DotOrgPower

Welcome to the DotOrgPower blog. Our goal is to have a conversation about innovative digital strategies that help nonprofits change the world.

DotOrgPower helps nonprofit leaders plan and succeed online. Learn about us

VIDEO: Talent Expert Panel at LinkedIn Talent Connect

Getting the right people in the right jobs helps us succeed. This expert panel, and the back and forth with experts in the audience, provides concrete action items for using LinkedIn and social recruiting more broadly. 

Moderated by yours truly (Larry).

#Linkedin4good on twitter for NP news from LinkedIn's Talent Connect

LinkedIn's Talent Connect conference starts today. Use #Linkedin4good on twitter to follow along as nonprofit sector professionals share announcements, updates and knowledge from sessions and conversations.

For general conference news the hashtag is #intalent.

LinkedIn Launches Nonprofit Board Building Program

Today LinkedIn launched Board Connect, a new program to help nonprofit organizations build stronger, better boards.  On the LinkedIn blog Meg Garlinghouse explains how Board Connect will work. 

The slideshare deck below illustrates how enourmously powerful intentional networking on LinkedIn can be for nonprofit organizations. 

Board Connect is now one more way nonprofits can supercharge the use of their growing LinkedIn network. Sign up for Board Connect 

How nonprofits can use LinkedIn from LinkedIn for Good

Your Org Broadcasting Live via Google+ Hangouts On-Air: Coming Soon to a Computer Near You

Why You Need to Know This Now

Google’s vision is that “everyone on the planet” will have the ability to broadcast live via the soon-to-be-released Google+ Hangouts On Air.

You can Hang Out with 9 People Right Now

Currently, Google+ Hangouts lets up to 10 people chat and interact with each other online. All you need is a free Google+ account, the Google Voice and Video plugin on your computer, and a webcam. It’s similar to other live video chat platforms like Skype and iChat. People have been using Hangouts to chat with family and friends, hold meetings, conduct discussions and classes, to collaborate and consult, to promote books, share events, and more.

Soon You’ll Be Able to Broadcast Live to Millions

The game changer on the horizon is that Hangouts On Air will significantly lower the barriers to live broadcasting to a mass audience. Hangouts On Air will enable your organization to live-stream to audiences of any size from any location where you can get an internet connection. It will be like having your own TV station with the ability to broadcast live 24/7.

Hangouts On Air allows for one host, 9 additional participants (you can think of them as guests on a show) and an unlimited number of viewers who can watch the live stream. And Hangouts On Air are recorded and automatically uploaded to your YouTube account as a private video. Then you can edit if you want (via YouTube’s Video Editor) or just make it public.

In other words, Hangouts On Air will be a way to communicate directly and immediately with volunteers, supporters, donors and other key stakeholders and influentials, as well as an instant story bank for your organization,

Keep in mind that Hangouts On Air will be integrated with the Google+ social network, Google Apps for Business, and the whole Google / YouTube ecosystem, allowing you to leverage other tools you may already be using.

Hangouts On Air isn't available to the public just yet. But a select few are already beta testing Hangouts On Air. President Obama recently did a Hangout On Air with ordinary citizens.

Next Steps: What You Can Do Today

For the moment, our takeaways are these:

• If you haven’t already, begin building your presence and cultivating your audience on Google+. Connecting with volunteers, supporters, and other stakeholders and influentials on Google+ now will mean that you have an audience in place when Hangouts On Air becomes available to the public.

• Start to experiment with Google+ Hangouts, which are available to you right now (9 participants and one host.)

• Begin to think about how you can use this live broadcast platform to interact with volunteers and supporters, mobilize your constituents, educate and train, deliver programs, and otherwise fulfill your mission. Because these tools are essentially free to adopt, the possibilities are limited only by your organization’s creativity.

Here are some examples:

• http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2012/02/01/white-house-hangout-startup-america
• http://www.youtube.com/user/GoogleplusHangouts/feed

For more information and resources:

• The Google+ Information Center
• Google + The Complete Guide from Mashable
• 9 Creative Uses for Google+ Hangouts
• Google+ Pros and Cons for Small Business (good info for NPOs, too)
• Find upcoming public Hangouts

Stay informed:

• https://twitter.com/#!/googleplustweet
• https://twitter.com/#!/GoogleHangout
• http://hangouttips.com/

COMING WEDNESDAY 2/22: MobileCause Founder Doug Plank on Mobile Opportunities for NPOs in 2012

Join us right here on our website on Wednesday, February 22 from 12noon – 1:00pm Pacific time to participate in a live discussion with MobileCause Chairman/CEO and Founder Doug Plank. We'll cover mobile fundraising, engagement, CRM, and donor communication.

(Sign up here and we’ll send you a reminder)

The chat will happen right here, in the Vokle Player below.

Just visit this website at 12noon PST on Wednesday, February 22, 2012. Sit back, relax and just watch, or login via Facebook, Twitter or Vokle to participate and ask questions.

To participate in the conversation:

1. LOGIN VIA FACEBOOK OR TWITTER, or REGISTER WITH VOKLE.
2. Submit questions via Twitter using #dotorgpower or register with Vokle to submit questions via the Vokle interface.

If you've never participated in a Vokle chat, and want to see what that's all about, click here to watch the archive of our first Vokle chat.

Texting for large gifts? Join a live video conversation with MobileCause CEO

The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s recent article, “Some Charities Find Text-Pledging Events Can Bring Large Donations," offers case studies from NPOs trying new things with mobile fundraising.

Most organizations associate mobile with text micro gifts. But for most organizations that may not be the biggest opportunity. 

To launch a series on how non-profits can use mobile to support their work, we've invited Doug Plank, Chairman/CEO and Founder of MobileCause (featured in the article) and long time fundraiser for nonprofits to join us for a live conversation about the mobile opportunity.

Doug will share text pledging success stories, and also talk about other things coming down the pike in the next 12 to 24 months. He'll share their experience with mobile fundraising, engagement, CRM, and donor communication.

Please join us here on our website
Wednesday, February 22 at 12noon – 1:00pm Pacific time
(Sign up here and we’ll send you a reminder)

►  Meet Doug Plank, Chairman/CEO and Founder of MobileCause
►  Participate in a live discussion about mobile fundraising, engagement, CRM, and donor communication.

 

Video Archive of 12/22 Live Vokle Demonstration & Conversation

Thanks for joining our Live Video Event with Vokle Founder Robert Kiraz.  

If you attended the event and want to share the video from the event you can select and share a "chapter" (specific Q and A) or share the entire event.

If you missed the event you can watch the conversation and Q and A above. Each question and answer is a shareable chapter in the video archive. 

Here's information about the event...

LOGIN VIA FACEBOOK OR TWITTER, or REGISTER WITH VOKLE.

Submit questions via Twitter using #dotorgpower or register with Vokle to submit questions via the Vokle interface.

Video, streaming, live events, Hangouts…live video is changing rapidly and many of us are trying to understand the options and the opportunities for our causes. Vokle, a major player in live video events, will join us for a combined live demo and conversation about how their users are leveraging the Vokle platform (most are using their free services). When:Thursday, December 22 at 1:30pm - 2:30pm Pacific time. Where: Right here! What: Meet the founders of Vokle and participate in a live demonstration of their online video broadcasting platform.

Live On Your Site - Town Halls, Event Fundraisers, Dialogue with Donors...

Participate in a demo of Vokle to find out how

Video, streaming, live events, Hangouts…live video is changing rapidly and many of us are trying to understand the options and the opportunities for our causes. Vokle, a major player in live video events, will join us next week for a combined live demo and conversation about how their users are leveraging the Vokle platform (most are using their free services). 

Vokle co-founder Edward Dekeratry recently demonstrated the platform for us. It was impressive.  You can easily broadcast live events online directly to supporters, donors, and stakeholders no matter where they are, right from your organization's website. You can host a panel. All events are archived for later viewing and sharing.  This could take online community interaction to a new level, empowering organizations to reach out to their online community, engage in meaningful, real-time dialogue, and expand their brand presence.

We've asked Vokle's founders to do a live demo right here on our site. They'll demonstrate the platform in action, and you'll be able to interact with it. They'll share case studies like Richard Branson and Imogen Heap's charity fundraiser for Pakistan, with virtual live performances from musicians such as Ben Folds, Amanda Palmer, Zoe Keating, and others. And we can talk about possible uses such as town halls, fundraisers, dialogues with donors, and more.

Please join us here on our website
Thursday, December 22 at 1:30pm - 2:30pm Pacific time
Meet the founders of Vokle
Participate in a live demonstration of their online video broadcasting platform

YouTube Makes Big Changes: Nonprofits Could Benefit from Social & Channel Emphasis

Yesterday, Dec 1, YouTube made significant changes to the Homepage and Channels. Nonprofits using video to tell our stories need to understand the changes - how they impact us and how they can help us.  Visit the YouTube blog to get details. You can also login to your YouTube account (personal &/or your organization's channel) for information and tutorials. 

The changes are meant to:

• make it easier for people to find and follow content channels they love, and...
• drive more social sharing by making sharing more intuitive and effortless.  

While the jury is out on the new design (less than a day old) this new emphasis could be extremely helpful to causes. 

1. HOMEPAGE: Here's what YouTube has to say about the new Homepage:

To help you get more into YouTube, we’re making it easier to find and follow great Channels when you arrive. On the left side of the homepage you can create your own, personal, customizable YouTube Channel line-up.

2. CHANNELS: Here's what YouTube has to say about the new Channel design. Note: there are four options for your organization's Channel layout so you can pick the one that best suits the nature of your content. 

Today we're launching an improved Channel design focused on what matters most: helping users find great videos. As different uploaders have different goals, we've created new Channel templates to meet your needs whether you produce one video a week or have thousands of videos for a fan to browse.

Also relevant to many nonprofits YouTube writes on their Channels help page that the changes create...

A way to keep your audience engaged even when you don’t have new uploads

Thanks to visionaries and evangelists like Andy Goodman, causes have learned that storytelling is critical to nonprofit success and that web video is a great way to tell our stories.  Yesterday's changes have the potential to supercharge the impact of our video. Stay tuned.

As we see examples of organizations leveraging the new layout and functionality we'll share those examples. Please feel free to post great channel examples as a comment or email me at larryeason [at] dotorgpower.com.

Mobile opportunity - micro-donations? large donations? other?

Last week, for the second year now, International Medical Corps used mobile to raise significant
additional funds at their annual dinner. The additional $85,000, came not only from people who had already given, but also from people who often don't convert to donors - the guests of table-buyers. 

There are two important lessons here. First, with thoughtful preparation and good storytelling mobile can be an effective tool for bringing in large donations and raising significant dollars.  

The second - and the more powerful lesson - is that often the buzz about a technology can be distracting noise that keeps us from the real opportunities, the real potential. And sometimes, as is the case with this example, the opportunity is really low-hanging-fruit. 

Let's take these in reverse order. 

Mobile came on the radar for most nonprofits in a big way after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Huge amounts were raised. Lots of new donors gave $5 and $10. A wave of nonprofits signed up for text2give services - micro-donations that donors pay on their phone bill. 

This was a pivotal moment because mobile was already important to nonprofit constituents but most nonprofits weren't paying attention. After text giving to Haiti mobile was on the radar but not for the right reason. 

The media and buzz, understandably, focused on this new, easy way for people to give. Manna from heaven. Lost in the frenzy were critical facts about a rare alignment of circumstances - the nature of the disaster and need, 24/7 media coming out of the country (related to proximity and media's ability to camp out there), new technology and - of course - Presidents, First Ladies, et al asking people to text. 

How does this relate to most of us? It doesn't. That doesn't mean there's not an opporunity. There is. But the hype and buzz was a distraction we had to ignore to see with clarity. And sometimes the opporunity is not what we want it to be. Sometimes it's better. 

First I want to add that text2give fundraising will grow up quickly (increasing amounts, monthly giving, ways of getting contact info beyond cell number, ability to message after the confirmation, etc.) and I'm an advocate of organizations that qualify jumping in and learning now given the low cost.

But let's take off our nonprofit leader hats for a moment (I'll take off my Healthy Child Healthy World board hat) and think like a human with a cell phone. What's the first thing we'd want causes to do with mobile? Enable drive-by micro-donations from strangers? OK maybe that's in the top ten for some groups. But how about:

• Urgent updates on issues (truly urgent updates)
• Delivering program
• Crowdsourcing research 
• Real-time shopping guides (seafood watch from Monterey Bay Acquarium, toy saftey below)
• Get Out the Vote (GOTV)
• Community building
• Board and staff fundraising tools and support
• Large donor fundraising at events
• Building networks, access and influence
• Etc.

Here's an example. For 25 years U.S. PIRG and the state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) have produced their annual toy safety report. These are unsafe toys they find on the shelves of stores. They get amazing coverage across the nation. Parents see the report on TV... then stand in the aisle trying to remember what not to buy (the reports and media attention have forced these products off shelves and saved lives).

Two years ago they added a mobile site www.toysafety.mobi and now parents can not only access the information when they need it - at the toy store - but they can report unsafe toys... from the app. The Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission also has a database of recalled products which we can access from anywhere - like a garage sale. 

As always with new technology nonprofits need to pause and take the time to think strategically about opportunities. What are our priorities? Who are our audiences? Are they using this technology? How? What are our assets (e.g. existing programs)? Do we have hidden assets? What's the biggest opportunity here? 

Back to International Medical Corps. Last year they raised about $47,000 above the $25,000
challenge donation. There were 82 donations averaging $577. Of the 82 contributions 35 were new donors with an average gift of $255. The fulfillment rate (International Medical Corps staff did the calls to fulfill the pledges) was about 97%. The feedback across the board was positive. 

We don't have the fulfillment numbers for last week's dinner yet but $85,000 was pledged including $25,000 from Research In Motion to kick things off (RIM was honored for Blackberry's contribution to saving lives in Haiti).

Preparation and powerful storytelling were both key.

We'll take a deeper dive on all these topics in the near future - large donor text-pledge fundraising, mobile opportunities beyond fundraising and sorting through the noise around new technologies to find the biggest opportunities for your organization.

This was on our minds because of last week's dinner success and we wanted to share. Congratulations to International Medical Corps for a wonderful evening.