The API Subcommittee has been working aggressively to develop and implement alternative approaches that will enable TSC investors to exchange data between MicroEdge systems and other systems.  One component of this work includes a contract with Kintera which is now scoping an open data bridge that will allow transfers of data between all of the TSC preferred providers and FIMS/Foundation Power.  The beta version is expected in December and general release is projected for February.    The second is a partnership being launched between AST Trust and MicroEdge to write the software necessary to exchange data for the purposes of seamless processing.

New content with a focus on bringing all systems together to serve constituents in new and exciting ways – that's the focus of the Advanced Solution Summit scheduled in Chicago for November 2-3, 2005. Between open sessions where participants can see integrated approaches in action, and closed sessions in which they can "talk turkey" with those in the know, this Summit is not to be missed by those who are being pressed to make critical, strategic decisions.  Special guests include Andrew Hunter of Barrington Partners who will respond to questions regarding the Integrated Solutions "consumer report" recently completed by his company. Also featured will be George W. Macintyre, MicroEdge executive vice president, who will outline MicroEdge's technology strategy moving forward.

The "consumer report" of integrated solutions (those that include comprehensive requirements for financial systems, CRM, workflow processing, grant management and management reporting) commissioned by the TSC Integrated Solutions Subcommittee debuted at the 2005 COF Fall Conference.  In addition to FIMS and Foundation Power, the comparative analysis includes reviews of two systems selected as finalists from an RFI issued by the TSC Integrated Solutions Subcommittee in May.  These include integrated offerings from Blackbaud's Financial Edge/ Raiser's Edge and Stellar's NorthStar 500.  Download your copy at www.cftech.org.

Funding Syndicate contributions total $4,037,331 from 50 foundations, as of September 29, 2005.  Impressively, 97.5% of this amount has already been collected from syndicate members. 

*The Technology Steering Committee (TSC) is co-sponsored by the Community Foundations Leadership Team of the Council on Foundations and Community Foundations of America.  The Technology Initiative is a series of integrated and prioritized development activities to build community foundation technology readiness, capacity and infrastructure over the next three years.

These updates are part of a communications effort to keep colleagues in the field informed about the TSC's work.  Information in these documents may be freely distributed by TSC members providing that:  1) precise language in the updates is used (for clarity and consistency); 2) the TSC attribution language (provided to the left) is included; and 3) readers are referred to source documents on the COF or CFA Web sites.