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Advance Your Connecticut
Non-Profit Mission with IT Strategy and Support
Your organization does good things for our Connecticut community. Now you can complement your operations with the IT strategy and support that you deserve.
This grant covers 15 months of IT strategy, security, and support services, beginning January 2023.
If selected, you will receive
While we’d like to help everyone whose mission is to improve our Connecticut communities, there are a few requirements to qualify for the Now IT Works technology grant.
Your organization must…
For more information about what this grant includes and does not include, please see the FAQs here.
Chris Meacham founded Now IT Works over 20 years ago to help small businesses in Connecticut thrive. Chris believes that every business is a technology business. Further, technology should work for organizations, not the other way around.
As one of the most creative business leaders, Chris has focused attention on innovation for small businesses, including cloud technology, convenient cybersecurity solutions, and tailored strategies for growth.
Chris has had the honor of serving many non-profits over the years and is eager to help more succeed with better IT strategy and support.
Chris lives in East Hampton with his wife, Amie, and two children. Scroll below to learn more about why Chris is offering this unique opportunity now. Watch the video here.
Susan Biella-Linker founded Our Companions Animal Rescue, a nonprofit organization, in 2002.
Our Companions’ central governing principle is to do the right thing for animals regardless of the challenge or the cost and operates its Valerie Friedman Program Center in Manchester and a 47 acre Animal Sanctuary in Ashford, CT.
Susan serves on the board of Connecticut Votes for Animals, a bipartisan 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization with a mission to mobilize the public to support animals through their political choices, and the former President of the Animal Welfare Federation of Connecticut, a partnership of animal welfare organizations.
Prior to establishing Our Companions, Susan worked in various capacities in the field of animal welfare including an eight year career with the Connecticut Humane Society and its subsidiary, Fox Memorial Clinic.
Susan also spent some time outside the animal welfare field where she pursued financial development experience with the American Red Cross fundraising team.
Susan lives with her husband Mitchell who serves as Our Companions’ Development Committee Chair, her dog Jason and four adorable cats.
Jeffery M. Jylkka, CPA, serves as Finance Director to the Town of East Hampton and East Hampton School District. He has served in these positions since December of 1999. Previously, he served as Deputy Director of Finance for the City of New London from 1996 to 1999. From 1990 to 1996 Jeff worked in public accounting auditing municipalities throughout the state.
Mr. Jylkka is a member of the Government Finance Officers Association of Connecticut, and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He has also served on the Connecticut Governmental Accounting and Auditing Committee.
He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut in Storrs, class of 1990, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration majoring in accounting.
John leads efforts to optimize Nutmeg’s systems and processes in alignment with its strategic vision. A veteran leader in the financial services industry, John thrives at the intersection of people, business, and technology.
Before joining Nutmeg, John led the Customer Success team for a rapid growth company building cloud cybersecurity and compliance software. Previously, he ran the technology group for an investment management service provider to independent broker dealers and investment advisors.
John holds a B.S. in Computer Science from Tufts University and an MBA from the University of Connecticut School of Business and lives in Glastonbury, CT with his wife and four children.
In 2017, Chris’s wife, Amie, founded a grassroots organization, “Kindness for Kids.” This group helps people in the community learn kindness and teach their children to perform kind acts. For the past 5 years, she has successfully organized 48 events which benefited all our community’s diverse groups.
Having seen the good she achieved, Chris wanted to bring something similar to the business community. Over the years, Now IT Works has noticed that the non-profit sector lacks good strategic technology advisors for a variety of reasons. When Chris proposed the grant to the NIW team, they whole-heartedly supported the effort.
Ultimately, the Community Impact IT Partner Grant is Chris’s way of helping a sector that needs automation and streamlining of their efforts, while meeting compliance requirements.
Eligible organizations (see eligibility above) will be notified by email when our online application portal opens. For a sample of the application questions (note: this is not the official application), please click on the tab, “Sample Application.”
For questions, email us at [email protected]
The judges will select a grant recipient based on:
COMPLETE OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW.
ELIGIBILITY: Now IT Works’s “Community Impact IT Partner Grant” (“Grant”) is a promotional grant sponsored by Now IT Works. It is only open and offered to Non-Profit (NP) charitable organizations located within Connecticut. The NP may be any 501(c)(3) organization. The entrant must be an employee, volunteer or member of the Board of Directors of the NP and enters with its permission and on its behalf. The NP must have between 10 – 30 employees who regularly access their network (including Full-Time or Part-Time Employees, Volunteers, and Board Members). Awardee must not be under contact with any other IT managed service provider at the time the Award begins and for the duration for the duration of the award. Employees of Now IT Works, their related companies, contractors, consultants, representatives, agents and immediate family and household members of each such employee are not eligible to enter directly. However, they may be volunteers or members of the Board of Directors of an entering NP organization. Current clients of Now IT Works are not eligible. This Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. All NP entrants are responsible for compliance with any contractual limitations and/or office policies, if any, regarding participation or grant acceptance in this promotion.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Each entrant has the responsibility to review and understand its policies regarding its eligibility to participate in this contest. If an individual is participating in violation of Entrant’s policies or any applicable state or federal law or regulation, that Entrant may be disqualified from this Contest at Now IT Works’s sole discretion.
CONTEST PERIOD: The contest entry period begins on August 15th, 2022 at 8:00 a.m. EDT and ends on September 16th, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Qualifying Round judging will occur by October 12th, 2022. The announcement of the winner will be no later than November 28th, 2022. Public health guidelines will determine if the event where this is announced will be in person or virtual. A representative from the organization must be present to win.
SPONSORS: The Contest is sponsored by Now IT Works located at 142 E High St., East Hampton, CT 06424.
AGREEMENT TO OFFICIAL RULES: Participation in the Contest constitutes each NP Entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and the decisions of Judges which are final and binding in all matters related to the Grant.
HOW TO ENTER: To enter during the Contest Period, visit, Non-Profit IT Grant – Now It Works, and follow the instructions to complete and submit a registration for the grant. Once submitted, entries may not be modified deleted or cancelled. Only completed Entries will be considered. Multiple entries for the same agency will not affect judging and will be consolidated into a single entry.
JUDGES: Now IT Works will select three judges from the community in addition to one judge from Now IT Works. The decisions of the judges are final.
JUDGING CRITERIA:
Qualifying Round: Entrants will be judged from their adherence to these Official Rules and a fully completed application.
We are asking that all Judges select the finalists based on need, the perceived impact the Community Impact IT Partner Grant will have on the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission, and the organization’s vision for how they can use technology to better serve their mission. Judging this contest is very subjective, and there could be several very worthy candidates. We have entrusted the judges to make the best decision with the information they are given.
GRANT AWARD: There will be ONE (1) Grant Awardee. The Grant is valued at up to $30,000 in donated services over the term of the grant. The Award will include 15 months of Now IT Works IT Managed Services and Support.
IMPORTANT GRANT INFORMATION:
Award services must be redeemed within the designated 15-month period. The award will begin on January 3, 2023.
Award components may not be resold, auctioned, bartered, assigned, exchanged, transferred or donated for a period of 15 months from the date of their acceptance without the written permission of Now IT Works.
The awardee will be responsible at their own cost and expense for any equipment, software licenses, Infrastructure as a Service/Software as a Service (IaaS/SaaS), Phone/Internet connections and other non-labor costs not included herein.
No cash or other substitutions in whole or in part are permitted.
Now IT Works will expect the awardee to participate in a case study and/or in other public relations or marketing activities.
GENERAL CONDITIONS: All Entrants, Finalists, and the winner must comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules; winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. In addition, and without limiting any other provision in these Official Rules, Now IT Works reserves the right to disqualify any Entrant who, in Sponsor’s sole discretion: (i) is not in compliance with these Official Rules, (ii) tampers with the entry process, the grant, or the website; or (iii) is acting in an uncooperative, disruptive, abusive, or threatening manner. By submitting an Entry, each Entrant grants to Now IT Works the right to print, publish, display, broadcast, and use, worldwide in any media including the World Wide Web and the Internet, at any time, the Entrant’s name and basic, entry information, statements about the promotion, as news, information and for Sponsors’ trade, advertising and/or promotional purposes without additional compensation or review.
SPONSOR’S RIGHTS TO GRANT ENTRIES: By entering, Entrant represents and warrants to Sponsor that its entry and all information therein is accurate and truthful to the best of Entrant’s knowledge, and further represents and warrants that the Entry does not contain any confidential or proprietary information of the submitting organization or any third party. Submission of Entry grants the Sponsor and its agents the right in perpetuity to reproduce, publish, use, edit, adapt and/or modify such Entry, in any way, in any and all media, without limitation and without compensation to Entrant. The winner also agrees that the Sponsor may, at its sole discretion, use the name of the Winning Organization along with details of the Award including technical, managerial, and other information in advertising, marketing, and other promotional material.
LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: BY ENTERING THIS CONTEST OR ACCEPTING ANY AWARD, EACH ENTRANT AND WINNER AGREE THAT THE SPONSOR AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS (“RELEASED PARTIES”) WILL HAVE NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER FOR, AND WILL BE RELEASED AND HELD HARMLESS BY ENTRANTS AND BY THE WINNER FOR: (1) ANY INCORRECT OR INACCURATE INFORMATION, WHETHER CAUSED BY ENTRANTS, PRINTING ERRORS OR BY ANY OF THE EQUIPMENT OR PROGRAMMING ASSOCIATED WITH OR UTILIZED IN THE CONTEST; (2) TECHNICAL FAILURES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, MALFUNCTIONS, INTERRUPTIONS, OR DISCONNECTIONS IN PHONE LINES OR NETWORK HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE; (3) UNAUTHORIZED HUMAN INTERVENTION IN ANY PART OF THE ENTRY PROCESS OR THE CONTEST; (4) TECHNICAL OR HUMAN ERROR WHICH MAY OCCUR IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CONTEST, THE PROCESSING OF ENTRIES OR INSTALLATION OF THE PRIZES; OR (5) ANY INJURY OR DAMAGE TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY WHICH MAY BE CAUSED, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, NOW OR IN THE FUTURE, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, FROM ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST OR DELIVERY, MIS-DELIVERY, ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, SET-UP, INSTALLATION, RECEIPT, USE OR MISUSE OF ANY AWARD, OR ANY AWARD-RELATED ACTIVITY, AND WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY THE NEGLIGENCE OF ONE OR MORE OF THE RELEASED PARTIES. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL SPONSOR BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES ARISING FROM ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROGRAM , ANY AWARD OR ENTRANT’S RECEIPT, USE OR INSTALLATION OF ANY AWARD.
Sponsor is not responsible for any delayed, lost, incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by Entrants, by any of the equipment or programming associated with or used in the Contest, or by any technical or human error that might occur. Entrants shall be deemed to have read and agree to be bound by these Rules and Conditions and by the decisions of Now IT Works which shall be final and binding in all respects. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of any provision.
DISPUTES: Any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Contest or these Official Rules, or the breach thereof, shall be settled by the Executive Officer of the winning Organization and by the CEO of Now IT Works.
RECIPIENT LIST: Community Impact IT Partner Grant recipient will be announced at an event held by Now IT Works, and will be published on our web site https://nowitworks.com/.
Click to download sample grant questions. Please note that questions on the official application may be different than the sample questions. If you have questions after viewing the sample application, please refer to the FAQs tab.
1. What does this grant include? Not include?
Includes
Support (remote and in person) You get access to our helpdesk in 3 areas: email and phone support, remote support, and onsite support – in that order. All support starts via phone or email. We always attempt to resolve the issues remotely before scheduling an onsite visit…to resolve issues more quickly.
Strategic and Cybersecurity Guidance Chris Meacham, CEO of Now IT Works, will analyze your organization’s technology landscape and create a short-term and long-term roadmap to align your technology with your organization’s mission.
Does Not Include
Software Subscriptions (e.g., Office 365 and spam filtering) Microsoft offers non-profit pricing for Office 365. We will include email and Office applications for your core personnel and email only for those that need it. These services, with the discounted rates applied by Microsoft, are the real costs to you.
Hardware Any agreed upon hardware updates would be your organization’s financial responsibility. Though we will make recommendations and configure as part of the grant award.
Cash Value This grant carries no cash value, meaning that Now IT Works will not reimburse your organization for any services not rendered.
1A. What if a special IT project comes up during the grant award period (e.g., relocation, remodeling of office space, installation of equipment)? Is that included?
Projects pop up as your organization grows and needs change. The scope and management of the project will be covered by the grant. However, any labor, hardware, vendors, or additional services required to complete the project will be billable to you.
2. What if our organization does not have a board?
If your organization does not have a board, you might consider adding this to your organization’s structure since a board can help your organization grow by bringing in outside views and support. We will consider your organization if you do not have a board. However, we are looking for your organization and Now IT Works to have a positive experience. The reason
we encourage a board is to make sure everyone in your organization’s executive committee and Now IT Works are moving in the same direction.
3. What if we have no specific budget for IT?
As your organization matures, it’s important to set budgets for each department. If you don’t have a budget setup for IT, we will still consider your organization, but we will need to make sure that you have the ability to make improvements according to the roadmap that we agree upon. It’s not within the scope of this grant to help you establish a budget, or to identify what the budget of the roadmap will look like.
Monday – Friday
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
142 East High Street
East Hampton, CT 06424
