PTP's Program: Training - 2008 Program Information

2008 Program Tuition, Payment information, and Frequently Asked Questions

2008 Program Tuition:

April 2-4	Community Organizing Database and Planning	Minneapolis, MN	$850
April 28-May 1	Voter Tech Training	Minneapolis, MN	$995
June 9 – 12	TechCamp (conducted in English)	Minneapolis, MN	$185
July 29-31	Community Organizing Communications Technology	Minneapolis, MN	$850
August 25-28	TechCamp (conducted in Spanish)	Location TBD	$185

Paying for your programs:

You can pay your program fees in two ways:

1. Send a check to Progressive Technology Project, 2801 21st Avenue S, Suite 132 E, Minneapolis, MN 55407
2. Pay by credit card right now using our Google Checkout account:

Scholarship information:

PTP is waving tuition for organizations who fit our general criteria and with whom we share a funder.  Click here for our general criteria, and here for a list of our funders.  If you’re not sure if you qualify, we encourage you to apply and get in touch with us with your questions.

Program Tuition Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What type of organizations are these trainings designed for? Who has taken these classes in the past?
   These courses are aimed at community organizing groups. The Database and Planning course is particularly suited for base building groups. The other trainings may have a wider for other types of community organizing. To see a list of groups that have sent people to a Community Organizing and Technology Institute (COaTI) or a TechCamp, click here.


2. What does my tuition fee cover?
   Your tuition fee covers the cost of the training location room rental and a portion of staff time for event coordination and logistics.


3. What does the training cost?
   Each program has a different cost because it is a different duration and in a different location.  Please see pricing details above.


4. Why are the trainings in Minnesota?
   PTP is located in Minnesota.  Holding the event locally means that we save money on travel.  It also means that we can tap into our local social networks and find people willing to host an organizer or two for the duration of the training.  Finally, MN is centrally located and reachable from most parts of the country via a short flight.  This enables us to limit the duration of our programs and maximize training time rather than waste your time in transit.


5. Are scholarships available?  How do I apply for one?
   PTP is waiving tuition for organizations who fit our general criteria and with whom we share a funder.  Click here for our general criteria, and here for a list of our funders.  If you’re not sure if you qualify, we encourage you to apply and get in touch with us with your questions.


6. Who can receive a scholarship?

   PTP supports grassroots organizing groups that engage in multi-issue social, economic and environmental justice efforts to empower low-income people and communities of color to address root causes of social inequities.

   The organizing process brings marginalized populations together to build collective power to improve quality of life conditions for the common good. Organizing involves active recruitment of new people into an organization, systematic activities to cultivate leadership skills and abilities of an organization’s membership, and achieving institutional change through campaigns that shift power relations.

   The organizations that PTP supports engage diverse constituencies and employ a broad array of organizing models, but share these key characteristics:

   • Seek to address the underlying causes of social, economic and environmental problems
   • Work to transform power relationships by actively engaging those who are most affected by public policy decisions, especially low income people and people of color
   • Work to develop and empower community leaders to impact public policy and hold decision makers accountable
   • Foster democratic values and skills by developing accountable leadership structures and organizations governed by the people they serve
   • Employ non-violent, direct-action strategies to raise unseen issues and unheard voices into the public view

   To be eligible for scholarships, an organization should:

   • Be engaged in community organizing work
   • Commit to expending the effort to successfully use technology to improve its efforts
   • Have basic technological capacity (hardware, training and technical assistance resources)
   • Recognize its need for technology training, technical assistance as well as equipment

   In addition to the above requirements, an applicant must be a non-profit, community-based organization with an IRS tax-exempt 501(c)3 status or sponsored by such an organization. PTP only accepts proposals from organizations focused on and based in the United States.

   PTP does not provide scholarships to:

   • schools or universities
   • cities, counties or government agencies
   • organizations focused on or based outside the United States
   • organizations focused on providing direct services
   • organizations focused on providing child care programs
   • organizations focused on providing emergency shelters
   • organizations focused on providing medical services


7. Are these the only times you’re offering training this year?
   We may open additional sessions of specific trainings if there is enough demand.  If you’re interested in seeing a session offered again, let us know.


8. Where in Minnesota are the trainings?
   The training will take place in the Twin Cities, but the venue is different for each training.  Once you’ve been accepted, you’ll receive detailed information on where the trainings are along with other logistical information.


9. Do I have to be a community organizer to attend?
   You don’t need to be an organizer, but you do need come from an organization that does community organizing work and meets our general criteria.


10. I have more questions, who do I contact?
    We’d love to answer your questions, to get in touch, contact Laura Mills, PTP’s Event Coordinator at lmills@progressivetech.org or 612.724.2600


11. How much should I budget for this training?
    In addition to your flight and tuition, you have two options for lodging:
    Local home-stays or staying at a hotel.
    If you choose the home-stay option, you'll stay in the house of a local organizer or movement supporter. You won't incur any cost with this option, but spaces are limited. If you're interested in this option, let us know ASAP.
    If you'd prefer to stay in a hotel, plan to spend around $80 per night (or more depending on which hotel you choose) for your lodging.
    Plan on $30-40/day on meals, and around 5 dollars for your bus/light-rail round trip. Detailed information about both home-stay and hotel options will be sent when your registration is complete and you've been accepted into a training program.


12. Do you know of any places I could submit a request for training funds?
    Your current funders are definitely your best bet.  Many foundations have funds available for technical assistance and capacity building for their existing grantees.  If you don’t want to go that route, the folks at the Grassroots Fundraising Journal have put together a great resource called "8 ways to raise $2,500 (or more) in 10 days (or less, sometimes)."