Michael Hoffman from See3 has written a good article on getting your videos onto the Web, published in February 2009 on Idealware.org. Online videos can be a great way to showcase your organization's mission and work - but you'll need to make sure they reach your intended audience. He discusses hosting video in the age of YouTube and reaching on online community.
Read Michael Hoffman's full article on getting your videos onto the Web
In this second of three articles by donor management expert Keith Heller published in March 2009 by Idealware.org, Keith explores the challenge of choosing the right software:
"Because there’s so much to consider when choosing new fundraising software, the process can inspire both excitement and dread. In this article we’re taking a bigger-picture view—put on your surveyor’s hat and measure the range of needs faced by your development operations staff. What do you need your software to do today to support your organization’s strategies? What can it do to support you as your strategies change over the next three or four years? What are the common issues other organizations face when selecting such software, and how can you learn from them? Let’s take a look at four things to keep in mind throughout the software selection process."
Read Keith Heller's article on choosing donor management software
This highly anticipated report on content management systems is now available from Idealware.org. WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and Plone are all free and open source systems that can help nonprofit build and manage websites - but how do they compare? This 60-page independent report provides an introduction to the topic, and overview of the features that might be useful for your organization, and a very detailed comparison of the four systems. This report also includes a new directory of the consultants and firms who help nonprofit create websites and implement these Content Management Systems.
Download Comparing Open Source Content Management Systems: WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and Plone
NTEN's We Are Media will be coming to San Francisco, live and in-person on February 12 and 13! This workshop is designed for small planning teams from nonprofit organizations ready to roll up their sleeves for two days and dive deeply into understanding how to craft a social media strategy and to experiment with tactical approaches. Throughout the workshop, they'll walk through important topics like:
* Social media readiness
* How social media fits into your communications plan
* Implementing social media tactics
* A look at the tools you'll use
Take a look at this lineup of instructors: Beth Kanter, Holly Ross, Nina Simon, Rachel Weidinger, Britt Bravo, David Cohn, John Kenyon, JD Lasica.
My colleague and friend John Kenyon is presenting an upcoming workshop on Effective Websites and E-Communications. In an economic downturn, the need for nonprofits to attract support is more important than ever. John will be conducting an in-person workshop on Monday, February 9, 2009, all about the cornerstones of effective online fundraising: Effective Websites, Email and E-newsletters. He'll discuss excellent online practices and review real examples. You will learn how to make sure the foundations of your online presence are solid. Other important topics include driving traffic to your website and tracking metrics to gauge progress towards your goals. The workshop will take place from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm at CSU East Bay in Oakland and is hosted by The CBO Center.
Learn more about John Kenyon's workshop on Effective Websites and E-Communication
Laura Quinn from Idealware penned an excellent article back in July 2008 about building websites with hosted platforms which I recommend as a great summary of options, especially for organizations on a tight budget. She writes:
10 tips for incorporating online video into nonprofit messaging (Mal Warwick's Newsletter, Dec 2008)
