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For Immediate Release: May 29, 2012
CONTACT: KELLEY ELLSWORTH, 202-529-3395 OR 202-744-4983, kellsworth@byteback.org
Byte Back Named Honorable Mention Recipient of The Washington Post 2012 Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management
(for PDF version, click here)
Washington, D.C. - Byte Back was recognized on May 24th by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement and The Washington Post as a 2012 honorable mention recipient of The Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management. Byte Back will receive a $2,500 grant.
Lauding staff and board members for their critical contributions to Byte Back's success, Kelley Ellsworth, Byte Back Executive Director, said "This award is about management, not just by the Executive Director but management on all levels, as a team effort, including board governance and management of staff, volunteers, finance, risk, communications, and technology. I am so proud of the accomplishments of our entire team!"
Byte Back is a non-profit organization whose mission is to improve economic opportunity by providing computer training and employment readiness skills to low-income residents of the Washington Metropolitan area. It offers a wide array of computer training, ranging from basic computer literacy to certification courses in computer hardware, software, and operating systems.
The Center's award selection committee noted several outstanding management practices for Byte Back, namely effective use of collaborations and partnerships to expand its reach in the community, using Memoranda of Understanding to confirm solid partnerships, and Byte Back's evaluation process for deciding upon and pursuing partnerships.
It was noted, additionally that "The Center's Selection Committee of experts was fascinated by Byte Back's strategies and attention to practices including: Open and transparent management practices, commitment to staff professional development and knowledge sharing across the organization, diversity and inclusions at all levels to ensure views are heard and effective consultant management and ownership of outcomes," said Center CEO Glen O'Gilvie. "We appreciate Byte Back's partnership with the Center through this competition and the inspiration their best practices will provide all nonprofits."
Responding to the Selection Committee's praise for Byte Back's management practices, and lauding the 2012 Washington Post Award Winner, Kelley Ellsworth said "We are so honored to be selected as a finalist for this prestigious award for the second time and to be included among four such exemplary organizations...We salute Community of Hope for their triumph and accomplishments."
Now in its 18th year, The Washington Post Award is a competitive program open to all 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations in the Washington metropolitan area. Candidates are judged in the areas of fiscal management, communication, organizational and resource development, planning, human resources, risk management, and use of technology.
This award is a program of the Center for Nonprofit Advancement, sponsored by The Washington Post, with additional support by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement's Benefits Trust and Georgetown University's Center for Public and Nonprofit Leadership's Nonprofit Executive Certificate Program.
The award winner is selected through a three-step judging process including a two-part written application and a site visit. The Washington Post Award Selection Committee is an all-volunteer committee selected by the Center for Nonprofit Advancement.
Byte Back trains over a thousand students each year, providing computer and employment readiness classes to address the District's 9.8% unemployment rate. Eighty percent of Byte Back's students are unemployed when they enroll and more than a third are experiencing homelessness. Graduates of Byte Back's job training courses earn an average of $18 per hour. Byte Back's students range in age from teens to senior citizens; 59% are women; 86% are African American and 8% are Latino; and increasing numbers are unemployed veterans. The majority of Byte Back students come from Wards 5, 7 and 8 where unemployment rates run as high as 25%. Byte Back partners with the District's Department of Employment Services, the Public Library, the Department of Human Services, the Mayor's Summer Youth Employment Program, and over a dozen service agencies and businesses. More at http://www.byteback.org.
The Center for Nonprofit Advancement strengthens the capacity of nonprofit organizations throughout Greater Washington, D.C. The Center directly partners with nearly 1,000 nonprofits helping them achieve their missions through training and technical assistance programs, networking, advocacy and group buying power. For more information, visit www.nonprofitadvancement.org.
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