FCN - TA

Overview

The Statewide Family and Consumer Networks Technical Assistance Center staff and consultants are prepared to provide general and targeted technical assistance to SFN/SCN’s to ensure that networks are prepared to meet the challenges of the future. Technical assistance (TA) is delivered in a number of ways including webinars, e-lists, teleconferences, on-site TA, regional/topical meetings, and individual consultations.

Contact us to find out how you can access individually tailored technical assistance for you and your organization in a number of important subject areas including:

Business Development:

Community Development
Networking/Collaboration Strategies
Identifying and Engaging Community Based Partners
Not for Profit/For Profit Management
Needs Assessments
Long Term Sustainability; Innovative Business Models and Funding Strategies
Community Engagement and Outreach Strategies.
Creation and Implementation of Strategic Plans
Data Reporting
Technology Literacy
Peer-to-Peer Support; Research, Funding

Conflict Resolution: Providing strategies and support in becoming proficient in resolving both internal and external disputes and differences between the network’s allies, staff, board, funding sources and regulators.

Consensus Based Decision Making: Assisting organizations in making decisions based on input from both minority and majority viewpoints in order to maximize ‘buy-in’ from all stakeholders, ultimately expanding the success of the organization.

Infrastructure Building: Helping networks strengthen from the inside out in a wide range of areas including board development, staff development, leadership development, and succession planning.

Cultural Competency: Supporting organizations to become more culturally competent in all aspects of policy making, administration, practice, and service delivery.

Types of TA

Technical assistance (TA) delivered to Statewide Family and Consumer Network grantees is divided into three main categories:

General Technical Assistance. This type of technical assistance is delivered to all grantees. Examples of general technical assistance include: webinars, regional/topical meetings, use of the resources available on the FCN Center’s website, the Center’s online newsletter, and information obtained at the SFN/SCN Annual meetings.
Routine Technical Assistance. This type of technical assistance is provided on a grantee-specific basis and is delivered to grantees primarily through their technical assistance coordinator. This type of technical assistance is individualized to the needs of each grantee and includes assistance with issues and challenges, discussion and promotion of successes, where to locate resource materials on a particular topic or issues, and provision of contact information and linking grantees with consultants or trainers.
Intensive Technical Assistance. This type of technical assistance is individualized technical assistance that is much more resource intensive than “routine” TA. The FCN TA Center staff, grantee, or CMHS project officer may determine that a higher level of technical assistance is needed to serve the needs of the organization. This resource intensive TA is primarily delivered by TA Center staff or consultants through a series of intensive phone consultations and/or on-site face-to-face meetings. In order for a grantee to access intensive TA, the grantee in consultation with their dedicated TA coordinator, is required to complete the Intensive TA Request Form (available through your TA coordinator). Once the request is received, the FCN TAC staff will review the request in consultation with the GPO/CMHS project officer for follow-up.

Request TA

The TA request process initially begins when a grantee, the project CMHS project officer, and/or TA coordinator identify a need for technical assistance for the grantee. In most cases the need for technical assistance would be identified through the ongoing conversations between the grantee and their assigned TA Coordinator, and most requests can be fulfilled by the TA Coordinator and/or other FCN TAC staff. We anticipate that the majority of grantee TA needs will be able to be fulfilled through the provision of general and/or routine technical assistance. If it is determined that the grantee’s TA needs can be fulfilled through general technical assistance, the grantee would be directed to use the resources designed to help in that area.

If it is determined that the grantee has technical assistance needs that call for a more resource intensive form of technical assistance, in consultation with the CMHS project officer and FCN TA Center staff, a formal TA request is made and a formal TA plan will be prepared and approved by CMHS. This plan may be fulfilled through the use of on-site face-to-face consultation with FCN TA Center staff, but many times will also include the use of outside consultants or trainers.

TA Coordinators

Each Statewide Family and Consumer Network grantee has a dedicated Technical Assistance Coordinator from the FCN TAC assigned to their organization. The TA Coordinator is devoted to the organization’s day-to-day technical assistance needs. This assigned FCN TAC staff person is available to answer routine questions, discuss ongoing TA needs and identify grantees that require more intensive TA to support their development and success. The TA Coordinator checks-in with each grantee on a monthly basis to follow up on the organization’s progress and ensure that the grantee is receiving the support it needs.