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Build the community
service network within a broader framework
Build a core system
inventory of organizations
Provide a standard
base of information on programs and resources
Link organizations
through the work of coalitions and collaborations
Link
organizations through common constituencies and neighborhoods
At the core of a CWEIS is a structured overview of the community.
A Community Wide Education and Information System (CWEIS) would not be limited to the needs of the nonprofit community. It would include all sectors of a community. It would mirror the local community in all of its elements, orient users to the organization of the community and serve a wide range of functional needs.
A community wide "home page" should be an opportunity to sketch the network of organizations and resources within a community. It should include a complete inventory of organizations - accessible by type, location or other characteristics. This would serve as a starting point for those unclear about which specific organization they wished to communicate with.
Within an inventory of organizations, a reader should expect to find a common base of information about each organization, its services, its location and how to communicate with it. Online links to organizational home pages would start at this point.
Individual organizations should be presented as part of a network of organizations working together on similar problems. The assessment, planning and collaborative efforts of organizational sectors can be highlighted and supported.
Individual organizations should also be presented as a part of assets serving a common neighborhood or working with a common constituency. This strengthens the links between the constituencies and the organizations.