Working Hypothesis: Self-Reliance

Community-based organizations that practice and support actions and methods of self-reliance will foster community empowerment.

Corollary 1: A self-reliant CTC will have diverse funding and stable physical locations that do not make it beholden to external decisionmakers.

Corollary 2: CTC directors will incorporate the practice of self-reliance into the management, operations and programming in the center.

Physical Capacity

Questions about Funding

Research Question: Is the center able to secure diverse multiple funding sources?
Survey Question: What are your sources of funding? How long have you had each of these sources of funding?

Questions about Resources

Research Question: Is the organization's physical space impermeable to external change?
Survey Question: Who owns the building in which the CTC operates?

Questions about Technological Expertise

Research Question: Does the organization have upgradable wares and operational strategies for keeping their technology current?
Survey Questions: How often does the CTC purchase computers? How does staff decide when to upgrade the technology?

Social Capacity

Questions about Funding

Research Question: Is the organization capable of flexible self-representation, to better secure diverse funding?
Survey Question: How does the organization present itself?

Questions about Technological Expertise

Research Question: Is the organization capable of generating and maintaining technological expertise demanded by rapid change in IT?
Survey Questions: Does the CTC have staff or volunteers who keep on top of the latest technology? Do the CTC's goals include teaching participants to master new tech tools?

Questions About Skilled Activists

Research Question: Does the CTC support activist roles and provide opportunities for professional growth?
Survey Questions: Are there volunteers? Do volunteers ever move into permanent paid positions? Are there opportunities for staff promotion or other growth? What is the rate of staff turnover? Volunteer turnover?

Questions about Participants

Research Question: Does the center support activist roles among participants?

Survey Questions: Do participants apply skills learned in the CTC to other life activities (job, family, education)? Do participants get involved in planning center activities?