Lap Around The Internet: Tech Sites for Nonprofits | The NonProfit Times

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Lap Around The Internet: Tech Sites for Nonprofits | The NonProfit Times: Lap Around The Internet: Tech Sites for Nonprofits
By Chris Bernard - June 13, 2013

Technology changes fast, doesn’t it? And there are so many pieces to it that it’s difficult to keep up with any one of them, much less all of them. But in my role at Idealware, I’d be remiss if I didn’t try. To that end, there are a number of sites I visit regularly to keep up to speed on the ever-evolving world of technology, especially as it applies to the nonprofit sector.

Here’s what a typical lap of the Internet looks like for me.

Trends: Association Management Systems & Online Community Providers: Associations Now

From Associations Now

Trends: Association Management Systems & Online Community Providers: Associations Now: At ASAE’s 2013 Marketing, Membership & Communications Conference last week, I visited the expo hall to speak with the industry partners there who provide association management systems (AMSs) and online community platforms (or both). Because these tools form the foundation of much of the work done by association membership professionals, I wanted to get a feel for the state of the industry.

Brooklyn Museum: Community: bloggers@brooklynmuseum » Moving Toward a Conversation

Brooklyn Museum: Community: bloggers@brooklynmuseum » Moving Toward a Conversation: "For the most part these worked to serve the purpose and we didn’t think much about changing them, but this year we started to wonder if there would be value in upping the game a bit. As they stood, they were the electronic version of a one way comment drop box.  Should they become a more personal experience and one that leans toward a two way dialog? Could we elevate the discussion from a simple “leave us your thoughts” to more directed questions that might provoke deeper engagement?  Could that same format help give visitors access to someone—a curator, an educator, an artist, a conservator—to help get their questions answered?

"

British Program Puts Philanthropy at One’s Fingertips - NYTimes.com

British Program Puts Philanthropy at One’s Fingertips - NYTimes.com: n a bid to restore the canvas and painting in time for the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the war, the gallery is making an appeal for the funds, equivalent to about $31,000, through smartphones.

Museums have long solicited donations from the public, but they are increasingly turning to new, often digital, ways to raise funds. In addition to traditional donation boxes, more than a dozen institutions in Britain have signed up for the National Funding Scheme’s Donate program, which uses digital technology to attract contributions.

Marketing, Membership & Communications: Where Tech Comes in: Associations Now

Marketing, Membership & Communications: Where Tech Comes in: Associations Now: Technology was a persistent theme during ASAE’s 2013 Marketing, Membership & Communications Conference last week. Why? Well, when you peel away the outer layers surrounding tech issues, what you might find at the core are really membership issues.

Tampa Company Creates App For Online Giving

Tampa Company Creates App For Online Giving: Lots of companies make charitable contributions each year, with varying methods of determining where to allocate the funds. A new Facebook app called CharityVote allows companies to involve their customers and other Facebook fans in these decisions. Companies determine the amount they want to donate and create a contest involving five of their favorite charities. Facebook fans then vote on which charity should receive the money, with each receiving a portion of the donations. Since fans have to "like" the company page in order to vote, the app increases the company’s social media reach.

From KC To DC In A Car Powered By Tweets - Forbes

From KC To DC In A Car Powered By Tweets - Forbes: Okay, so it’s not literally powered by social media. But what they’ve done to the car is added a “social fuel” program to it, where different social media interactions open enough watts for the car to use.

For example, following them on Twitter? That’s 5 watts. Like them on Facebook? That’s 1 watt. Watch their YouTube video? That’s 3 watts. Their goal is to get enough social media interactions to give them the watts they need to travel from Kansas City to Washington, D.C. in their converted car.

They want to do that simply to raise awareness for their program, MindDrive. This program is centered around 30 at

At Grameen Foundation, an international nonprofit becomes a software developer - The Washington Post

At Grameen Foundation, an international nonprofit becomes a software developer - The Washington Post: hree years later, the foundation’s thesis has given rise to an open-source software platform called Mobile Technology for Community Health, or MOTECH, that an increasing number of nonprofits, non-governmental organizations and humanitarian groups are using to address pandemics such as tuberculosis and HIV.