You are reading this article on a newly designed Website for the Lowcountry Open Land Trust, thanks to a technology assistance grant from NetCorps with the support of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. LOLT was one of ten southeast environmental organizations working on freshwater ecosystem conservation to be a grant recipient. LOLT is launching an electronic newsletter, News & Views, to communicate with members. LOLT had to commit its own staff time and resources to be awarded the grant.

“We are making a long-term investment in the ability of participating groups to improve their efficiency and increase their effectiveness,” said Matthew Latterell, executive director at NetCorps.

“Very few of Mott’s grantees have access to top-of-the line technology.  Most don’t have dedicated information technology staff, so they just do their best to piece together hardware and software to meet their needs,” said Lois DeBacker, Mott Foundation Environmental Director. “NetCorps has experience working with a wide array of nonprofits.

“This grant has made it possible for us to get the design support we needed to create a more cost-effective way to communicate with our members and prospective supporters in a timely manner,” said Trish Carothers, Director of Membership and Planned Giving for LOLT.  “The grant was valued at $6500, but with the training that we received that gives us the capability to update our Website and electronic newsletter in-house, I would say it is worth four times that amount.  The potential savings from printing and postage will also help us stretch our budget.”