Facing loss of federal funds, NCET to become a volunteer group

Nevada's Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, facing the loss of federal dollars that covered its overhead, will become an all-volunteer organization next month.

The nonprofit coordinates educational programs such as Entrepreneur Week and Wi-Fi Wednesdays and also acts as a clearinghouse to connect entrepreneurs with the community resources they need.

Dave Archer, the organization's president and chief executive officer, will work for $1 a year under the new structure. Roxanne DeCarlo, who oversaw NCET's marketing and special events, will leave the organization.

Archer said all of NCET's programs in northern Nevada are expected to continue. Those include the Governor's Cup College Business Plan Competition, the Entrepreneur Expo, the NCET Technology Awards, Wi-Fi/Tech Wednesday and NCET boot camps for entrepreneurs.

All those programs, he said, are self-sustaining through ticket sales, sponsorships, memberships, donations and the like.

Some $200,000 a year in federal grants, however, covered NCET's overhead salaries and payments to contractors and represented about 50 percent of the organization's funding.

As those dollars dry up, Archer has begun assembling a cadre of volunteers to oversee individual events, oversee membership, sponsorships, grants and other financial operations, and work on marketing and communications.

"We need people who will actively take on aspects of the program," Archer says.

About 40 potential volunteers have expressed interest so far. A meeting of interested potential volunteers is set for 5 p.m. Tuesday at Holland & Hart LLP, 5441 Kietzke Lane, to review NCET's new structure.

Holland & Hart has donated office space to NCET. The offices had been hosted the last two years by The Bosma Group.