Greater New Orleans Nonprofit Knowledge Works strives to enhance the management capacity of the local nonprofit sector to provide information-driven, systemic and effective solutions to community problems. We believe that evidence (data, published research, and community perspective) is an essential foundation for the development of effective social programs. And our unique emphasis on systems is based on our theory that no matter how well agencies operate independently, real community change will depend on nonprofits working together in systems that are oriented to meeting clients’ multidimensional needs. The new playing field created by Katrina has heightened the importance of system-wide planning and created opportunities for more rapid implementation.
Knowledge Works plays a role at several levels: 1) collaborating with local funders to help them use evidence to strategically invest in the community; 2) working with collaboratives of agencies to design evidence-based, systemic approaches to addressing community problems and then with their member agencies to help them participate in the redesigned system; 3) providing individual agencies with on-demand information and advice to address their technical assistance needs; and 4) creating and maintaining centralized information systems and infrastructure for the local nonprofit sector.
What makes us different?
Both our systems redesign consulting and our information products require a good deal of innovation because we are working in young disciplines without much codified knowledge. All our projects begin with an exhaustive review of the literature available in the field and in related fields. Then our consulting projects are staffed by a team, including professionals who have a strong orientation toward systems thinking, and ones who have extensive nonprofit experience. And our product development team consists of experts in the fields of information architecture, information design, usability engineering and instructional design.
Because of the need for significant innovation, our product development and service delivery are resource-intensive. With this in mind, we look to build products and engage in consulting initiatives that will allow us to carry over learnings from one project to the next. And customized products or services are built such that they can be re-purposed for other nonprofit initiatives with minimal effort. We leverage technology to extend limited human resources in ways that are efficient, flexible, and enduring. In addition, we have a strong commitment to documenting and disseminating our learnings with our local and national colleagues.
Background
Greater New Orleans Nonprofit Knowledge Works resulted from the merger of the Center for Nonprofit Resources and the Greater New Orleans Community Data Center in January 2005. The Center for Nonprofit Resources began in 1992 as a department of the United Way for the Greater New Orleans Area -- formed to provide full-service management support to local nonprofits. In 1997 the Center for Nonprofit Resources became an independent 501(c)3 whose mission was to serve as the hub of services and support for nonprofit organizations in the Greater New Orleans area. The Greater New Orleans Community Data Center began in 1997 with a research grant from Baptist Community Ministries to Tulane University. In 1999, the project was transferred to the United Way who acted as the fiscal agent when the Data Center began working to expand the ability of the local nonprofit community to access and strategically use local information in decision-making and grantwriting.
Major funding comes from Baptist Community Ministries, the Greater New Orleans Foundation, Institute for Mental Hygiene, United Way for Greater New Orleans, and the Technology Opportunities Program (TOP), National Telecommunications and Information Administration
Seven in-house employees and several consultants make up the Knowledge Works staff.
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Greater New Orleans Nonprofit Knowledge Works 
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