Title: Newark Technical Assistance Program (NTAP)
Project Period: September 1, 2005 - August 31, 2008
Project Amount Funded (FY 2005): $278,250
Project Director: Robert C. Baxter

The Newark Technical Assistance Program (NTAP) reaches 32 community-based, minority-serving organizations in the Greater Newark, New Jersey area. This area includes Newark, East Orange, Irvington, and Elizabeth. The targeted organizations serve primarily African American and Hispanic communities.

After initial focus groups and site visits with these organizations, capacity building and technical assistance is provided through workshops, one-on-one sessions, and mentoring. Organizations are grouped into classes which participate in specific series of workshops and activities as part of a two-month instruction module. Key training and mentoring categories include topics such as cultural/linguistic service standards, creating/developing a board, bookkeeping records, planning HIV/AIDS programs, computer fundamentals, grant writing, and developing partnerships. At the end of each workshop, the participants receive work plans to implement recently learned concepts within their organizations. One-on-one assistance with a consultant is available as organizations implement skills gained in the project’s workshops. The mentoring component involves at least three visits to each participating organization within each two-month module. The mentor and organization collaborate in the development of a work plan, with emphasis on grant writing technical assistance. Once the module is completed, project staff are available for ongoing mentoring to each organization. Networking meetings are held for current and prior classes on a bi-monthly basis. In these meetings, organizations have the opportunity to share with other participants as well as engage in an educational component such as HIV treatment advances, funding opportunities, and new or emerging issues. Meeting participants are encouraged to become active in local planning bodies such as the Ryan White Planning Council and the New Jersey Community Planning Group. Specific process, outcome, and impact evaluation measures are compiled into evaluation reports; in addition, the evaluator, consultant, and project staff create best practices reports, provide case study models related to program implementation, and provide lessons learned throughout the project.

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