nonprofit
To Make a Difference, Must You Choose?
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 | Blog Talk, SocialButterfly | 8 Comments
Life is full of choices–some more important than others. I started this post about four months ago, and the question remains unanswered for me, so I greatly appreciate your insights.
To make a difference or to bring about the illusive and often intangible “change” …must we choose? What I mean is this: In the non-profit and social change arena, must you choose a cause to rally behind and make your life’s work to make an impact? I use to think no. Now, I’m not so sure.
Beginnings
When I first started blogging I was an anonymous blogger. I wasn’t sure how it would be taken by potential employers and colleagues. I later revealed my identify. However–I’ve never quite fully stated in public certain causes I support or the specific “change” that gets me motivated. In our space, must we? Should we?
I don’t need to tell you that the line between professional and personal is blurring. I use to think we had to stay middle of the road when it came to personal matters–I thought this was the better route to go. After all, you don’t see companies or employees advocating for the causes they care about or beliefs they believe in….or do you?
Shifts
I think the pendulum is swinging. More and more, people and organizations are taking a stand. I think, in the future, part of what will make you credible and a force to be reckoned with, is what motivates you and where you take your stand. Remember that quote we were told as kids as we worked to understand our world:
Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.
We all have influence. Why is it–that we as people or bloggers or even companies are afraid to exercise it towards the very things we care most about? Fear is powerful–and it can occur within a person or within an organization. Sometimes, we may not even recognize the role of fear as it may be built in systems and processes we may have little control over. Good news: fear can be squashed and new solutions and innovations can light the way. We should leave more trails, rather than report each others foot steps as a pack hovering together for warmth. Am I off here?
For instance, I’m a Christian. There, I said it. Does that change things? Let’s talk about it because I’m tired of not talking about it. How come many of us don’t talk about the things that motivate us to get where we are and push us to do our work? What gave me the courage to finally publish this post is that I know I’m not alone in pondering these questions. Thank you to people like Rosetta Thurman and Alex Steed. Read their posts.
Making a Difference
If this is the goal, what does this mean? This is where my hangup is. I feel like we’d all answer this question differently. In terms of my cause-reporting on SocialButterfly, you could say I’m a bit of a generalist with a heavy leaning towards public health. But what about cause-doing? One word comes to mind:
FOCUS.
People who are successful are great at being able to focus. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about verticalization–thanks to friend Geoff Livingston. In the non-profit, government, and even the public health worlds, each has its verticals. As we’ve matured, more areas of focus have evolved within the realms of “non-profit” and “social change.” I have friends who are passionate about alleviating teenage homelessness. Friends who are persistent in the drive to address climate change. Friends who persevere to find new ways of doing business. Friends who are focused.
In the past, I focused on giving the Hispanic community a voice in Mid-Missouri and got involved in immigration issues. Then I focused on spreading awareness about multiple sclerosis and raising funds for multiple sclerosis research. In four years, I got to be a part of raising over $325k for multiple sclerosis through event planning and grassroots efforts.
Then, to be honest, I avoided “choosing” and this is why. I discovered social marketing–and focused on it because to create change and have an impact, you need to learn behavior changing skills and knowledge. You need to be a student of the evolving strategies, research and tools. This is why social marketing is appealing to me–because it provides a framework to go about influencing change, whether you are passionate about combating human trafficking, decrease drug abuse, ending poverty, eliminating HIV/AIDS, address climate change, increasing the country’s health or wanting to increase the rate people in your school wear seat belts–social marketing can light the way. Now, my focus is social marketing. I firmly believe that the process of social marketing can help address many of the battles we face. Yet I’m torn.
Bothered
The more I think about it, the more I’m bothered. Being bothered is good because it shakes you up and makes you question, think and go deeper. Thus, I ask you: to make a difference, must I (or you) choose one cause–one organization–or one group of people–to champion?
flickr credit: angrytoast
Transparency Isn’t Just for the Government
Thursday, November 12th, 2009 | Blog Talk | 5 Comments
It’s also for non-profits. This was the hottest topic during our first #read4change gathering–fueled by the recent revelations of Kiva and its transparency question. (Background: a NY Times article broke sharing that Kiva, a micro-lending Web site that markets “person-to-person” lending–actually works with third parties to help get loans in the hands of people who need them.) What I find most interesting–is that while this revelation has created an emotional response, most people still choose to support the cause.
An additional effect is that it has sparked a conversation around the concept of transparency in the non-profit sector. Even before the Kiva story broke, Beth Kanter got some of us thinking about transparency when it comes to a non-profit’s Web metrics. In the comments, Holly Ross added that transparency is currently on the minds of her and the folks at NTEN. And where else have we heard about the priority in transparency before? –> Government.
Since my day-job leans more into the public health and government agency arena–I couldn’t help but see the parallels between government 2.0 and non-profit 2.0 (for the sake of better terminology). We may have different goals and end objectives, but the concepts both verticals must address (transparency, policy, management, buy-in, metrics, etc.) cross both lines. I think the Path of the Blue Eye folks were onto something when they posted the other day about looking for learning opportunities outside your comfort zone. As evidence, I commend Steve Radick, who did just that when he recently posted about the crossings between government 2.0 and sports 2.0.
The sharing of the line between government 2.0 and non-profit 2.0 was further solidified when I received news today of the AwesomeGov Fund organized by GovLoop and GovDelivery. This initiative is literally–combining and furthering the collision of government people with non-profit values–think philanthropy 2.0. Either way, it has me thinking that our worlds may just be more alike than different and that perhaps–the next event/conference/meetup needs to be a variety show for all us to get out of our comfort zone and look across the playing field.
PS: This past week, I also had the opportunity to talk with Andrew Conrad about Church 2.0–and again, there was much dialogue that ran quite similiar to conversations we’ve had around the conference table or that I’ve had with non-profit leaders. It’s almost creepy.
PSS: Please forgive all the “2.0″ references–it’s just the most efficient way to get the point across.
Will I see you here…? or Here?
Thursday, September 4th, 2008 | Conferences and Events, General Events and Happenings, SocialButterfly | 2 Comments
Hello Readers,
I don’t like to do this, but here is an update on me, in the hopes of being able to connect with some of you –> offline. This fall will be a busy time for SocialButterfly! If you will be at any of these events, be sure to let me know, so that we can connect!
Events
Sept. 6: American Independent Writers Workshop, George Mason University
- Presenting in a panel about using social media and social networks for writing, freelancing, and enhancing one’s professional presence on the web.
Sept. 18: TwinTech2, Washington D.C.
- Join the brightest minds in the tech-venture space who will be on hand to mix and mingle with one another during a happy hour style meet-up. I shall be there as well to share in the social.
Sept. 29-30: World Social Marketing Conference, Brighton, England
- Presenting my master’s thesis in a poster session. The thesis is titled: The Purpose Driven Campaign…more details on that are sure to follow.
Oct. 13: BlogHer Reach Out Tour, Washington D.C.
- Presenting in a panel about Online Community and the philosophical reasons supporting why social media can help make a difference for good causes, non-profits, social change, or even political activism. (bringing in my perspective of navigating the social media landscape for government agencies)
Oct 15: 1st Changemakers/Changebloggers Event, Washington D.C.
- D.C. is known for its robust social media/tech community, that’s no doubt. However, many of D.C.’s finest are in the intersection of social media and social good. We call these unique individuals, changemakers. And for those that blog, changebloggers. Join us as we gather to connect and strengthen our community and show that social media can do, and is achieving, good. Also, journalist Alex Steed will be joining us as part of his 30+ day tour across the country documenting and interviewing millennial changebloggers.
Check It Out
- If you are on Facebook’s BlogNetworks application, please stop by SocialButterfly’s page and introduce yourself. I also created a SocialButterfly Facebook group as well.
- I am addicted to my RSS feeder lately. I’d love to connect with you, and follow you there too, so feel free to leave your URL in the comments, especially, you fellow changebloggers!
- Speaking of Changebloggers, I created the Changeblogger wiki, and if you participated in the Changeblogger meme, be sure to post your permalink to the wiki, so we can all check it out!
- Check out the Twitter feed @changeblogs to follow top changebloggers.
- The Social Marketing Events page on SocialButterfly has been updated with some new events that you’ll want to check out including CDC’s Web Dialogue, HealthCampeDC and more!
Thus, lots going on! Let me know if you want to get involved, or if we can meetup and say hello at any of these events! Blogging has been slow because my fiance and I just drove from KC to DC, and are in the midst of setting up shop as I like to say. So, thank you for your patience! =)
The Changeblogger Story
Wednesday, August 27th, 2008 | Blog Talk, General Events and Happenings, Social Media | 5 Comments
This is one, in a group of posts by fellow changebloggers, uniting to show that social media can do, and is achieving social good.
Origins of the Changeblogger
In late May, Britt Bravo at Have Fun * Do Good recruited her readers to create a list of Changebloggers - members of the blogging community who:
“…use their blog, podcast or vlog to raise awareness, build community, and/or facilitate readers, listeners, and viewers taking action to make the world better.”
On her blog, Britt developed a working list of 40+ Changebloggers, events and other online lists.
Changebloggers Respond
Since then, a Changeblogger facebook group was created. Then, I developed the Changeblogger Wiki that is being used to gather blogs and their author’s names, Twitter contact names, locations, a shared list of Changeblogger meetups and events while also being a live idea-swapping forum.
How Two Conversations Connected
Then, on a Friday afternoon I had two phone conversations with two truly remarkable people. The first was with Joe Soloman. Joe is at SocialActions, and he helped them develop the Ad-words widget that was launched last week. Joe also created the Twitter box @nptechblogs, which brings together blog posts and news updates from a variety nptech blogs. He also created and maintains the socialmedia4change wiki.
Bascally, Joe is busy. However, he is not just busy - he is effective. Joe, using his creativity and no-limits thinking, contacted me and together we are working on developing a Twitter box for changebloggers.
The next conversation was with Alex Steed. Talking with Steed on a Friday afternoon, both of us exhausted from a long week and feeling a bit overwhelmed could not have been better timing. Alex’s project is exactly what the changeblogger movement needs. And, he needs us.
Alex is planning on traveling to 30+ cities to meet with socially-forward millennials to learn what they are doing, how they are doing int, and more importantly, why they are doing it.
This is our call: If you are a changeblogger or a changemaker, know one, or even if you have an extra couch, contact Alex to connect with him on his tour while he couchsurfs and covers the waves of change.
Rallying the Troops
The changeblogger troops have already put out the roll call, and we’re inviting any and all to join the movement. Here’s a list of how:
- Take part in the Changeblogging Meme, that was started by Qui Diaz. Anyone can be a changeblogger, or changemaker, it’s a matter of connecting one’s talents with a desire to do good.
- Chip In, following the example set by Beth Kanter, to help fund Alex’s trip around the country, as he will spread the changeblogger message both online - and off! (Or, put the widget in your blog. Here’s the code:
<embed src=”http://widget.chipin.com/widget/id/a237a485db98c2b4” flashVars=”" type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowScriptAccess=”always” wmode=”transparent” width=”250″ height=”250″></embed>
- If you are in the area, show your support at the 1st Changebloggers/Changemakers Meetup on Oct. 15th as we welcome Alex Steed into the capital of change - Washington DC.
- Join the Changeblogger Facebook Group
- Add your blog or Twitter Name to the Changeblogger Wiki
- Connect on the Changeblogger NING group started by Britt Bravo
- Tweet it up using the Changeblogger hashtag: #changeblogger and/or follow the Twitter account @changeblogs to receive updates from top changebloggers!
Change is Coming to Town, and It Could be Yours
How Your Childhood Olympic Dream Can Still Come True
Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 | Blog Talk, Experience This?, SocialButterfly | 4 Comments
Defining Greatness
When I was a kid, playdoh was great. Dancing around in a tutu making cookies was greater. And Lilia Podkopayeva was greatness. Podkopayeva, overlooked by many due to the gold medal win by the Magnificent Seven by the USA, was from Ukraine. And she won the individual Olympic all-around gold in women’s gymnastics at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. She was my superstar.
As a child, I loved the Olympics, and still do. A hardcore competitive gymnast growing up, I attended the ‘96 games (as an observer) where I saw Podkopayeva achieve what I thought was the unreachable and untouchable - greatness. In this case, that meant the gold. Seeing both Podkopayeva and the USA women’s team both capture gold medals, I hoped to follow in their footsteps.
Re-Defining Greatness
Like any girl after ‘96, my dream for Olympic greatness quadrupled, and my love for the sport escalated. I cut out every single news clipping from women’s gymnastics coverage in Atlanta and plastered my room in posters, photos and news clippings. You could say it was a Mag Seven Heaven.
Overlooked by the Mag Seven by many, Podkopayeva was a combination of grace, style, elegance and talent. My favorite coach even nicknamed me “Mini-Lilia” because he thought we looked alike, and had similar talent: grace and style.
However, fast forward 12 years, and I will never receive an Olympic gold medal, but I still reach for my Olympic dream in the horizon - greatness. And so can you.
Infecting Greatness
Every four years, athletes converge together to compete for world titles, Olympic golds, world records and - greatness. But, each of us maintains the home court advantage. We can achieve greatness in our own communities, everyday. Though I’m no longer conditioning, flipping and twisting on the apparatus’, I like to think that I’m still developing my craft - all the while growing in grace and evolving my style.
For what is greatness? As a kid, a gold-medal gymnast defined greatness. For me today, people who live with conviction define greatness. People doing the work that no one else want do = greatness. The single mother working two jobs to give her child a better life, is greatness I only hope I can mimic. As we grow, how we define greatness evolves. Today, my ‘greatness’ role-model is my mom. It’s also my dad. Nedra Weinreich. Andre Blackman. Kivi Leroux Miller. Beth Kanter. Marc @ Osocio. Mike Newton-Ward. Stephen Dann. The Unsung Hero.
See, these are ordinary people, and they are infecting greatness everyday. I only hope that one day I can join their team, and we together, as a team, can achieve greatness. For greatness, just depends on how you define it.
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“There are countless ways of attaining greatness, but any road to reaching one’s maximum potential must be built on a bedrock of respect for the individual, a commitment to excellence, and a rejection of mediocrity.”
- Buck Rodgers, American Baseball Player 1938
The Bookshelf: 15 Essential Social Marketing Feeds
Thursday, July 24th, 2008 | Blogging and the Blogosphere, Education and Resources, Social Marketing, Social Media, Useful Tools | 10 Comments
Going off of Ogilvy PR’s “Essential 15 Pack” of RSS feeds to follow, I’ve developed the “Essential 15 Feeds for Social Marketers.” To follow the feed, just click on the name and the link. Enjoy!
Blogs
- Spare Change, authored by social marketing expert Nedra Weinreich (Link corrected*)
- On Social Marketing and Social Change, authored by social marketing thought leader Craig Lefebrve
- Public Sector Marketing 2.0, authored by Canada’s up and coming social marketing and social media marketing professional Mike Kujawski
- Osocio, the number one spot for all things social advertising and social change relataed
- Beth’s Blog, authored by nonprofit tech guru Beth Kanter
- Health Marketing Musings, authored by CDC’s National Center for Health Marketing Director Jay Bernhardt
- Have Fun * Do Good authored by Britt Bravo, informing you on all nonprofit related news items
- Ogilvy’s 360 Digital Influence Blog covers social marketing topics occasionally.
- Social Marketing Blog, a newly discovered blog just started this month by a man named Jack. So far, there is only one post, but if the rest of his posts are anything like his first, then the social marketing field is in good shape. Welcome Jack!
- Getting Attention blog, authored by Nancy E. Schwartz offers insights and tips on nonprofits communications and programs.
- Subject to Change, authored by Vanessa Mason, a young and up-and-coming social marketer currently doing AIDS relief work in Mozambique.
- Socialbutterfly, authored by yours truly, and highlights the movement of social marketing as well as related social media stories.
- What Do You Stand For? authored by Cone Communications Inc. Though this blog is linked to a cause marketing firm, the blog covers a range of social marketing related topics, offering fresh insights and useful resources.
- Getting to the Point, authored by Katya Andresen, talks about all-things nonprofit marketing and what she deems in her book - ‘Robin Hood Marketing.’
- Pulse and Signal, authored by Andre Blackman, who writes about the intersection between health and technology. DavidRothman.net is another one stop shop for all you need to know regarding the health 2.0 developments.
- YOU. That’s right. Your blog, whether current or in the works, can become the essential blog. In the arena of social marketing, we NEED more voices to galvanize the field further. If anyone would like to start a social marketing blog, please feel free to contact me with any questions, brainstorming or for support at socialbutterfly4change@gmail.com. The more of us the better. =)
Note: There are many, many more helpful blogs out there that I currently subscribe to, and I wish I could have named them all. Many of the 15 essential also cross boundaries with others fields beyond social marketing, mainly because, there aren’t that many social marketing based voices within the blogosphere.
For more ideas about which blogs to follow, I suggest you check out my links page, the ChangeBloggers wiki, the NonProfit Blog Exchange and the Kivi Leroux Miller’s Carnival for Non-Profit Consultants.
Social Marketing Blogger Neighbor Hailing All the Way from Argentina
Thursday, July 10th, 2008 | Blogger Neighbors | 2 Comments
Meet Vanessa Mason. She’s living purposefully, making a difference, doing what she believes in …and working in Mozambique!
Currently, a small number of social marketing (true SM) bloggers exist. Two of the greats, Nedra Weinreich and Craig Lefebrve are both amazing, but I was thrilled to also learn about Vanessa’s passion and knowledge for public health and social marketing as well. Thus, I nominated her for this week’s Blogger Neighborhood, as she is new to the block, and we need her help!
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Blog/Site Name: Subject to Change
Blog Topics: social change, public health and observations about my experiences abroad
About the Author: After graduating from Yale University in 2006, Vanessa headed to DC, searching for a job that would allow her to be of service to disadvantaged populations. After working for a government contractor in health communication, she packed her bags and volunteered in Mozambique, assisting in a capacity building program for Mozambican NGOs working in HIV/AIDS. She currently lives in Argentina as a volunteer with a community health center that treats HIV patients.
Vanessa is passionate about public health, especially in developing countries, which is the perfect outlet to feed her love of travel and social change. Her blog features observations about social change through the prism of public health.
If you could live on any street, what would that street be named and why?
Sustainable Change Lane. The more I learn about social change, both through reading and my volunteering experiences abroad, the more I see the need to implement social change that can be sustained within the community without the continued intervention of outside funds and staff.
Who would be your dream real-life neighbor?
Dr. Paul Farmer. I just finished reading his book Pathologies of Power. I was amazed at the level of dedication that he has to helping the poorest of the poor have access to adequate health care. His organization, Partners in Health, does some amazing work all over the world.
If you customized your own license plate, what would it say and why?
TRY AGN. If you are working in social change, it is easy to get discouraged by the numerous obstacles. It is hard to see the faults in the world and know ways to correct them, yet still not be able to bring about change. I think that the license plate is encouragement that we need to keep trying because that is the only way that we will see any changes.
What would you gift to a new neighbor as the perfect welcoming gift?
I think plants are always good; they make white walls seem less sterile. Paper whites are good because they are easy to take care of and smell nice.
What’s your favorite blog post and why?
I think that it is a pair of them. The first, Meet Sylvia, was my attempt to talk about the wonderful people who I have met here and well as sharing my personal challenges with my work. The second post, Give Life 101 - Organ Donation, was inspired by my desire to make something positive out of the sad situation that I faced.
What’s one lesson you’ve learned from blogging?
I have been amazed at the possibility to make personal connections through blogging. It has been an unanticipated yet wonderful benefit.
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Past Blogger Neighbors Include:
- Osocio @ Osocio, nominated by SocialButterfly
- Beth Kanter @ Beth’s Blog, nominated by SocialButterfly
- Beth Dunn @ Small Dots, nominated by Beth Kanter
- Len Edgerly @ LenEdgerly.com, nominated by Beth Dunn
- Stacey Monk @ Epic Change, nominated by the Twitter-verse
- Jason Dick @ A Small Change, nominated by Stacey Monk
- Roger Carr @ Everyday Giving, nominated by Jason Dick
- Andre Blackman @ Pulse & Signal, nominated by SocialButterfly
- Laura Stockman @ 25 Days to Make a Difference, nominated by Roger Carr
- Karama Neal @ So What Can I Do?, nominated by the Carnival of Change
- Julie Zauzmer @ 52 Ways to Change the World, nominated by Karama Neal
- …and now, Vanessa Mason @ Subject to Change, nominated by Socialbutterfly
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This continuous weekly series highlights different blogs and their respective bloggers in the blogosphere neighborhood. Following the great Mr. Rogers, who tells us to ‘Get to know your neighbor,’ this series introduces us to our blogger neighbors, making for a more unified, collaborative voice for the social sector. Like to nominate someone or be featured yourself? Contact me @ socialbutterfly4change@gmail.com.
Britt Bravo and SocialButterfly Unite Changeblogger Community
Wednesday, July 9th, 2008 | General Events and Happenings | 2 Comments
In late May, Britt Bravo at Have Fun * Do Good recruited her readers to create a list of Changebloggers - members of the blogging community who:
“…use their blog, podcast or vlog to raise awareness, build community, and/or facilitate readers, listeners, and viewers taking action to make the world better.”
On her blog, Britt developed a working list of 40+ Changebloggers, events and other online lists. Then a facebook group was created. Now, we are organizing our list further. I have created a Changeblogger Wiki that is being used to gather blogs and their author’s names, Twitter contact names, locations, create a shared list of Changeblogger meetups and events while also being a live idea-swapping forum.
The first idea pitched is develop a changeblogger logo. Thus, we are launching a Changeblogger logo contest! Check out the wiki for more details.
Currently, Britt is planning a Changeblogger meetup to correspond with the BlogHer conference in San Fransisco. At that conference, Britt is facilitating the Birds of a Feather session for Green, Social Change & NPO/NGO bloggers, Friday, July 18th from 10:30-11:45 AM. And, I plan to add a Changeblogger meetup to correspond with BlogHer’s Reach Out Tour in Washington D.C later this year in October.
So join the wiki and stay tuned for more ways to take online communications –> offline.
Host of the Carnival for Change, this Blogger Neighbor asks, “So What Can I Do?”
Thursday, June 19th, 2008 | Blogger Neighbors | 1 Comment
Many of us are familiar with the Carnival for Non-Profit Consultants, but has everyone taken notice of the Carnival for Change? It’s a current carnival started by this week’s Blogger Neighbor Karama Neal @ the blog, So What Can I do?
In the Carnival for Change, Karama “explore the web for interesting items relating to social justice, health, education, and opportunity.” To submit posts or to see past carnivals, click here. In the meantime, enjoy learning more about another great addition to the neighborhood!
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Blog Name: So What Can I Do? - The public service weblog promoting ethics in action.
Blog Topics: Posts focus on actions readers can take that make a positive difference in our world. My goal is for readers to recognize that we all are able to contribute to a better society, and be inspired to do so. Mahatma Ghandi’s quote, “Be the change you want to see in the world,” is our mantra.
About the Author: Karama Neal is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and am a proud Southerner. I live with my husband and daughter in the Atlanta area.
If you could live on any street, what would that street be named and why?
I’d live at the corner of Justice Drive and Peace Way.
Who would be your dream real-life neighbor?
Octavia Butler. She’s my favorite writer, as her characters remind me that vastly more is possible than most of us believe.
What first prompted you to blog?
The conversations at my dinner parties always turned to the problems in society. My friends and I could go on for hours about what was wrong with the world, but after a while I wanted to focus more on solutions. I decided to create a forum for collecting, disseminating, and discussing all the ways we can make a positive difference in the world. Blogging is the perfect medium for my idea, and in October 2004, I launched So What Can I Do.
If you customized your own license plate, what would it say and why?
“NO XQS” It’s so easy to find reasons not to do what we know is right or good. I try not to let myself do that. Likewise, I encourage my readers (and myself) to act for a better future rather than rationalize the status quo.
What’s your favorite blog post and why?
Sometimes folks think the only way they can contribute to solving the world’s problems is by donating money. Of course, that is not true, and my favorite posts tend to focus on ways almost everyone can give, regardless of how much money they have. Examples include donating blood, tissues, and related items, using cloth napkins, and gaming for change.
What’s one lesson you’ve learned from blogging?
Because the blogosphere is so accessible, the act of blogging makes one particularly accountable for what one writes. I’ve transferred that idea to my professional life, where I’ve become an advocate for open access publishing. Most academic research is published in expensive, hard-to-find journals. Open access publishing puts research papers on the web, where the public (who often funds research) can read, critique, and use it. It’s like blogging for tenure.
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Past Blogger Neighbors Include:
- Osocio @ Osocio, nominated by SocialButterfly
- Beth Kanter @ Beth’s Blog, nominated by SocialButterfly
- Beth Dunn @ Small Dots, nominated by Beth Kanter
- Len Edgerly @ LenEdgerly.com, nominated by Beth Dunn
- Stacey Monk @ Epic Change, nominated by the Twitter-verse
- Jason Dick @ A Small Change, nominated by Stacey Monk
- Roger Carr @ Everyday Giving, nominated by Jason Dick
- Andre Blackman @ Pulse & Signal, nominated by SocialButterfly
- Laura Stockman @ 25 Days to Make a Difference, nominated by Roger Carr
- …and Karama Neal @ So What Can I Do?, nominated by the Carnival of Change
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This continuous weekly series highlights different blogs and their respective bloggers in the blogosphere neighborhood. Following the great Mr. Rogers, who tells us to ‘Get to know your neighbor,’ this series introduces us to our blogger neighbors, making for a more unified, collaborative voice for the social sector. Like to nominate someone or be featured yourself? Contact me @ socialbutterfly4change@gmail.com.
Carnival of Non-Profit Consultants: Cha-Cha-Chaaange
Monday, June 9th, 2008 | Blog Talk, Carnival of NPC | 2 Comments
Hello and welcome to my first time as a host for the Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants! This week was an open call, with a personal preference for social change and social marketing type posts.
The posts listed below largely discuss and point to current nonprofit marketing trends and potentially future marketing trends. Though this might not reflect social marketing per say, it is a reflection of social change….how trends surface, alter, flourish, downsize and in essence, change. So enjoy this week’s carnival!
- Jordan Viator at Connection Cafe’s post Glimpses of the Past, Present and Future Online Communication Practices for Nonprofits provides an audio file from a panel discussion with nonprofit guru Vinay Bhagat. In the discussion and as Mr. Viator reflects, marketing techniques have largely changed from 2003 to 2008…greatly thanks to new media, pointing out the next big trend of constituent empowerment.
- ***Inserting my special ‘bonus host post’ here, as it follows up well with Mr. Viator’s idea. In my post Consumerism. What’s Your First Reaction?, I too coin my own term ‘optimistic consumerism,’ explaining that with changing media and times, the consumer is becoming more empowered than ever by having a choice. In particular, not only do we have a choice of what products or services we consume, but we also have a choice in the place we consume our information. *Props to choosing the Carnival,
- Rebecca Leaman at Wild Apricot continues the discussion of change in her post titled 5 Keys to Effective Knowledge Transfer for Nonprofits, where she outlines how effective communication can transfer through each phase of a message. No matter how the times and technology change, Ms. Leaman’s insights and download-able resource is priceless.
- Bryan Miller at Giving in a Digital World maps out the technology hype cycle in his post titled Online Fundraising and the Hype Cycle. Mr. Miller points out how web 2.0 is making the way for community fundraising 2.0 and that knowing where your nonprofit’s fundraising efforts are will put you and your organization ahead of the curve.
- Jason Dick at A Small Change-Fundraising blog outlines three core values of traditional nonprofit fundraising in his post: Cultivation, Solicitation and Stewardship. However, Mr. Dick points out that while the traditional model is good, the big umbrella term that deserves attention is relationship. According to Mr. Dick, a good relationship means good fundraising and “all bets are off” on the traditional process.
- J. Karlin at Marketing and Fundraising Ideas sets the stage on how to implement change in the post Powerful yet Reasonable Goals. Karlin says that before change can even be accomplished as was in the case study given of Tufts University, one should dream big, and not overlook setting reasonable, attainable goals.
- Last but not least, Jeff Brooks at Donor Power Blog offers up that any amount of change, is good change, in his post Tiny Gifts: Good or Bad?.
Thanks for tuning in to this week’s carnival. Thank you for all of the submission’s this week, as I’ve found new blogs and bloggers to follow, along with some great ideas about cha-cha-chaaaange!
Keep track of the Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants, no matter which blog is hosting, by subscribing to the Carnival feed.
Alexandra Bornkessel
Email: socialbutterfly4change@gmail.com
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