am a founder and past president of the Texas Association of Nonprofit Organizations.  As such, I have come in contact with the nonprofit community in Central Texas over the past several years and have heard the tremendous respect with which they hold the Center at ACC.

Silverberg's energy and innovation have enriched the nonprofit community - in research, in extensive training sessions, and in providing opportunities for networking so vital to the forward movement of the nonprofit sector.

I heartily endorse any grant which will further their ability to serve the large nonprofit community which resides in Central Texas.

Laura J. Warren, Executive Director, Texas Parent to Parent:

Our agency, Texas Parent to Parent, is a fairly new nonprofit.  We started a little over four years ago and when we found the Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College, we started attending your seminars.  We were amazed at what we didn't know about running a nonprofit but I'm pleased to say we learned what we needed from your courses.  We went on to use your Microsoft classes and even some website building classes.  They were invaluable and at a very reasonable price.  You were also kind enough to provide us with some Board training at no cost because we were so new and so poor!!  Your services have been a lifesaver for us. 

We actually rent space in a building where another Nonprofit Center is located but have not found them to be nearly as helpful and there prices were prohibitive.

I'm pleased to say that during 2005 we received two substantial grants from the state and federal health and human services departments and feel like we are finally on stable ground - for the current time.  Your organization has been a big part in getting us there!

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Suzanne Hershey, CommunitySync & Facilitator, Ready by 21 Coalition:

The Center provides useful and cost-effective training for nonprofit organizations and professionals.  Personally, I participated in training that provided guidance on developing success metrics that informed my work with nonprofit organizations.  I also enjoyed presenting my "Facilitating Collaborative Groups" training through the Center to a wonderful group of participants, which I viewed as a vehicle to help build community capacity for collaboration.   We all know that nonprofit training budgets are limited, and the Center's training offerings provide a wonderful "stone soup" model where skilled trainers provide workshops for free or low cost, so that individuals and agencies have access to training resources that would otherwise be beyond their means.

The job posting list is very helpful both for job seekers and for nonprofit organizations.  I have referred people to the Center's list more times than I can count.  It is the best resource in Austin for this purpose that I'm aware of.  I am frequently contacted by new people in town who are seeking to tap into the nonprofit community here, and I always refer them to the Center's website and encourage them to sign up for Barry's email list. I find the listserv very valuable - it is a reliable way to get information out on a timely basis to a large number of social service "constituents" - we used it to publicize a youth services mapping survey - and a great way to find out "what is going on" and what free or low cost resources are available to support nonprofit professionals or clients. 

Lucinda Elizondo Anderson. Information Specialist, Texas Workforce Commission:

ACC's CCBNO has been a wonderful resource in my personal and professional life. I began grant writing as an additional duty in my career with a state agency. As a novice, I used the CCBNO to find out about classes you offered as well as workshop and connection opportunities within the non-profit community. This knowledge assisted me in successfully bringing just under $1 million dollars in federal funds to the state of Texas to use to improve our workforce centers throughout the state to better serve people with disabilities looking for employment.

Once I felt comfortable with my skills in grant writing, I was able to apply what I had learned to help my children's elementary school to secure funds from a private foundation in Texas. Your Center helped me know where to go to research the foundation we applied to. Among other things, these funds were used to purchase a SmartBoard that is used by the teachers to scan information for use by students, especially students who have trouble with regular note-taking. My sons' Math teacher used it just this week to scan student answers to test problems and explain to the class how to improve their test-taking skills.

I also remember bringing my mother in from San Antonio to meet with you. You and your staff assisted her as she developed a local chapter of her women's group into a 401C3 so they would be better able to accept donations on behalf of their mentoring efforts to teen-age Hispanic women. We have since used my grant writing skills and her new-found knowledge of non-profit finance to acquire thousands of dollars in assistance from federal and non-profit sources. You also were able to lead her to local resources in San Antonio for her to take classes and network.

Resources and skills acquired through CCBNO also assisted me as I worked for a year at a local university church center, developing major donors and writing grants to help them pay off their building loan.

Now that I am back in state government, I use the fundamentals I learned through CCBNO classes, networking and the experience that led me to write monitoring reports on non-profit and other agencies funded by state and federal grants.

These are just a few of the ways that your work at the Center has touched the lives of my family personally, as well as those of our community and Texans as whole. I look forward to your emails and am grateful for the service that you perform in our community. There is no other source in Austin that I know of that is as comprehensive and closely connected to the non-profit and not-for-profit arena. And while I have used national databases and local branches of regional grant information libraries, I have found no adequate substitute for the connections and current information that you supply at CCBNO.

Mary Keenan, Texas Appleseed:

Great value. I have participated in workshops and also used the center to post job openings—we get great candidates that way. I always know that a diverse pool of qualified people will see your site.

It is unique and therefore I think serves as a compliment to other services for nonprofits in Austin, rather than an alternative. AFP helps me specifically as a development professional. Greenlights has good business and board resources. Your center really serves as a meeting point of the three major areas of NPO work: fundraising, administration, and programs. It is the intersection of these three that is often hardest to find a forum for networking or discussion.

Cecilia B. Blanford, MAHS, Grant Director, Lutheran Social Services of the South:

Supportive of the ACC CCBNO since its inception, I have witnessed its incredible expansion in role and scope. Barry Silverberg has been publicly honored numerous times for his commitment to the organization’s mission, as well as to the communities it serves. The workshops, most of which are provided at no cost to participants, are extremely beneficial to nonprofits and their staffs, boards and volunteers. The website hosts multiple resources, including a nonprofit job bank, tools for nonprofit management and grant writing, a listing of area organizations, and much more. I had the privilege of serving on the Community Action Network when the Center was first considered and, years later, it is obvious that the broader community is significantly enriched by its diverse services.  

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Janet Giannopoulos, Executive Director, Another Way Texas Shares:
 
 I am new to my position as ED of Another Way Texas Shares and to Texas.  But from what I have been told by just about everyone I have met in the community, the Center is an incredible resource for the agencies that serve this community.  Non-profits in Texas have few financial resources, thus they need to be especially proactive, strategic and cost effective in their work.  What has impressed me more than anything since moving here is how well the agencies in Austin operate considering their funding limitations.  This is not by accident.  I think that the Center is a big factor in success.  I have used the center information to learn about funding opportunities, training, available materials and job opportunities.  This is a unique one-stop shopping site for non-profits.    

Actually in Austin, this is the best resource for learning about other resources.  Most non-profit managers have little time to scour the internet to meet their needs.  In Austin, we don't have to because it is available at the center.  Greenlights and other organizations also provide training, but typically those trainings are more costly.  For agencies with such small budgets, cost is a major factor.  On a national level, I also use resources specific to my nonprofit niche, but if I want a broader picture, the Center is where I go.  Often I have found that many non-profits miss the big picture by focusing all of their development in their specific specialty.  This creates a serious problem in the field.  We all need a global outlook on community needs and resources.   

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Mark Boyden:

The ACC CCBNO greatly enriches and enhances our community by providing valuable informative and training services to the non-profit sector. The non-profit sector is invaluable in that it provides needed services to the community that are not provided by the private corporate sector and fills in the gaps where communities of people get left behind.

Not all non-profits are funded by huge grants and benefactors. Most work from the heart but on a shoestring budget, living hand-to-mouth each and every day, week, month, and year. While there are good training organizations like Greenlights, these can often times be considerably expensive to the shoestring-budgeted non-profit organizations (NPOs). The ACC CCBNO provides affordable, low-cost, and free valuable and informative classes and seminars that impact the community in an invaluable way. The impact on the community is priceless, effectively. Their resources stretch from the ground work of helping non-profits get started as a non-profit corporation through become a functioning and inclusive NPO, and beyond to growing their personnel into an extremely capable organization. All at a cost that is free to affordable by these organizations. Their impact is unmeasurable in many senses, but definitively large.

Personally, I'm an active community citizen. I work with a number of NPOs in my community, and I use the ACC CCBNO to grow myself and the organizations that I work with to further enrich our communities. Without the ACC CCBNO, I and the NPOs in our community would have a much harder time (or much more expensive time) developing the skill set that we and others need in our communities and organizations to have the impact that is needed to serve the under-served. 

Fred Butler, Executive Director, Community Action Network:

The Center for Community Based and Non Profit Organizations has been an invaluable asset to the work of the Community Action Network.  The Network's mission in part is to provide the opportunity for CBOs and NPOs to connect and collaborate as effectively with each other as possible.  This enhances the leveraging of meager resources in the community and significantly helps to reduce duplication of effort.  The Center's work measurable contributes to these goals.  Several recent examples where the Center's services have helped either directly or indirectly with the above include the work of the Basic Needs Coalition of Central Texas, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Centers, the Aging Services Council, our Ready By 21 youth coalition, Success By Six early childhood initiative, hurricane Katrina relief efforts, Literacy Coalition of Central Texas and many others.  Without the Center, all of our collaborative efforts would be more difficult and less productive.  It is a huge part of the positive work of our community in health and human services.

Pete Inman, Development Officer, Texas CASA:

The Center for Community Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College and Barry Silverberg, its Director, provide tremendous value not only to Austin-based Texas CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), but all 64 local independent CASA programs operating in 196 Texas counties. Last year the CASA network in Texas served almost 19,000 abused and neglected children -- helping to move them into safe, permanent and loving homes.

Barry's and the Center's efforts touch all aspects of nonprofit governance, management, operations, and fund development. As Texas CASA's Development Officer for more than 4 years, I have been privileged to see first hand the importance of their curriculum design, delivery and implementation. We've seen them play a huge role in catalytically turning organizations around, taking them to the next level, and helping to create world-class NPOs.

Very simply, when someone in the nonprofit community of Central Texas (and beyond) needs answers, resources or strategies, their first prudent call is to CCBNO ACC; Barry is always quick to respond and offer their expertise, experience and infrastructure. We only wish we could do more to consistently financially support this truly wonderful operation because we see the fruit of their labor on a daily basis and know their vision has yet to be fully realized. Blessings.

Sue Laurent, Director of Finance, Meals on Wheels and More, Inc.:

My name is Sue Laurent.  I am a CPA who had worked for accounting firms for many years.  Several years ago I decided that I would like to use my accounting skills working for a charitable organization.  I realized I did not know much about non-profit accounting or the laws relating to non-profits.  I did not understand the culture of non-profits.  I started looking for ways to learn about non-profits and discovered the ACC Center.  They have so many classes in such a variety of topics.  Most of the classes are free and the rest are very cheap!

I started taking classes on a variety of topics including- accounting, how boards work, grant writing, lobbying, laws governing non-profits.  I learned so much.  The overall class offerings for non-profits are the best in town - better than Greenlights, U.T., Texas Society of CPA's, Texas Society of Association Executives.

I was so impressed with the work done by the Center that I worked as an office volunteer for several months when I was unemployed.  I am now Director of Finance for Meals on Wheels and More, Inc. here in Austin.  For me, personally, the Center has been a fantastic resource.  I just cannot say enough about how it has helped me and I believe many, many non-profits in central Texas.

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Kirk Becker, Homeless Media Project dba Austin Advocate Newspaper:

I was selected to lead a small non-profit more on the basis of my knowledge of the needs of the clients rather than my ability to run a non-profit organization. Barry, his listserve, and his classes have been valuable to me in leaning how to actually manage a nonprofit.

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Don Shafer, 2005 Chair Austin Ethics in Business Award, Editor in Chief, IEEE Computer Society Press, Chief Technology Officer, Athens Group, Inc.:

It is with great pleasure that I provide you with feedback on the support the Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations ( the Center) has provided through Austin Community College. During 2005 I was lucky enough to be the Chair for the Samaritan Center/St. Edward's University Ethics in Business Award. As you can well imagine, 2005 was a year of challenges for all non-profits with the twin hurricanes dramatically effecting our area. The Samaritan Center was overwhelmed and it fell upon us, as volunteers to work through the awards recognition process.

Without the active, and I mean ACTIVE, support of Barry and the Center, the 2005 Ethics in Business Award process would have floundered. Barry provide that needed kick to keep the process moving forward, resources for meetings, scheduling activities and an active listserv and newsletter to continue the always necessary communications.

In my more than 40 years of actively working with non-profits as diverse as the Boy Scouts of America, Lutheran World Services, Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, the Red Cross and Mothers Against Driving Drunk, I have never worked with a more professional team than Barry's. Barry and the Center really do get it. They do not want to control a non-profit they want to put in place the necessary supports in the form of process, leadership training, tools and techniques for the non-profit to be successful in their own area of influence.

The Center is an invaluable resource for us here in Texas. Yes, Texas. Not just the City of Austin or Travis County, but all of Texas benefits from Barry's work. As a small contributor to the non-profit world, I am proud to be associated with Barry and the Center. They do more in one week that I've seen state and local governmental groups do in six months. I cannot speak more highly of them.

Mary Ellen Isaacs, Ph.D. Charles A. Dana Center--AmeriCorps for Community Engagement and Education, The University of Texas at Austin:

The center is very valuable! The quality of information, workshops, networking, etc. is outstanding. I have just begun to take advantage of these resources in the last 18 mos., and have been very happy with the results. In addition, Barry Silverberg is accessible and responsive to non-profit program directors and our staff and is willing to customize or tailor trainings for particular needs. For example, last year he did a training for our AmeriCorps volunteers on "Life After AmeriCorps" particularly how they can learn about and access jobs in the non-profit sector. He is generous with his time and energy and has only one goal--to improve our ability to get our work done through support and collaboration. This is a unique resource to Austin and Central TX.

I have taken two workshops and both were excellent and extremely low cost in comparison to private or university professional development offerings! One of the trainings was very important in helping our staff to discuss how cultural differences affect teamwork.

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Bohdan Prehar,  Ph.D., School of Graduate and Professional Studies, LeTourneau University , Austin Education Center:

As a volunteer who has served on several nonprofit boards, I found the array of services and resources provided by the AAC CBNO to be invaluable. The rich mix of free courses offered during convenient times enhanced volunteer and staff development. I found it particularly helpful to be able to download nonprofit material for immediate use such as legal advice, strategic planning hints, fund raising techniques, etc.  This saved us thousands of dollars as well as countless hours.

The center is unique in that it operates as a one-stop resource.  In addition to the courses and reference material that it provides, it compiles data on current events impacting nonprofits in Central Texas.  This data is shared with its membership via the internet on a weekly basis. The ACC CCBNO has taken the lead in numerous community initiatives as a result of its ability to mobilize the nonprofit, profit, and public sectors around a common concern.  Disaster planning and emergency preparedness brought on by Hurricane Rita and Katrina are two such examples. Another example is the recent compilation of a much needed area nonprofit index. In my judgment, the ACC CCBNO has no equal in our area.  

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Rebecca Powers, Founder and President of Impact Austin-

In April, 2003, a fledgling nonprofit, Impact Austin, sought counsel from Barry Silverberg at the Center. An acquaintance of one of our board members recommended Barry as a resource who could answer questions about the nonprofit community in Austin. And boy, did we hit the jackpot! Not only did he answer our questions, but he challenged us to implement our plan with excellence, integrity and passion. He introduced us to the offerings of the Center and encouraged us to attend any classes that would help us in the execution of our plan. Most of them...free of charge. In the beginning, it was incomprehensible to us that there could be an organization that offered valuable assistance to new nonprofits like ours ... professionally, and free of charge. But, in fact, that organization exists, and we continue to avail ourselves of its offerings. We have taken several courses and have been impressed with the caliber of instructors (who have come from the real world!) and the information they have imparted. Our affiliation with the Center has been positive, helpful and significant in the success of our initiative. Thanks for all you do on behalf of those in central Texas who are making a positive impact in their communities! (10/29/04)

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Julie Shannan, Deputy Director, Girlstart - Thank you for providing free continuing education for nonprofits like Girlstart! Your expertise is so valuable for our staff. We have participated in numerous trainings, including volunteer management, event management, Microsoft Excel, and Computer networking. Thanks for making Austin's nonprofits stronger and smarter! (10/29/04)

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Marjorie van Beekum, Education & Volunteer Coordinator (& accidental techie!), Umlauf Sculpture Garden & Museum - It is thanks to the CCB/NPO at ACC that I, as an employee working for a small, local non profit with a small budget, have had the opportunity to take several interesting classes and learn about topics/subjects that were useful to my job. I know I would not have been able to if the Center had not been there. I sincerely hope the Center will continue to offer these opportunities in the future! Great job! Congratulations! (10/29/04)

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Joyce Haight, Director of Programs, Family Eldercare - Since the center has opened, our agency has had numerous staff attend a wide variety of trainings there. Everyone is always complimentary and tells me that they have learned something new. The variety of training offered is such that there is something for everyone; from our administrative staff to caseworkers to management staff. It is a huge benefit for us to have the quality training available, usually at no charge. The hundreds of hours of training we have received at no cost are invaluable (we save thousands of dollars). We also use the center to post announcements and job vacancies. This is an effective use of the system as we get a high number of qualified applicants for our positions. We’ve actually cut down on the number of times we advertise in the Statesman because the list serve is so effective. Thanks to all who make the center possible! (10/29/04)

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Leibel B.Harelik, Executive Director, Prostate Cancer Resource Center - I can't say enough wonderful things about my relationship to Barry and his great nonprofit program! I'm a brand new nonprofit but I'm miles ahead of other nonprofits not connected with the center! Both on a personal level with Barry and his staff they have made connections and helped. With out them, I would still be back at the start! If I can only give back a bit of what they have given me I will be doing great! Mazel Tov To you Barry and your great Staff and programs! (10/29/04)

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Nelly Navarro-Britt, Intake & Volunteer Coordinator, Arc of the Capital Area - I have attended the following trainings through your center, and can t wait to attend more! I cannot thank you enough for the service you provide. You offer a huge variety of relevant subject matter, and your trainers are excellent! Classes are fun and interactive. (10/29/04)

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Donald Zappone, Dr.P.H., Executive Director, Austin Child Guidance Center - Congratulations on the fifth anniversary of the Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College. I have taken several of the courses offered by the Center and have found all of them to have been professionally presented and helpful in the work I do. In fact, one of the courses was immediately helpful in regard to a situation we were dealing with and as a result the issue was successful resolved. Because of what I learned and the clear steps and processes for solving this type of problem we now have a permanent tool to use when these type of issues arise again. It is hard to imagine what we did before your Center was available. The variety of wonderful and timely course topics that are regularly offered throughout the year is greatly appreciated. (10/31/04)

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Leslie Janca, Program Director, The Georgetown Project - Congratulations on five years! You all do great work and are a tremendous resource for all of us. Thanks. (11/1/04)

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D. Newton, Executive Director, Northeast Caregivers of Austin - After serving for many years on various boards, it is quite different being a staff person of a nonprofit. The Center has helped to transcend from the corporate world (board rooms and upper management) to the nonprofit world. Thank you for the courses, personal attention, and assistance. (11/1/04)

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Amy Chamberlain, former president, current advocacy chair, Texans for Midwifery - Austin - When I found myself, a founder of Texans for Midwifery-Austin, in the position of leader of this all volunteer organization, I felt overwhelmed. In the seminars I attended at ACC, I found guidance, support and a sense of professionalism every step of the way. Barry Silverberg gave generously of his time to educate our board on our new responsibilities. His guidance, along with ACC;s audio CDs, DVDs and written materials, has helped us establish productive board retreats and better meeting guidelines and goals. For a new nonprofit like us, finding the ACC Nonprofit Center early has saved us months, if not years, of difficult transitions. You have spared us from learning the hard way how to run our organization. For myself, The Worry-Free Advocacy session was exceptionally valuable in helping us decide which non-profit status to seek. Thank you, ACC, for this valuable service to the community, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! (11/02/04)

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Shannon Hornsby, Development Director, Trans Texas Alliance - The Center for Community-Based & Nonprofit Organizations at Austin Community College has offered the greatest opportunity to my personal advancement, as well as the organization I work with, Trans Texas Alliance. Over the past two and one half years I have attended many workshops/seminars at the center and have found my time to be well spent in each seminar. I am thankful for the opportunity ACC-CCNBO offers. I am proud to say I have moved into a new position with my organization...no longer Program Manager...now the Development Director. It is the educational opportunity through ACC-CCNBO in combination with my experience that has brought about this change in position. Not only is this fabulous for me, but Trans Texas Alliance will benefit a great deal, as a small non-profit, by having a staff person dedicated and trained to raise money and increase support. I could not be here and feel confident without the support of ACC-CCNBO. Thank you for all your work and community support. (11/3/04)

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Frances Barraza, President of The Family Link - I found out about your organization while I was searching information about nonprofit organizations in the internet last November. A couple of weeks later, I and three other individuals founded The Family Link.

I was fortunate that I found your organization because it helped me lay the foundation for The Family Link. It also informed me about free desks and filing cabinets The Family Link needed desperately. We received our first grant last August and were able to move into an office, which is fully furnished with free desks and filing cabinets we received through your help. (11/7/04)

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Blanca Tapia Leahy, Director, Research & Planning Division, Travis County Health & Human Services - The Center for Community Based and Non-Profit Organizations at Austin Community College has been not only a great resource to Travis County, the center has become a true partner in our efforts to better meet our community’s human needs. The Center has helped us in many ways:

Training for our staff to help us work more effectively and more efficiently with the community based organizations from whom we purchase services; Technical assistance to developing organizations – helping to build internal capacity to ensure greater accountability for public resources; Ongoing work with us to foster community wide responses to the range of challenges that we face. The Center provides tremendous value to our organization, to our partners, and to our community overall. We hope that the Center, and the people behind the Center, will continue as our partner for many years to come. (11/8/04)

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Shari Getz, Executive Director, TAME (TX Alliance for Minorities in Engineering) - As the ED of a nonprofit, I find it valuable to continue seeking knowledge that betters the organization. I have taken advantage of several workshops the center has offered and have found them extremely useful. We have also worked with Barry as a consultant for specific challenges and have benefited from each of our sessions with him. I’m truly glad to have a resource specifically suited to the needs of nonprofits available in Austin and hope to see the center continue to thrive. (11/17/04)