Tuesday, December 27, 2005

IT Software Programming Networking - NGO to Release Free Nonprofit Fundraising Software

PRESS RELEASE

IT Software Programming Networking - NGO to Release Free Nonprofit Fundraising Software: "GO to Release Free Nonprofit Fundraising Software
Posted on Thursday, December 22 @ 10:45:00 CST by xtv
IT Software Programming Networking

Organizers' Collaborative announced a February 15, 2006 release date for ODB 1.0, a free database program for nonprofits. This is entirely open source software, not based on any commercial products. Previous versions of this user-friendly database are in use at over 350 organizations in the U.S.

Boston, MA, USA, December 22, 2005 -- The nonprofit group Organizers’ Collaborative announced it would release version 1.0 of its flagship open source Organizers Database (ODB) software on February 15, 2006. ODB is a free software program for fundraising designed specifically for smaller organizations.

ODB allows nonprofits to easily track members, prospects and donors. Especially during the holiday season, a usable donor database is critical to an organization, allowing it to generate end-of-year appeals and process a high volume of gifts.
"

Yahoo Encourages Cyber Giving

Yahoo Encourages Cyber Giving: "Network For Good and Yahoo have partnered on the Cyber Giving Week initiative, and provided a site with donation links, and resources and tools to help with learning about where to contribute and how it impacts taxes.

Yahoo noted in a statement how charitable giving increases toward the end of a year. The company cited the Kintera/Luth Nonprofit Trend Report, which claimed 65 percent of donors are influenced in their giving by what they find on the Internet.

Now, Yahoo has kicked off some extra effort to get donors to give generously before the end of 2005. They have teamed with Network For Good to do so, and spotlighted several charities while providing the means to discover more, and find out more about them.

Various Yahoo properties like Messenger and News, and keyword integration in Search, will promote Cyber Giving Week. The initiative formally kicks off on December 25th, and runs through the 31st. "

Monday, December 19, 2005

During the holiday rush, charitable issues arise: South Florida Sun-Sentinel

During the holiday rush, charitable issues arise: South Florida Sun-Sentinel: "During the holiday rush, charitable issues arise

By Janet Kidd Stewart
Chicago Tribune
Posted December 18 2005
snip snip>

At www.newtithing.org, donors can plug in their earned income and their total household assets for suggestions on how much to give. The site uses tax benefit estimates to show donors how much more they can give to charity because of tax incentives. It calculates giving suggestions based on income and assets, because the traditional notion of tithing--giving 10 percent of income--doesn't necessarily fit wealthy households that have modest annual incomes compared with their total assets.

Friday, December 16, 2005

onPhilanthropy - How to Compete in 2006

onPhilanthropy - How to Compete in 2006: "How to Compete in 2006
By: Nathan Shaver, 12/16/05

As the New Year approaches, many organizations and nonprofits are evaluating their recent successes and the challenges ahead. With the steady increase of outlets for giving, nonprofits are trying to find new ways to expand and cultivate their base constituency. For many, the coming year will be the time to exploit the trend toward online giving and relationship building. In fact, with the growing competition among nonprofits for the increasingly scarce philanthropic dollar, some say integration of online efforts is all but required. In interviews with Convio’s Vinay Bhagat and Blackbaud’s Charlie Cumbaa, we examine some of the ways nonprofits can stay competitive in 2006, using the tools 2005 has thrust into the spotlight.

Baldrige National Quality Award Launches Nonprofit Pilot Program :: PNNOnline ::

Baldrige National Quality Award Launches Nonprofit Pilot Program :: PNNOnline ::: "Baldrige National Quality Award Launches Nonprofit Pilot Program
Posted by: alvenable on Friday, December 16, 2005
Topic Special Features


As an introduction into the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Program, associations and nonprofits will have the unique opportunity to participate in a pilot application program to be launched in January 2006. The Nonprofit Pilot offers eligible nonprofits and associations the opportunity to become acclimated to the program and receive feedback from a private-sector team of examiners.


“ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership will reach out to the association community and encourage eligible organizations to participate in the pilot application process as well as educate association executives on the significance of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and how to become successful participants when the program is extended to our sector in 2007,” said John H. Graham IV, CAE, president and CEO of ASAE.

Verizon Foundation Awards Additional $175,000 to Puget Sound Nonprofits

PRESS RELEASE

Verizon Foundation Awards Additional $175,000 to Puget Sound Nonprofits: "VERETT, Wash., Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The Verizon Foundation has awarded $175,000 in grants to 16 Puget Sound nonprofit organizations providing educational and technological services to their clients. The foundation has contributed a total of $307,000 to organizations in the area this year. 'Verizon's commitment to literacy, technology and work force training go hand in hand with our company's deployment of technology to benefit customers,' said John Gustafson, Verizon Northwest director of external affairs. 'These grants offer expanded opportunities for those served by these organizations.'"

Monday, December 12, 2005

Charity VillageNewsWeek: Cover Story-Future Present: The evolution of online fundraising and donor communications

Charity Village�NewsWeek: Cover Story: "Future Present: The evolution of online fundraising and donor communications
Andy Levy-AjzenkopfDecember 12, 2005
By Andy Levy-Ajzenkopf

There's no doubt about it. Modern technology has taken over the way people and organizations communicate with one another. Getting your message out there is as easy as the click of a button. And the nonprofit community is increasingly making use of the same advanced communication delivery systems that the for-profit world has been using for years: namely online and interactive campaign strategies.

Generally speaking, nonprofits have taken a little longer to adopt newer technologies into their sector. But they are waking up to the tremendous potential of tools like the Internet, streaming video, and blogs to aid in their quest for funding and to elevate public awareness of their causes. While traditional methods of fundraising, donor communication and recognition (read: mail-outs, phone drives, newspaper ad campaigns, etc.) remain in place for many charities and foundations, technology is revolutionizing the way they go about their business."

Friday, December 02, 2005

RED HERRING | Bono’s Charity Starts Podcasts

RED HERRING | Bono’s Charity Starts Podcasts: "Bono’s Charity Starts Podcasts

The U2 frontman’s social awareness group launches a monthly audio series on World AIDS Day.
December 1, 2005

The do-gooder group founded by U2 singer Bono is looking to take its anti-poverty message to trendsetters through a series of podcasts launched Thursday to commemorate World AIDS day.

Thursday’s podcast by the group ONE: The Campaign To Make Poverty History will feature speeches by Bono, former South African President Nelson Mandela, and Coldplay front man Chris Martin.

"

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

techSoup NetSquared Project to Remix Web for Social Change;

Untitled Document: "TechSoup NetSquared Project to Remix Web for Social Change; Call for Participation in Using Web 2.0 to Transform Nonprofit Sector

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 29 (AScribe Newswire) -- CompuMentor's TechSoup (www.techsoup.org) today announced a call for participation in its Net2 ('NetSquared') (http://www.netsquared.org) project. It is the first-ever public dialog on fostering the adoption of Web 2.0 technologies in the nonprofit sector.

Daniel Ben-Horin, CompuMentor's President and co-CEO, commented: 'Wikipedia, DeanSpace, MoveOn, Firefox Campaign, craigslist - none of these succeeded because they had faster servers or fatter pipes than anyone else. They succeeded because they understood and enabled the power of user-generated content and the power of peer networking.'

'Web-based social tools open up unimagined possibilities for our sector, nationally and internationally. A prime example is the Katrina PeopleFinder Project http://www.netsquared.org/katrina-peoplefinder-project, an ad-hoc online collaboration of organizations and individuals to help locate loved ones in the hurricane-affected areas.'"

Monday, November 14, 2005

Supply & Demand Chain Executive > Research > Archived Articles > W.K. Kellogg Foundation to Automate, Streamline Core Business Processes

Supply & Demand Chain Executive > Research > Archived Articles > W.K. Kellogg Foundation to Automate, Streamline Core Business Processes: "W.K. Kellogg Foundation to Automate, Streamline Core Business Processes

By Editorial Staff

Ultimus BPM suite to help nonprofit replace paper-based processes, achieve greater efficiencies

Cary, NC — November 14, 2005 — The W.K. Kellogg Foundation said today it is using the Ultimus business process management (BPM) suite to automate nearly 20 paper-based processes.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) selected Ultimus after evaluating solutions from several other vendors, but picked the Ultimus BPM Suite because of its flexibility and ease of use, as the organization looks to automate additional processes. In fact, the organization foresees extending the use of the Ultimus BPM Suite as a platform in which to better integrate with partners and grantees."

Friday, November 11, 2005

Some help knowing where to give

Some help knowing where to give: "Some help knowing where to give
A new online method will enable the Charities Review Council to evaluate more charities for donors.
Robert Franklin, Star Tribune


As some nonprofit groups fret about competition for dollars in the aftermath of natural disasters, the Charities Review Council on Thursday unveiled an online system aimed at helping more charities meet standards that may induce donors to give more."

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

TECTONIC: Tsunami-inspired FSF award focuses on humanity

TECTONIC: Tsunami-inspired FSF award focuses on humanity: "he Free Software Foundation (FSF) has announced a new annual award that honours the use of free software in 'the service of humanity'.

The Free Software Award for Projects of Social Benefit is 'presented to the project or team responsible for applying free software, or the ideas of the free software movement, in a project that intentionally and significantly benefits society in other aspects of life,' reads the announcement."

Monday, October 31, 2005

Disasters in the Internet age

Disasters in the Internet age: "Disasters in the Internet age
The Internet -- more than any other tool -- is proving to be a significant means of communication during disasters

BY Dibya Sarkar
Published on Oct. 31, 2005

On Sept. 15, through a private Web site called LATalk.org, Ruby pleaded for help. She asked whether anyone knew the whereabouts of her three aunts, who were missing since Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana Aug. 29. She wrote that she had already searched through many Web sites established to help people find family and friends.

Several weeks later she wrote: 'Does anybody read these things for real? If I just had a phone number or a way to talk to somebody. I need to find my aunts. Please, please help. It's been a month now. HELP, please.'"

Friday, October 28, 2005

NPower Seattle Announces Finalists for Nonprofit Innovation Awards

PRESS RELEASE
NPower Seattle Announces Finalists for Nonprofit Innovation Awards: "Puget Sound Award Winners to Be Announced at Nov. 1 Luncheon in Seattle SEATTLE, Oct. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Befitting a region known for innovation in areas ranging from computer software to coffee, NPower Seattle today announced the top 10 finalists for its first-ever Nonprofit Innovation Awards, designed to recognize Puget Sound nonprofits who have creatively used technology to impact their communities. The 10 finalists range from organizations that use technology to track abused and neglected children and capture memories of Japanese-Americans incarcerated during World War II to those that provide day labor services for homeless men and women. From this list of 10, one winner and three honorable mentions will be announced at a Nov. 1 awards luncheon, presented by Accenture at Seattle's Grand Hyatt Hotel."

Thursday, October 13, 2005

MediaPost Publications - Nonprofits Rev Up Online Ads After Katrina - 10/13/2005

MediaPost Publications - Nonprofits Rev Up Online Ads After Katrina - 10/13/2005: "Nonprofits Rev Up Online Ads After Katrina
by Wendy Davis, Thursday, Oct 13, 2005 6:00 AM EST
HURRICANE KATRINA SPURRED A SURGE in online ads by charities last month, according to new data from Nielsen//NetRatings AdRelevance. Impressions by public service organizations such as The Red Cross accounted for 14 percent of all ads, up from 6 percent in September of 2004. Within that category, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies accounted for 10 percent of all impressions--up from less than 1 percent last September."

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Kiva.org Merges Philanthropy and Venture Capital With First-Ever Microlending Web Site: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

Kiva.org Merges Philanthropy and Venture Capital With First-Ever Microlending Web Site: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance: "Press Release Source: Kiva

Kiva.org Merges Philanthropy and Venture Capital With First-Ever Microlending Web Site
Wednesday October 12, 9:00 am ET

PALO ALTO, CA--(MARKET WIRE)--Oct 12, 2005 -- Kiva, the first nonprofit organization to enable individuals to make personal loans to microenterprises in developing countries, launched its Web site today. For the first time, Kiva.org opens the Internet to people looking for a personal, high-engagement means of taking steps to eradicate poverty in developing countries by lending money directly to small businesses."

Sabre Foundation White Paper Offers New Digital Paths For Philanthropy To Make Nonprofits Self-Funding - Yahoo! News

PRESS RELEASE

Sabre Foundation White Paper Offers New Digital Paths For Philanthropy To Make Nonprofits Self-Funding - Yahoo! News: "Sabre Foundation White Paper Offers New Digital Paths For Philanthropy To Make Nonprofits Self-Funding

Wed Oct 12, 3:00 AM ET

(PRWEB) - (PRWEB) October 12, 2005 -- Donors can offer digital donations -- gifts in electronic form -- for leveraging policy reforms and 'land grant' endowments that benefit grassroots groups in troubled areas, according to a white paper that distills findings from an 11-month research project on global trends in digital philanthropy.


Entitled 'New Catalysts for Sustainability: A Global Opportunity for Digital Philanthropy,' the white paper describes a new challenge grant approach for philanthropies to encourage communities around the world to launch self-funding systems that expand grassroots access to learning, health care, and job opportunities."

Monday, October 03, 2005

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society | Net gains

SocietyGuardian.co.uk | Society | Net gains: "Net gains

New research published today shows a dramatic rise in charities' online activities and a surge in the number of organisations using the net to reach out to donors and supporters. Liza Ramrayka reports

Thursday September 22, 2005

Charities' use of the internet finally may be coming of age, according to new research today which shows a dramatic rise in online activities over the last decade and a surge in charities using the net to manage their donors and supporters.

Findings from the 2005 Virtual Promise research, published today by not-for-profit thinktank nfpSynergy, show that one in three large charities (with annual turnover of �10m plus) say their trustees are involved in their internet strategy. This compares to just one in 10 in 2000 when nfpSynergy first started to track charities' use of the internet. The findings show a similar trend among medium (�1m-�10m turnover) and small (less than �1m) organisations. Across the board, the biggest jump in involvement has been in the past 12 months."

Beltway Blogroll: After Katrina: A Fundraising Blog Swarm

Beltway Blogroll: After Katrina: A Fundraising Blog Swarm: "BELTWAY BLOGROLL
After Katrina: A Fundraising Blog Swarm

The fundraising blog swarm triggered by one of America's most severe weather storms officially ended yesterday with a tally of nearly $1.2 million, but the contribution total continued to climb today. As of late this afternoon, it stood at $1,220,310.

Conservative bloggers organized the effort. Another online relief fundraiser to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina is still under way at liberal blogs.

Conservatives seized on the idea for a coordinated fundraiser first and excelled in both organization and the amount of money they raised. The fundraiser initially was to be a one-day event, but it was expanded to cover the entire Labor Day weekend. The more than 1,800 bloggers from 35 countries who participated used their online journals to make recurring appeals for donations to various charitable groups."

Welcome to Net Hope

index: "welcome to NetHope

NetHope is dedicated to the best use of available
technology resources by our member agencies in order
to improve their ability to deliver community benefit. We
do this by working across the agencies as a highly
collaborative team, sharing ICT knowledge, solving
common problems, creating industry relationships to
support the public benefit work of all our members, and
educating members as well as the wider community of
NGOs.

Monday, September 26, 2005

Desktop Donations

Desktop Donations: "Desktop Donations
With a click of the mouse, you can help the relief effort for victims of Hurricane Katrina. We show you how to avoid scams and check out a charity's credentials before you donate.

September 2, 2005

DISASTER-PROOF FINANCES

Make sure your finances can withstand an emergency -- whether natural or manmade. Get your Financial Emergency Kit in order.

Katrina spurs federal action on VoIP | CNET News.com

Katrina spurs federal action on VoIP | CNET News.com: "Katrina spurs federal action on VoIP
Published: September 22, 2005, 2:32 PM PDT
By Anne Broache
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
TrackBack Print E-mail TalkBack

Hurricane Katrina's thrashing of communications networks has amplified the need for Congress to take action on Net phone policy, senators said Thursday.

At a hearing convened by the Senate Commerce Committee, senators pledged to take steps to ensure that all communications networks, including voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, can connect their customers to the 911 system. One such bill was introduced in May."

Thursday, September 08, 2005

AMERICAN RED CROSS MAKING CLIENT SERVICE FASTER, MORE EFFICIENT

AMERICAN RED CROSS MAKING CLIENT SERVICE FASTER, MORE EFFICIENT: "WASHINGTON, Wednesday, September 07, 2005 — Traditionally, one of the first things a disaster survivor sees at a Red Cross shelter, after a smile, is a registration form. Beginning this week, the smiles remain, but the burden of paperwork is being eased.

The American Red Cross is bringing the power of computers into its shelters to speed the sometimes tedious but essential task of registering shelter residents.

On Sept. 6, a shipment of 400 notebook computers arrived at the giant shelters at the Houston Astrodome and convention center, where trained shelter workers are transferring residents' data into a common database. An additional 400 units are earmarked for San Antonio and hundreds more will go into shelters in several states over the coming weeks."

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Bluetooth gizmo to keep charity ride on track: News from Cambridge Silicon Radio

Bluetooth gizmo to keep charity ride on track: News from Cambridge Silicon Radio: "Bluetooth gizmo to keep charity ride on track
Employees from CSR are to join the British Heart Foundation London to Paris sponsored cycle ride taking place from 10th to 12th September 2005.
Note: Readers of the Editor’s free email newsletter will have read this news the week it was announced. Send us a blank email now to join the circulation. It’s free!

Employees from CSR are to join the British Heart Foundation London to Paris sponsored cycle ride taking place from 10th to 12th September 2005. To ensure the team, led by Gordon Petrie, CSR's VP of European Sales, does not end up in Newcastle by mistake, they will be guided on their travels by the TomTom Rider, the first portable navigation system specifically designed for two wheels, with directions dictated via Bluetooth to a headset. The sponsored ride is being organised by the British Heart Foundation to help fight heart and circulatory disease and is expected to raise a 'four figure' sum."

TechWeb | Internet-TV Broadcasters | Non-Profit Tries To Simplify Internet TV

TechWeb | Internet-TV Broadcasters | Non-Profit Tries To Simplify Internet TV: "Non-Profit Tries To Simplify Internet TV

By Antone Gonsalves, TechWeb News

A non-profit group wants to make it easy for anyone to be an Internet-TV broadcaster.

The Participatory Culture Foundation, funded by technology celebrities Mitch Kapor and Andy Rappaport, has built open-source software for publishing video over the Internet using standard RSS feeds, and viewer software that includes the ability to subscribe to feeds and manage them."

Thursday, September 01, 2005

NP Times / Special Report: Tsunami Put Donor Management Software To The Test

NP Times / Special Report: Tsunami Put Donor Management Software To The Test: "September 1, 2005
Special Report: Tsunami Put Donor Management Software To The Test

By Ted Needleman

Now, what do you do with all of those new donors?

It has been an interesting year in the donor management software market. For many of the vendors who sell donor management software, the big news this last year wasn’t a new technology. Rather, it was a tragedy -- the tsunami that devastated large areas around the Indian Ocean and killed thousands of people."

Grid computing does a lot of work for charity - Computing

Grid computing does a lot of work for charity - Computing: "rid computing does a lot of work for charity

Grids are leaving behind their traditional research background and being adopted for high-profile commercial projects
Bryan Glick, Computing 01 Sep 2005
ADVERTISEMENT
Click Here!

Grid computing is increasingly moving out of the research and academic environments that first adopted the technology, and becoming an important consideration for corporate IT projects.

One of the highest-profile examples of grids being used in a commercial situation is the infrastructure for Comic Relief's Red Nose Day online fund-raising efforts, a system which this year was also called into action to support the Live 8 anti-poverty concerts."

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

newsobserver.com | Local & State-Technogeek' nudges nonprofits onto Web

newsobserver.com | Local & State: "Technogeek' nudges nonprofits onto Web


Ruby Sinreich was recently named a 'change-maker' by the leadership development group Public Allies North Carolina.
Staff Photo by Harry Lynch

By BONNIE ROCHMAN, Staff Writer

CHAPEL HILL -- Ruby Sinreich is an evangelist, but not in the traditional sense.

It's technology, not religion, that she promotes as she advises nonprofits how to use the Web to advance social justice."

Monday, August 22, 2005

Letting Your Fingers Do the Running - New York Times

Letting Your Fingers Do the Running - New York Times: "Letting Your Fingers Do the Running

*
By MARK WALLACE
Published: August 21, 2005

THIS year is the 20th anniversary of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life events, in which teams of runners jog through the night at schools, fairgrounds and parks to raise money for the fight against cancer. To date, the program has raised more than $1.5 billion for the organization. More than three million Americans participate in these local events each year, as do people in 21 other countries around the world.

Now, the residents of an online world are getting in on the act, too. On Aug. 27 and 28, the American Cancer Society will hold its first Relay for Life in the 3D virtual world of Second Life. Instead of running around tracks in their hometowns, participants will guide their onscreen representatives (known as avatars) around a virtual track designed and displayed in cyberspace. Pledges will be made in Second Life's virtual currency, though they will be converted to dollars before being passed along to the cancer society."

DailyProgress.com | Crozet man's Web service helps nonprofits

DailyProgress.com | Crozet man's Web service helps nonprofits: "rozet man's Web service helps nonprofits

By David Hendrick / Daily Progress staff writer
August 21, 2005

Donations are the lifeblood of most nonprofit organizations, and Arin Sime has a product that aims to keep the blood flowing.

The Crozet resident and longtime software developer is the entrepreneur behind Donor Town Square, a Web site hosting and donation processing service aimed at small- to medium-sized nonprofit organizations and religious and political groups."

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Charities changed by technology

Charities changed by technology: "August 16, 2005

The Internet has transformed the way people shop for cars, pick the right stock options and choose the movie they want to see on the weekend -- and now it can be used to help them shop for the right charity. At the same time, technology can help charities keep track of their donors and enhance their services.

Fewer women find their way into tech - 2005-08-15

Fewer women find their way into tech - 2005-08-15: "Fewer women find their way into tech
Bob Mook
Denver Business Journal

The number of women considering careers in information technology has dropped to its lowest level since the mid-1970s -- and one local nonprofit organization intends to do something about it.

Based at the University of Colorado in Boulder, the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) wants to know why women are losing interest in technology -- and what can be done to bring them back."

Monday, August 15, 2005

RedNova News - Technology - High-Tech Help From a Low-Tech Guy

RedNova News - Technology - High-Tech Help From a Low-Tech Guy: "High-Tech Help From a Low-Tech Guy

Aug. 6--HULL -- The Shurgard guy may still be in shock.

Shurgard, the self-storage company, is a contributor in kind to the World Computer Exchange, a Hull-based nonprofit organization that takes used computer equipment and sends it to schools in developing countries. Since 2001, WCE has shipped 14,000 discarded computers to schools in some 30 countries.

Earlier this year, Tim Anderson, WCE's founder and president, was in Columbia, Md., overseeing a donation. 'Some student volunteers had gathered up, oh, 140 computer sets, something like that, and brought them to the Shurgard facility,' Anderson recalls. 'The guy there was just shaking his head. 'They had them duct-taped to the roof of the car!' '

Duct tape and computers: That's WCE, a singular blend of global vision and no-frills execution. It's hard to imagine an organization that's so thoroughly high tech in content and so cheerfully low tech in form. Dedicated to bridging the digital divide, WCE has itself firmly planted on both sides"

The Communication Initiative - Materials - NGO-in-a-box

The Communication Initiative - Materials - NGO-in-a-box: "Materials

NGO-in-a-box
by Tactical Technology Collective

NGO-in-a-box is a physical box of CDs consisting of a complimentary set of peer-reviewed and selected Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS) solutions tailored to the needs of not-for-profit, non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The publisher, Tactical Technology Collective (TTC), indicates that each thematic edition of NGO-in-a-box is shaped by a team of practitioners who seek to provide organisations not only with the software they need in relation to a given topic, "

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Big IDEA » You got your formal taxonomy in my folksonomy–No, you got your …

Big IDEA » You got your formal taxonomy in my folksonomy–No, you got your …: " You got your formal taxonomy in my folksonomy–No, you got your …

Since writing about my work on Scuttledu I’ve read a couple of comments (thanks for the post, James!) that seem to miss the point of what I’m after. It may be easier to talk about what Scuttledu is not. It’s not a formal link archive of use to educators, although my initial idea for customizing Scuttle started with discussion about what I called “linkfest” pages, or what Alan referred to today as “Link-a-toriums.”

alexandrasamuel.com » Putting Technology to Work in the Community Sector

alexandrasamuel.com » Putting Technology to Work in the Community Sector: "Today’s news is a Call for Papers for what looks like an interesting conference in Sydney this November:

Putting Technology to Work in the Community Sector
Sydney, 14th - 15th November 2005

A conference for community and non-government workers will show it’s
not only corporate giants and dotcoms that can successfully harness
the power of the World Wide Web."

alexandrasamuel.com � Healing the world with RSS

alexandrasamuel.com � Healing the world with RSS: "Healing the world with RSS
Filed under:

* NPTech
* telecentre

— Alex @ 1:52 pm

If you need to compare or evaluate different content management system (CMS) options — especially for non-profits or for distributed networks that share content via RSS and tags — check out the results of my recent work on choosing a platform for telecentre.org. Telecentre.org is a project of Canada’s International Development Research Centre, jointly funded by IDRC and Microsoft, aimed at linking up all the telecentres around the world.

Telecentres are basically community technology centres that focus on helping people use technology for economic, social and educational development. They do cool things like using radio to battle locusts in Mali, giving Tanzanian villagers access to the Internet, or getting higher sale prices for Indian sugarcane farmers. In the developing world — and in many part of the developed world, too — telecentres are the key to translating the innovations of the digital age into practical benefits for more of the world’s population."

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Boing Boing: Vienna net.art community to distribute its own grants using social software

Boing Boing: Vienna net.art community to distribute its own grants using social software: "Vienna net.art community to distribute its own grants using social software
Former BB guestblogger Johannes Grenzfurthner reports on an unusual development in how the Vienna government funds net.art/culture projects. The Commissioner For The Arts, a member of Vienna's Social Democratic Party, is supporting a consortium of more than 100 net.art groups, called Netznetz, in the development of a reputation-based software system that the group will then use to help decide how to distribute the grant money it receives from the government. From Johannes's post at the monochrom blog:

The new funding system strives for guaranteed and dispersed distribution of funding in the sector while the parameters of the distribution are meant to remain flexible, providing a dynamic scope. The aim is to encourage project-based collaborations by distributing various smaller grants. Therefore, everybody who is involved in the sector is subject to the principle of permanent reconfiguration of the system and the network..."

InfoWorld Nederland-Launch of Fedora Foundation delayed

InfoWorld Nederland: "INTERNATIONAAL NIEUWS
LINUXWORLD SF - Launch of Fedora Foundation delayed

Elizabeth Montalbano

The establishment of Red Hat Inc.'s Fedora project as an independent, nonprofit organization has been delayed due to administrative delays, an executive from the Linux distribution vendor said Tuesday.

Speaking at the Linuxworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco Tuesday, Mark Webbink, deputy general counsel at Red Hat, said the company has not applied for the 501 (c) (3) license it needs to establish the Fedora Foundation as a nonprofit because the company wanted to make sure it had the proper legislation for the group drawn up first."

NPower Hires New Executive Director :: PNNOnline :: the nonprofit news and information resource

NPower Hires New Executive Director :: PNNOnline :: the nonprofit news and information resource: "NPower Hires New Executive Director
Posted by: emilyd on Friday, August 5, 2005
Topic Special Features


NPower announced today that Scott Schaffer will join NPower’s national organization as Executive Director beginning in early September. An experienced leader with more than 15 years in the public and nonprofit sectors, Mr. Schaffer brings to the nonprofit technology assistance provider a record of helping organizations increase their impact.


Having previously directed nonprofits dedicated to food relief and environmental education, Mr. Schaffer combines a commitment to social change with an understanding of the value of technology for nonprofit organizations and the people they serve.

"