Monthly Archive for February, 2008

Net Tuesday Portland tackles Twitter and beyond

Published
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amysampleward
on February 27, 2008
in community and events
. 0 Comments

Last night, we held the second Net Tuesday meetup here in Portland. It was a great event with very engaging conversations (one great aspect of having such a new group is that there are still enough people to have long, engaging, changing group conversations!).

I started the meeting with a Twitter overview, as it came up in the January meeting as something people have heard about but not many had experienced. Here is the short slide show, really used as a jumping off point for conversation based on each slide (not a text-heavy person!).

My awesome co-organizer then launched from my presentation forward into a broader discussion of all the various forms of and relating to “micro-blogging” which was a great conversation, but lead into an even greater one on open source alternatives for micro-blogging and design work.

We even talked about the Net Squared Mashup Challenge as we had many questions about the challenge and what mashups were and could be. We had some great ideas for proposals (so I’ll let you know if and when those go up!). We also had with us the father of a current proposal - Howard from EcoTrust is part of the Portland Net Tuesday group and we think you all should check out the mashup proposal from EcoTrust on mapping watersheds - you can read about it here!

If you are in the Portland area, we’d love to have you join our group online to stay connected, and come meet up with us at our next meeting: March 25th at 6 pm! We have a great thing going, so far, and would love to have you on board to make it even better!

Thanks to those who came last night and created such dynamic conversations and offered experiences, ideas, and questions!

My daily toolbox

Published
by
amysampleward
on February 25, 2008
in roundup and socialmedia
. 1 Comment

It’s Monday and it seems there is always a mountain to prepare for at this point in the week. I thought I would take a minute to write out what is in my daily technology toolbox - is it anything like yours?

(photo credit to: Zak Hubbard)
1. Email: I feel like this goes without saying, but, oh well. Email has become a pretty integral part of my daily life, and I don’t think I’m alone in that. I have a work account and a gmail account and check both, like, constantly. Despite what some say about not doing so, I use my email inbox as a to-do list or a reminder list. It’s just easier for me to have everything in one place, especially if the “to do” item requires connecting with others or sending out an email.

2. Google apps: I use Google Reader for my RSS feeds. There are so many different options out there to use, I prefer the simplicity of Google Reader and the sharing functionality. I have many more feeds than some and many fewer than others (I think of myself as falling in the median range for feed count) but still have to do a dump sometimes and just say “mark all as read” to get a large folder out of the way. I think managing and reading feeds can really help people more efficiently digest news and information, and stay on top of developments and conversations in their field. I have good days, and not-as-good days :)
I also use Google Calendar and Documents. What can I say, I like to share! I can share my calendar with my husband, I can share documents with coworkers, friends, co-organizers of events, or colleagues. Sharing is nice; it helps make us all better.

3. Blogging: I maintain two blogs (this one, and one at work). This is Wordpress and at work we run Moveable Type. Both open source organizations. Both are very widely used, supported, and have great development communities. I like sharing, as I said above, so blogging is a great way to share information and ideas in another way.

4. Flickr: I use Flickr to search for Creative Commons licensed photos to use for projects and blog posts. I don’t upload photos there much right now, but I’m on there very often searching through everyone else’s!

5. Facebook: Some organizations/groups/events that I participate in use Facebook instead of or before email. Also, conversations take place on group or event pages instead of in email chains. And, still fresh in many of our memories, the Causes challenge that ended last month had me driving many of my contacts to the cause page and to the donation widget. I have used Facebook since 2004 and have enjoyed the evolution of users and purposes it has gone through as a tool and I have gone through as a user and as part of the community. Are you my friend?

6. Twitter: Last, but not least, is Twitter. I use this mini-blogging tool to listen and learn, ask and answer questions, and contribute to a community that is made up of issues including: Portland, News (local and around the world), Nonprofits, NPTech, Technology, Social Media, Start Ups, and just plain interesting. I have touted Twitter before, so you can Portland Net Tuesday.

So, that’s my top 6 list for must-use every day. I do, though, use YouTube (as well as other video sites specifically for nonprofits; check out DoGooderTV and YouTube’s Nonprofit Channel), watch screencasts, listen to podcasts, and much more. Other communities online, like LinkedIn, TakingItGlobal, and It’sGettingHotInHere also quite often find their way into my life. I’m not limited to the 6 areas above, but do go through withdrawals from those and not so much others :)
What’s your list look like?

Talking about Twitter

Published
by
amysampleward
on February 15, 2008
in socialmedia and webtools
. 6 Comments

Today, I had an opportunity to get out of the office and attend an event with other staff members of grantmaking organizations to talk about and think about some out-of-the box, but not really, things (hopefully additional blog post about that to come!). So, my mind was elsewhere and now I’m feeling a bit behind for all the great conversations happening today. I just saw this post from Beth and the interesting comments that others have left so far. In it Beth discusses some of her observations of social media use, including Twitter, and what others have said.

They were all on Facebook (turned their noses up at Myspace), watch YouTube videos, and use IM applications, with more 20 people on their IM lists. No surprise there. But, none used RSS readers or knew what they were. (Not sure if this matches demographic studies of RSS users or not because this group was under 18) They were aware of tagging, but in the sense of how it is used on Facebook - to tag your friends in photographs or notes, etc. None of them had heard of Twitter, let alone used it.

Click here to read all of the post.

When it comes to my use of Twitter, it is purely as an individual and not on behalf of or associated with my employer. But! One of the most frequent recommendations I have about the micro-blogging tool is its use as a broadcasting/community building/reputation building tools for organizations. For example, the Cascade Climate Network (full disclosure: this is an organization I frequently volunteer with) just started a twitter account and are going to integrate it into their blog/website as well as use it to build community and spread news, calls to action, information, and event opportunities to those interested in the youth climate change field. Why use it? Like I have said in the past, Twitter can open a window into the conversation already taking place in your industry and bring you into that conversation as a participant, as an information provider, and as a partner in shaping the conversation.

Beth quotes an interview with Walter J Carl in which he says:

“The people who I see using it are an older demographic, people in marketing or P.R. or advertising, who use it for work, to present themselves as particular types of people. They’ll twitter, ‘I’m traveling,’ or ‘I’m going to interesting restaurants.’ They’re using it to do identity work.”

I disagree. I think that many people in nonprofits using Twitter are truly building a community of people interested in their work or that can share insight in their work. They are using the tool as another facet of information gathering, listening, dispensing information, and having a conversation. I think this is what makes Twitter so powerful; not the “look at me” of going to a fancy restaurant (or at least twitter-ing that you are going there), but the “look at me” of please let me contribute, share knowledge, ask questions, and provide information.

As with most social media, I believe the resource and utility comes with the golden rule: do until to the tool and the community as you would have the tool and community do unto you! You have to give if you want to get and the Twitter community is growing to do just that!

What do you think?

Mashup Challenge from NetSquared

Published
by
amysampleward
on February 11, 2008
in webtools
. 1 Comment

Do you work for an organization, campaign, or constituency that could benefit from the access to and utility of a “mashup” of data? (What’s a mashup? A tool that brings together information to help tell a story in a new way, for example, check out Maplight.org which combines data on campaign contributions and legislative votes.) NetSquared has the N2Y3 Mashup Challenge running now as part of this year’s Conference.

Applications are open February 1 - March 14th!

Here is how NetSquared outlines the three parts to the challenge:

Applications:

Individuals creating change are invited (and enabled) to tell the community what change they are trying to make, as well as the information and data sources they believe can be joined to help illustrate their mission’s point. For example, you might be trying to illustrate the correlation between childhood asthma rates and Superfund sites. Or you might be working on same-sex marriage legislation and are interested in illustrating the companies that provide health care coverage for same-sex partners mixed together with various kinds of family law legislation.

Recruiting and specification-building:

We will reach out to friendly collaborators who spend their days working with Web stuff to help translate your change into a Mashup project.

Mashup Development:

Finally, we’ll set teams off to the races to start building the Mashups.

Here is the outline for dates:

02/01/08:

On February 1, the Mashup Project Submission process for the NetSquared Mashup Challenge opens. Nonprofits and other social-change agents will be expressing their visions of how data can be recombined to advance social missions. NetSquared’s team will make sure that everyone gets the appropriate help they need to define their vision in a way that will be accessible and attractive to technical volunteers.

03/14/08:

On March 14 at 5 PM, PST, the ability to publish a Project Submission will close.

03/17/08 - 03/21/08:

Voting for the Mashup Project Challenge. Like last year, registered NetSquared users will be able to vote for their favorite Projects.

03/24/08:

The top 20 Mashup Projects will be announced on March 24 and the winners will be invited to attend this year’s NetSquared conference in San Jose, CA, scheduled for 5/27 and 5/28. Each of the top 20 projects gets an allowance for travel (including airfare to and from the conference, along with a hotel room for two nights).

05/27/08 & 05/28/08:

At the conference, Project Teams will have an opportunity to display and discuss their Mashups and attendees will vote to select the top three. All 20 projects at the conference will receive a share of $100,000 in prize money. The share will be determined by voting at the conference. Of course, there will be more legalese regarding the prize and its allocation after we open the application process on February 1, 2008.

Submissions have started coming for some terrific ideas. You can check out current applications (keep in mind, comments you make can help those in the application process further refine and improve their plan up to the March 14th deadline!) by visiting the list of projects. If you have thoughts or feedback, send them an email at net2@techsoup.org.

How to blog for a cause

Published
by
amysampleward
on February 6, 2008
in blogging
. 5 Comments

Global Voices Advocacy, a group that seeks to build a global anti-censorship network of bloggers and online activists dedicated to protecting freedom of expression and free access to information online, just released a manual (for free!) on how to start blogging for social change.

The guide hopes to inspire and inform by its simple tips and how-tos. It includes examples of advocacy blogs that cover the gamut of goals and causes. You can read more about it on Global Voices blog here.

What is Blog Advocacy?
Blog advocacy is using a blog to fight against an injustice. People use blogs to fight a wide range of injustices, such as wrongful imprisonment, government corruption, rights abuse.

I think that many people have said, “I really do care about an issue or a crisis or an organization’s work but I just don’t have the know-how to be a ‘blogger!’” Well, this guide is for you! There is so much terrific information sifted down to the simple approaches and directions. This is your ticket to squashing those nay-saying thoughts of not knowing how.

For example, one page (appropriately titled, “If you read just one page…read this one!”) describes what every advocacy blog should include:

  • Background info
  • Current updates
  • A clear goal
  • A “get involved” page
  • A contact email

Download the guide and get started blogging for advocacy and social change now!

If you are already doing so, download the guide and do a self-test on things you are already doing and areas that you could improve on!

Reflections on the “wired fundraiser” of America’s Giving Challenge

Published
by
amysampleward
on February 4, 2008
in fundraising
. 0 Comments

The Sharing Foundation came out on top in its division of the Giving Challenge, which ended on January 31st. This is great news for the many bloggers and other social media community members that worked hard to promote the cause and garner so many donors. It was also a terrific learning experience for those of us involved. I have thought about “reflections” for the past few days now and wanted to share some early formulations:

What does timing matter?
The Challenge took place over the course of December and January. That is a very long time in the scheme of online fundraisers that many of us have been involved with in the past that may have had only a one day or one week window. I think that the longer time frame definitely had an effect on the “race” and posed a challenge for all organizations trying for the top: How do you keep donations coming through to the end?

In the Sharing Foundation’s case, Beth Kanter was the main ringleader and she had a great strategy of requesting donations whenever possible (in blog posts telling stories of those served by the organization, for example) and only really pushing a few times (like on her birthday 1/11 and at the end). It felt like a good mix - the constant option and then the intermittent request. I tried to do the same, including links to donate in blog posts dealing with the Challenge and then asking urgently at peak times.

What does the platform matter?
I found it interesting that in my personal involvement in the Challenge, I prioritized platforms on their timeliness. For example, I included links to the donation widget page in blog posts consistently throughout the Challenge, but put links and requests in Twitter on peak days like Beth’s birthday and at the end of the race. When there wasn’t as much urgency in recruiting new donors, it felt just fine to throw out the links and stories and thoughts in to blogs that could be read that day, or read days later in a reader etc. But on the days when we were really trying to get high numbers, I couldn’t handle only putting up a blog post (though I did); I needed to use Twitter and IM and emails.

This leads to the second part of the platform answer in that it really did seem to matter that the requests were peronal. I totally agree with the points Beth Dunn makes about the personal side of asking for donations. It means a lot more to people who don’t know anything about or have any connection to the Sharing Foundation to get a request from someone they know who does have that connection, than for “The Sharing Foundation” to send out a message to them asking for just $10.

What does the ask matter?
This one seems simple to me: It’s easier to give small. Think about it, if someone asked you to “Please donate $100 to The Sharing Foundation who helps Cambodian children get the education and services that are critical,” or “Please donate just $10 to The Sharing Foundation who helps Cambodian children get the education and services that are critical,” which would you probably do? Sharing stories and connecting on a personal platform with potential donors is crucial, but so is putting the “ask” into an amount that is doable and not overwhelming. People WANT to donation and help. So give them a way they can do it without hurting their own wallets, too.

I’m excited to hear about others’ reflections on the Challenge and to continue to share my own thoughts. What did you think as a fundraiser for the Challenge? What were your impressions as a donor?