What is the ConnectLA
Franchise?
ConnectLA has spent the last 5 years designing,
developing and building its current website
(www.ConnectLA.org).
We recognized early on that ConnectLA could
benefit and should be replicated in other
communities and designed the infrastructure
accordingly. Now it is time for us to share
our learning with other communities.
Websites are powerful tools for reaching
people. But sophisticated websites like
ConnectLA are expensive to build. In total,
ConnectLA has spent more than $700,000 over
five years developing and operating the
current website. Other community agencies
and organizations can now spend a fraction
of that by licensing our existing system.
Participating agencies will receive the
technical system, the generic content (
e.g. health, employment and/or housing info
that is relevant in any community) and a
Technical Assistance Toolkit. The Toolkit
will provide the community agency with a
“how to" manual, access to a
variety of program development tools, as
well as access to the experience of the
ConnectLA staff regarding the successes
and challenges we faced developing our website.
Agencies will not have to start from scratch,
but will have a wealth of knowledge and
resources to help them to get started. Furthermore,
all franchisees will be a part of the “ConnectLA
Network” of websites and will also
benefit from opportunities to engage in
peer learning as new groups may find new
and innovative ways of implementing the
project in other communities.
Replicability is a major concern for innovative
projects. How can the benefits of the project
be shared with other communities? ConnectLA,
through our ConnectLA Franchise, has created
a practical tool that can be used by agencies
and organizations throughout the country
to create community-centered, local content
websites.
ConnectLA Franchise Opportunity
Helping Underserved Communities
to Build Local Content Websites
ConnectLA seeks to expand its successful,
award winning website by converting its
technology to a “template-based”
system which will allow it to “franchise”
its technical system, information and services
at low cost to cities, nonprofits and public
agencies across the nation. The ConnectLA
Franchise will allow nonprofits to create
high-quality information websites with sophisticated
databases at a fraction of the cost of building
one from scratch.
The ConnectLA Franchise is
a cost-effective, turnkey system that will
serve as a vehicle for creating local content
websites featuring information important
to low-income residents in communities throughout
California and ultimately the nation.
How Can I Get More Information?
For more information about the ConnectLA
Franchise, contact Audrey Thompson, Project
Director at athompson@cgs.org
or (310) 470-6590 x104. |
