Circuit rider (technology)
Encyclopedia
The term circuit rider, which has its roots
in Methodist preaching, has more recently been applied to technology assistance providers who travel to small non-profit organizations in a particular sector to troubleshoot or support particular technology needs in those organizations. Another term for these people is eRider.
In this context, a circuit rider is part trainer, part management consultant, part computer
expert. They provide consulting and assistance with technology strategy development, make multiple visits to the organizations they serve, and provide advice and information by phone and e-mail
. They can serve regional constituencies by travel from a central location. Additionally, circuit riders can "cross-pollinate" the groups they service, transmitting insights, tools, and tips as they travel throughout the sector. In addition, training materials and resources can be used at multiple sites thereby spreading the development cost out across a number of organizations.
The umbrella term for this field is nonprofit technology
, and Circuit Riders are a form of Nonprofit Technology Assistance Provider (NTAP)
Circuit rider (Religious)
Circuit rider is a popular term referring to clergy in the earliest years of the United States who were assigned to travel around specific geographic territories to minister to settlers and organize congregations...
in Methodist preaching, has more recently been applied to technology assistance providers who travel to small non-profit organizations in a particular sector to troubleshoot or support particular technology needs in those organizations. Another term for these people is eRider.
In this context, a circuit rider is part trainer, part management consultant, part computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
expert. They provide consulting and assistance with technology strategy development, make multiple visits to the organizations they serve, and provide advice and information by phone and e-mail
E-mail
Electronic mail, commonly known as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from an author to one or more recipients. Modern email operates across the Internet or other computer networks. Some early email systems required that the author and the recipient both be online at the...
. They can serve regional constituencies by travel from a central location. Additionally, circuit riders can "cross-pollinate" the groups they service, transmitting insights, tools, and tips as they travel throughout the sector. In addition, training materials and resources can be used at multiple sites thereby spreading the development cost out across a number of organizations.
The umbrella term for this field is nonprofit technology
Nonprofit technology
Nonprofit technology comprises information and communication technologies that support the goals of nonprofit, nongovernmental, third sector, grassroots, and other mission-based organizations...
, and Circuit Riders are a form of Nonprofit Technology Assistance Provider (NTAP)
NTAP
NTAP is an abbreviation of nonprofit technology assistance provider.The term generally refers to organizations and individuals that specialize in providing information and communication technology support to nonprofit organizations, without regard for whether the provider itself is formally...
History
Modern technology circuit riding for nonprofits began in the U. S. in the mid-1990s when Gavin Clabaugh at the Telecommunications Cooperative Network approached the W. Alton Jones Foundation to get funding for technology services for a group of the foundation's grantees. The making of a request directly from a service provider to a funding source (the foundation) to serve a group of grantees was a novel approach for technology provision in the nonprofit sector. To differentiate the approach it was given the name circuit ridingSee also
- Nonprofit Technology Assistance Provider (NTAP)NTAPNTAP is an abbreviation of nonprofit technology assistance provider.The term generally refers to organizations and individuals that specialize in providing information and communication technology support to nonprofit organizations, without regard for whether the provider itself is formally...
- Community informaticsCommunity informaticsCommunity informatics , also known as community networking, electronic community networking, community-based technologies or community technology refers to an emerging field of investigation and practice concerned with principles and norms related to information and communication technology with...
- Community organizingCommunity organizingCommunity organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. A core goal of community organizing is to generate durable power for an organization representing the community, allowing it to influence...