Catching Up

It's only been four years since we updated our blog. Obviously we've been busy and the blog ended up on the backburner. Since our last post here in 2006, our organization has grown from six employees to more than 20. One of the main reasons I added this post and updated the blog is because we are becoming much more active in eMarketing initiatives and particulary the use of online tools and social networking technologies to promote our business and those of our clients.

So what has changed at SDFF? First and foremost, we have evolved significantly into a "social enterprise." According to the Social Enterprise Alliance, a social enterprise is:

'An organization or venture that achieves its primary social or environmental mission using business methods. The social needs addressed by social enterprises and the business models they use are as diverse as human ingenuity. Social enterprises build a more just, sustainable world by applying market-based strategies to today's social problems.'

Our enterprising efforts include:

1. Technical services - this department provides professional technical services
on various contracts to more than 25 nonprofits in San Diego, and the number is
expected to grow significantly as our services and abilities mature. This
department completely sustains itself.

2. Hardware services and recycling - this department also sustains itself through revenues generated from computer refurbishing, recycling, and repair services. Our programs and the number of PCs we distribute are expected to grow significantly over the next couple of years, and we expect the hardware deparment to continue providing valuable services to the community.

3. Community Technoloyg Programs - this department features programs such as DiverseCity Tech, eLearn2earn, the San Diego Broadband Initiative, and our various training and employment services. Each program offers far more than should be covered in a blog, and they have all garnished exceptional funding support in the last few years, enabling us to continue offering services a no-cost or very low cost to nonprofits and families.

Expect to see frequent updates to this blog but not so much in the way of "advertising" or press releases. The focus will be on trends, developments, and decisions, both internal and external, that affect our organization and those of our clients and partners.