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Update: Benton Best Practices Toolkit
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Date: Tue, 23 Jun 1998 14:48:30 -0400
From: Jillaine Smith
Benton Best Practices Toolkit UPDATE: 23 June 1998
Benton's "Best Practices Toolkit" (http://www.benton.org/Practice/Toolkit) is a list of Internet and other resources aimed at helping nonprofits make better use of information and communications technologies in their work.
If someone forwarded this message to you and you'd like to receive this
email update directly from us, just send a request, including your full
name and organizational affiliation, to
New items in the Toolkit since 5/1/98 (we've been busy...):
Announcements
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If you haven't already heard, the National Council of Nonprofit
Associations and Nonprofit Management Association/Support Centers of
AmericaTime is holding its annual conference, July 22-26 in Atlanta,
Georgia. Entitled, "Lets Dance: New Steps for a Stronger Sector," the
conference will focus on nonprofit capacity building, management,
policy-making, and sector infrastructure. Discounted hotel rooms are still
available. For more detail and to register, visit
Planning, implementation & evaluation
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"New Voices in Cyberspace" (http://www.thenation.com/issue/0608/0608SHAP.HTM), by Andrew L. Shapiro, calls on nonprofits and activists to take advantage of the distribution powers of the Internet, to recognize that despite continued media concentration, the Internet provides significant opportunities to add noncommercial voices to the information marketplace. Practically inspirational.
CNN Interactive recently re-did their web presence and they share why they did it and what they did (http://www.cnn.com/why/index.html). The choices they made and the features they implemented might be appropriate for your organization to consider when thinking about how best to get your content out to viewers.
"Cash-Poor Nonprofits Turning to High Tech," by Ilana DeBare (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1998/06/0 2/BU45753.DTL) While some organizations are still stuck with 1980's computers, more and more nonprofits are thinking strategically about integrating technology into their efforts. The article also links readers to technology assistance providers and online resources (including our Benton BP Toolkit...)
"Affordable Computers and Internet Access for Your Organization," by Tim Hyat for United Way New York's TECH NEWS (http://www.uwnyc.org/9affordc.htm) provides an overview for those organizations thinking about providing Internet access to more staff. Philanthropy Journal has published a set of articles about FOUNDATION use of information technologies, including:
"Survey: Foundations slow to adopt new technology" (http://www.pj.org/found/foundtech0498.htm). The Council on Foundations' 771 responses to their grantmakers' survey indicated that the majority are not using any Internet-based communications tools. The primary barrier appears to be training;
"Meadows Foundation uses technology in decision-making" (http://www.pj.org/found/meadows0598.htm) describes one of the few
foundations taking proposals online. They contribute some of their success to the fact that they did a lot of research ahead of time about what would and would not make appropriate use of web-based technology; and
"Technology among grantmakers increasing" (http://www.pj.org/tech/granttech0598.htm).
Organizing & advocacy tools
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While not a tool per se, I'm highlighting Women's Voting Guide (http://www.womenvote.org) as an example of how to use the web for organizing and advocacy, and in this case, voter education. The site first asks you to identify what issues you feel most strongly about, and then what legislation you would support or oppose. Then, based on your answers, it tells you how your elected representative agrees or disagrees with you based on their voting record. This is one of the more powerful voting record tools I've yet seen.
Wired Strategist John Aravosis shares the lessons learned while using the Internet to fight the government's dismissal of Navy senior chief Timothy R. McVeigh (no relation to Oklahoma City bomber) for his sexual orientation. (http://www.wiredstrategies.com/mcveigh.html). Basically, this was a very effective media campaign that Aravosis has documented in great detail.
Publicizing your efforts
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"Non-profit ads find a home on the Internet: PSAs find fewer barriers online," by Patricia Riedman (http://www.adage.com/interactive/articles/19980525/article2.html). This article reviews some really great ways that organizations are using online public service announcements to publicize their campaigns, and how commercial sites are more than willing to donate online "ad space."
Technology funding for nonprofits
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You'll need to be in one of four Texas counties to benefit from this foundation's grantmaking activities, but I include the Kronkowsky Charitable Foundation (http://www.kronkosky.org) here because a) it's one of the few foundations making capacity-building technology grants, which we want to promote, and b) it makes its online application form available on its web site (http://www.kronkosky.org/CmptrGrantForm.pdf). Grantmakers might want to explore this approach, and grantseekers might want to be prepared to answer the kinds of questions this foundation asks.
Fundraising on the Internet
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Jeff Hallett continues his series about fund-raising on the Internet. This one, "Patience is a virtue; even on the web," (http://www.pj.org/tech/hallett70598.htm) reviews the dismal results of some of the more reknowned one-shot online fundraising efforts, and recommends a more sustained effort that includes more traditional fundraising "technologies."
In another Philanthropy Journal article, Joan Alford reviews how "Online charity auctions make money and create publicity" (http://www.pj.org/tech/auction0698.htm).
Howard Lake has compiled a list (updated regularly, so go back if you've visited him before) of online fundraising efforts (http://www.fundraising.co.uk/examples.html) -- from simple appeals to funds to more sophisticated efforts.
Technical assistance
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Nonprofit-Tech (http://www.nonprofit-tech.org), a new site organized by Alnisa Algood, is a combination web-site/newsletter with technical tips, fearless reviews of software, and a Q&A area for posting your technical questions. For example, see her article, "Personal Information Managers: The Why & How of Owning a Contact Manager" (http://www.nonprofit-tech.org/tools/usePIMs.html), a good introduction to understanding the benefits and challenges of this new information management tool. This is no-nonsense site built with the nonprofit in mind.
Philanthropy Journal online reports that HandsNet (http://www.handsnet.org) is expanding it national training program to include a "Virtual Training Institute" that provides hands-on training at organizational conferences.
Web Stuff
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Using something other than Windows 95 or the most recent operating system on the Macintosh? John Walker has compiled an extensive FAQ on web browser software that includes information about browsers that work with some of the "older" computer systems, including Amigas, old DOS machines, and much more. (http://www.boutell.com/openfaq/browsers/)
News & Trends
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"Web-based volunteering a new way to help out" (http://www.pj.org/vol/impact0498.htm) describes some current online efforts to provide "virtual" volunteer opportunities. See also a follow-up article, "Groups use Web to link volunteers, opportunities" (http://www.pj.org/tech/auction0698.htm).
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How do you use this information? And to whom do you pass it on?
Please let us know:
I want to thank the following people for alerting me (and therefore, you!) to some of the new tools listed in this and other updates:- Steve Albertson, ONEList (http://www.onenw.org)- Jayne Cravens, Coyote Communications (http://www.coyote.com)- Michael Gilbert, Internet Nonprofit Center (http://www.nonprofits.org) and Information for Nonprofits (http://www.nonprofit-info.org/)- Martha Simpson, SF Support Center for Nonprofit Management (http://www.supportcenter.org/sf/)- John Walker, CSS Internet News (http://www.networx.on.ca/~jwalker)- Phil Noble, Andy Brack & the folks at .NETPULSE (http://www.politicsonline.com/news/)
Be sure to check out their sites for good information about nonprofits.
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(c) Benton Foundation ph:202-638-5770 fax:202-638-5771 email: cpp@benton.org WWW: www.benton.org ```
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