Michael Stein: Internet Strategy for the Nonprofit Sector

East Bay Nonprofit Conference coming Nov 6, 2008

For those of you based in the East Bay of San Francisco, you may be interested to know that the third annual East Bay Nonprofit Conference is being held on Thursday, November 6, 2008, in Concord.  This year's theme is Beyond Heroics: Reinventing Nonprofit Leadership. The 2008 conference is put on by The CBO Center and features a full day of workshops, panel discussions, an inspirational keynote address, and a town-hall meeting. The conference is focused on new leadership models that encourage collaboration, teamwork and inclusivity, and allow us to break-free of the heroic leadership trap. Keynote Speaker Juana Bordas is a nationally-known consultant, trainer and author. Her book, "Salsa, Soul and Spirit - Leadership for a Multicultural Age" was published in 2007.  I'll also note that my colleague and friend John Kenyon is speaking on the topic of Engaging Stakeholders with Web 2.0.  The Early Bird Deadline is Oct 17 so register soon to save $40 off the standard price.

Learn more about the 2008 East Bay Nonprofit Conference

Sign TURN's petition on AT&T new "service agreement"

The good folks at The Utility Reform Network (TURN) are circulating an important petition that merits the attention of anyone that is an AT&T customer.  The "service agreement" recently mailed to AT&T customers is causing a lot of confusion, but its terms are simple: AT&T is saying it is our way or the highway.  Either give up your rights to legal remedies or give up your phone. AT&T can raise prices, charge you for calls you didn't make, and prevent you from suing them if you don't like it.  TURN believes the California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) can and should stop this attempt by AT&T's to cut off customer complaints and limit customer rights. 

Please sign TURN's petition demanding that the CPUC change course today.

New video by Exhale opens dialogue about abortion

I had the pleasure of working earlier this year with Exhale, a nonprofit organization that was created by and for women who have abortions. As a member of Madera Group, I conducted a technology audit of their online and offline tools. Exhale has founded the PRO-VOICE Movement which brings a whole new kind of dialogue about abortion -- one that transcends partisan divisions, diffuses abortion as a political issue, and shifts the dialogue toward the health and well-being of women and their families -- all by putting the voices and experiences of women front and center, making sure they drive the debate.

Exhale has produced a terrific new video to introduce themselves to a wider audience online

Social good and politics meet in Denver at Democractic Convention

My good friend and colleague Kath Delaney has been attending the U.S. Democratic Party Convention in Denver, Colorado.  Kath is my colleague at Madera Group and is also a delegate for Senator Hillary Clinton in California's 10th Congressional District.  She shared a great story yesterday on the CARE2 Election 2008 Blog about meeting a young City Council member and non-profit executive from Albany, New York. Corey Ellis, a Barack Obama delegate, is the Program Director of Trinity Institution's Family and Neighborhood Resource Center.

Read Kath's Blog post

Mother's Day gift of peace

Mother’s Day in America was originally designated as a holiday of peace, proposed by a mother who had experienced the horrors of the American Civil War. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, on this Mother’s Day, we came just a little closer to her vision of a world where mothers could raise their children without the fear of war?  You can honor your mother (or anyone who is special to you) with a gift to Ploughshares’ Mothers Day Peace Fund, which will go directly to efforts to build a safer, more peaceful future for children and families worldwide. Give today