Riders is a community of non-profit (NPO) and non-governmental (NGO) technology assistance providers -- Circuit Riders. The topics range from best practices in providing services to issues regarding specific technology.

Here is a description of circuit riding from nonprofit technology support provider and analyst, Marc Osten:

"A Circuit Rider is someone who provides technology assistance to the nonprofit sector. The help a Rider gives varies from helping to set up a local area network (LAN) to coaching an Executive Director to advocate for technology funding to the board. Part technology cheerleader, evangelist and skilled technologist, Riders come in many forms. In some cases foundations fund several Riders to service their grantees. Riders sometimes are housed within existing technology support provider organizations. Many Riders operate as independent consultants and in some cases a community of nonprofits might pool resources and hire a Rider. The circuit riding community grew out of the U.S. progressive social change and environmental movements, as well as other technology assistance efforts. The Riders hold an annual conference, The Round-Up, and also currently engage in a strategic planning process to determine some coordinated future actions."

Information on activities and events is at:

http://www.nten.org

Art McGee
Circuit Riders List Administrator