TPF Tech Excellence

January 2024 – PRESENT

TPF Tech Excellence

Overview

The Patterson Foundation strengthens the efforts of people, organizations, and communities by focusing on issues that address common aspirations, foster wide participation, and encourage learning and sharing. For more than a decade, TPF’s initiatives have emphasized embracing technology and maximizing its benefits to strengthen its work.

Logistics

As The Patterson Foundation's initiatives innovate to connect with people, organizations, and communities in new ways through digital technology, strengthening digital literacy and skills among all TPF staff and consultants is essential to ensure we optimize and amplify our work in philanthropy. To pursue this aspiration, The Patterson Foundation created Tech Excellence to create opportunities for TPFers to learn and evolve their digital skills and receive ongoing support as they support TPF's collaborative approach to philanthropy.

ENDEAVORS

Select any of the course offerings below to learn more about TPF Tech Excellence Courses:

FAQ's

Click on frequently asked questions below to learn more about this initiative...

What is TPF Tech Excellence?

TPF Tech Excellence is an endeavor to provide staff and consultants with the training, support, and resources needed to undertake their TPF work and beyond with excellence.

How does TPF Tech Excellence strengthen TPFers?

Through TPF Tech Excellence, staff and consultants receive ongoing technological training and support as they provide strategic and tactical expertise to TPF’s various initiatives.

Who can participate in TPF Tech Excellence?

At this time, Tech Excellence is available to TPFers only as we focus on piloting this endeavor to strengthen the digital skills of TPF’s internal team. All TPFers across the various initiatives are encouraged to participate. You do not need permission from an initiative lead to engage.

How does a TPFer participate in TPF Tech Excellence?

TPFers can participate in TPF Tech Excellence by doing the following:

TPF Tech Excellence Page: Discover the vast array of resources available on the TPF Tech Excellence page to enhance your skills and maximize your proficiency in utilizing Google Workplace, Microsoft 365 Applications, Zoom, and other essential tools!

TPF Tech Coaches: To promote TPF Tech Excellence, TPF Tech Coaches will empower TPFers by fostering digital literacy and skills through personalized 1:1 training and group classes. They will assume pivotal roles in equipping TPFers with the necessary resources and support, enabling them to excel in their TPF work and future endeavors.

Monthly Classes: Monthly classes will enhance your digital skills, focusing on key software and platforms. Each class lasts between one to one and a half hours, allowing for personalized attention and support. Advanced courses offer smaller class sizes for an even more immersive learning experience to take your skill to the next level. See the class catalog here.

Ongoing 1:1 Support/Learning Session: Whenever you’d like to meet with a Tech Coach 1:1 to receive support or learn something new, please complete this 1:1 Request Form. Questions? Please email Kiarra Louis at Klouis@thepattersonfoundation.org.

Is TPF Tech Excellence an Initiative?

Rather than serve as an initiative, TPF Tech Excellence is an administrative endeavor to create opportunities for TPFers to learn and evolve their digital skills and receive ongoing support. All TPFers are encouraged to participate. You do not need permission from an initiative lead to participate.

What are the guidelines for participating in TPF Tech Excellence?

Class Participation: To participate in a class, register on the Google form that Kiarra Louis will send to all TPFers at the beginning of each month. Be sure to review the agenda that your Tech Coach sends before class and review all the pre-reading links and videos. For every class you attend, your name will be entered into a Pay it Forward Spinner Wheel at the end of the month. Class participation is billable for the entire time. Homework is billable for an hour. Pre-class work is billable for half an hour. Although you can take a class as many times as you'd like, you can only bill for each class once a year. To earn a TPF Tech badge, you'll need to complete all the follow-up items for a class, such as quizzes and homework.

Self-Learning: If you'd prefer to learn particular tech concepts independently, you'll need to create an account with LearnFree, formerly GCFGlobal.org. LearnFree has helped millions worldwide learn the essential skills they need to live and work in the 21st century by offering self-paced online courses. With an account, you can access their services, including course tracking, view history, coaching, and more! Each LearnFree course tutorial is billable for an hour and a half-length of time. To earn a TPF Tech badge, schedule a meeting with Kiarra Louis to demonstrate proficiency. If LearnFree does not offer a course, you can use any resources listed on the TPF Tech Excellence page to learn and then schedule a meeting with Kiarra Louis to demonstrate proficiency.

1:1 Learning Sessions: If you would like 1:1 support using a particular software program, you can schedule a session with a TPF Tech Coach by emailing Kiarra Louis, Leadership Support Manager, at klouis@thepattersonfoundation.org. Each 1:1 Learning Session is billable for an hour, and homework is billable for an hour. Pre-1:1 session work is billable for half an hour.

How do I use the TPF Tech Excellence Passport?

With over 20 classes and various technologies offered to amplify your TPF work and beyond, with Nancy Henry’s help, we’ve created a TPF Tech Excellence Passport to keep track of your progress. To earn a completion badge from Kiarra Louis for each software listed on the passport, you must demonstrate proficiency by attending classes and completing homework.

You can download the Tech Excellence Passport here.

Note: For every five badges awarded, there will be a spinner wheel drawing, and the winner will receive a Pay It Forward Award.