Verizon Foundation Launches Online Resource Center to Help Nonprofits Increase Technology Savvy

NEW YORK - The Verizon Foundation today launched an online initiative designed to help nonprofit organizations around the country operate more efficiently. The new site offers training and online tools ranging from strategies to enhance marketing and communications, to finding technology resources, to techniques to increase fundraising.

"This resource is a natural extension of our commitment to empower organizations to use technology to better serve the community," said Patrick Gaston, Verizon Foundation president. "The center is a good blend of technology and business management tools that will enable nonprofits to be more effective in their day-to-day operations."

The Verizon Foundation Resource Center, located at http://foundation.verizon.com/resourcecenter, is available round-the-clock, seven days a week. The center provides free access to a national database of technology resources that include an online library, research papers, articles and specialists who can assist nonprofits in running their business operations more efficiently.

The center also offers a combination of online, on-demand and face-to-face training conducted by experts in a variety of fields. Training options are tailored to fit individual schedules and interests. The Verizon Foundation will fund 1,200 grants to pay for the training. The grants are available to nonprofits on a first-come, first-served basis. Nominal fees will be charged for additional training requests.

"This is an impressive mix of best-in-class education and training resources," said Michael Schreiber, United Way of America executive vice president. "The Web site's format provides an easy-to-use, innovative set of tools that will benefit the entire nonprofit community."

To create the resource center's user-friendly format and Web-site content, the Verizon Foundation worked closely with key nonprofit technology experts -- the ePhilanthropy Foundation, the Communications Network, CompuMentor, NPower and the Volunteer Consulting Group. Each organization oversees content and provides technology expertise.

The Verizon Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications. In 2004, the foundation awarded more than 26,000 grants totaling over $70 million to charitable and nonprofit agencies that focus on improving literacy, computer and technology skills, and identifying domestic violence solutions. The foundation uses its resources in the United States and abroad to develop partnerships in technology and connect them with organizations serving the needs of diverse communities, people with disabilities, victims of domestic violence, and the economically and socially disadvantaged.

The foundation also supports Verizon Volunteers, an incentive program that last year encouraged Verizon employees to volunteer 528,000 hours in their communities and provided $37.6 million in combined contributions to charitable and nonprofit organizations. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizon.com/foundation.

With more than $71 billion in annual revenues, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon has a diverse work force of 212,000 in four business units: Domestic Telecom provides customers based in 28 states with wireline and other telecommunications services, including broadband. Verizon Wireless owns and operates the nation's most reliable wireless network, serving 45.5 million voice and data customers across the United States. Information Services operates directory publishing businesses and provides electronic commerce services. International includes wireline and wireless operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and Europe. For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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