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5 Questions: Anatomy of a Video
Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions. Speaker: Michael Hoffman, See3 Session: Anatomy of a Video: Confessions From Organizations Big and Small 1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010? The widespread adoption of social media is clearly the most important trend for nonprofit technology in 2010. While there are still ...
Update from CDI Mobile Telecentre and How You Can Help
Earlier this week, we told you about TechSoup partner CDI Chile's plan to restore connectivity to Chilean NGOs. The CDI Mobile Telecentre is now on the road, connecting individuals to loved ones and connecting NGOs to resources helping them get back on their feet. Today, the telecentre is in Lota, one of the poorest cities and Chile and one of the communities hit worst by the earthquake. CDI director Javier Figueroa reports: Thanks to the rapid response from CDI Chile's team and the initial funding from the Canadian Embassy, 10 days after the earthquake, the community of Lota has been the ...
5 Questions: Bringing Community Organizing Into Online Campaigns
Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions. Speaker: Debra Askanase, Community Organizing 2.0 Session: Bringing Community Organizing Into Online Campaigns 1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010? To sum it up: the rise of mobile technology. I think that the rate of smartphone adoption worldwide will continue to grow tremendously, ...
New ESRI Products and GIS Resources
Today's big news is that ESRI is expanding its donation program to include four new products (ArcGIS Publisher, ArcGIS Network Analyst, ArcPad, and ArcEditor) and an updated version of its ArcView software. ESRI is also letting us loosen its donation restrictions: qualified organizations can now request two donations of ArcView and ArcPad a year, with no limit for other products. In case you're not familiar with ESRI, it's a software company that makes professional geographical information systems (GIS) software. Broadly defined, GIS refers to the use of a map format to collect and analyze ...
Activate Your YouTube Audience (Free Session with Ramya Raghavan of YouTube!)
So, apparently, there are a whole host of new tools available through YouTube that can help you engage your audience. You can drive sign-ups and donations straight from your videos, find skilled video-makers through the Video Volunteers program, and even create choose-your-own-adventure style videos. (Just imagine: "You see a polar bear balancing on a small iceberg. Do you: a) Offer it a ride to the South Pole, b) enter the two of you in the pairs figure skating competition at the 2014 winter games, or c) step up the fight against global climate change.") In partnership with ...
Free Webinar: Around the Twitter World in 60 Minutes
Twitter has claimed its place on the short list of communications tools for nonprofits and libraries to consider when designing online strategies. This webinar will survey the Twitter landscape, explaining core concepts, enumerating best practices, and describing the tools and tactics that exist to leverage Twitter's strengths. Attend this free webinar next Tuesday, March 16, 11:00 a.m. Pacific time and hear from Allen Gunn, Executive Director of Aspiration, who will offer a balanced perspective, assess both the pros and cons of Twitter, and help you understand how best to use it. This ...
Asia/Pacific Partners Meeting: Disaster Recovery, Knowledge Sharing, Cloud Computing, and More
Last month, I got to attend Ashoka's Tech4Society conference in Hyderabad, India, as a guest writer for the AshokaTech blog. TechSoup Co-CEO Daniel Ben-Horin was also attending Tech4Society as an Ashoka senior fellow. By coincidence, Nasscom (our partner NGO in India) was hosting its annual India Leadership Forum that same week in Mumbai, and several of our partners had staff attending the conference. It was the perfect storm: we knew it was time to host a meeting of TechSoup Global's partners in the Asia/Pacific region. For me, getting to attend the partners meeting was the icing on the cake ...
2010 NTC Preview: Jocelyn Harmon and Allyson Kapin on IT Diversity
Allyson Kapin Jocelyn HarmonYes, the iPad is small, lightweight and slim. But can you swim with it? You remember the flap over the iPad, right? Most women certainly do. It's a clear reminder that technology is a man's world. Of course, it shouldn't be, especially in the nonprofit sector. Our workplaces should reflect the values we're working for -- because it's the right thing to do. It's also the sensible thing to do. Diversity in your teams will ensure you're not alienating the very people you're trying to include. What's the right way to approach diversity ...
5 Questions: Working with Open Source Software and Vendors
Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions. Speaker: Gregory Heller, CivicActions Session: Working with Open Source Software and Vendors 1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010? Free and Open Source Software. Whether it is on the desktop like Firefox and Open Office or the Ubuntu Linux operating system, or on servers (Linux, ...
TechSoup Global Needs Your Vote in the Social Innovation Awards
TechSoup Global has entered The Financial Times-Justmeans Social Innovation Awards competition with winners selected by a panel of judges and presented in a New York City on March 23. In addition to the main competition, there is also a Citizens Choice Award. Help recognize the innovative work our many partners make possible with your vote now. The challenge focuses on corporate social responsibility with an emphasis on "traditional media and social media in the name of social innovation." TechSoup Global has entered the "Philanthropy" category. We're in great company, including ...
Free Manuals for Refurbishing Computers
Twenty years ago, I was building computer training labs in homeless shelters with no hardware budget. I developed a small refurbishing operation with a bunch of homeless guys who were much better at fixing things than I. We simply had to trial-and-error our way through it, much like the 600 or so nonprofit refurbishers in the Community MAR network. I only wish I had had access to a set of free, comprehensive how-to guides on how to get going on refurbishing computers then. At long last, it's a new ball game. TechSoup has just posted that set of free comprehensive refurbishment how-to ...
Really Simple Security Video Takes the Confusion out of Staying Safe Online
We all know that there are things we should be doing to stay safe online, but keeping current with the latest technology can be daunting, even for the tech literate. The good news is that you can get a handle on the basics without reading a 300 page manual that's about as interesting as watching paint dry.
Enter Really Simple Security, a biweekly, one-minute long video series hosted on YouTube, designed for the regular folks among us. Don't just take our word for it; watch their video on a very timely subject matter:
5 Questions: Superheroes of Online Fundraising: Become a Data-Driven Strategist
Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions. Speaker: Sarah DiJulio, M+R Strategic Services Session: Superheroes of Online Fundraising: Become a Data-Driven Strategist 1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010? I think the most important trend this year is multi-channel convergence: using mobile, email, web, broadcast, print, ...
TechSoup Customer Service: We're Really Busy!
As some of you may remember, we had reduced our phone service hours around the holidays due to a bit of a backlog of work to get through. (We can be very popular, you know!) Over the holidays we were able to answers almost everyone's questions and begin the year with a clean and fresh start. It seems that since then, our popularity has only increased — and so has the volume of calls, emails, and faxes. We'd like to assure everyone that we are doing our best to help every nonprofit or library that contacts us as soon as we are able to but for now our call times and fax and email response ...
RSA Security Conference Day 2: Using Your Own Computer at Work
As alluded earlier in the TechSoup Blog, IT managers in the corporate sector are taking greater notice to a trend that we've encountered for many years — employees or volunteers bringing in their own computers to the office. Due to lack of funding or a dedicated IT budget, you may bring your own laptop to the office, or work on say your nonprofit's finances at home. In the short run this is mainly done as a cost saving measure, since it's often difficult to allocate grant funding to office equipment unless it's explicitly allowed. In addition, you are often likely to find great deals on ...
CDI's Plan to Restore Communications to Chilean NGOs
Updated March 8: See below for information about how you can support CDI's earthquake relief program. In some ways, the impact of the recent earthquake in Chile wasn't as immediately obvious as that of the earthquake in Haiti. President Michelle Bachelet initially refused foreign aid, but as the death toll has grown, the need for an international response has become obvious. This week, the American Red Cross increased its original response pledge to a quarter of a million dollars. After their hugely successful text messaging campaign for Haiti, the Red Cross has set up a similar campaign for ...
5 Questions: Are You For Real? Working with a Virtual Team
Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions. Speaker: Jenn Sramek, CivicActions Session: Are you for real?! Working with a virtual team 1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010? Openness and FOSS (free and open source software) are really perfect fits for nonprofits who share the values of collaboration, community, empowerment, and ...
Digital Video Tools for Your Organization
Nonprofits, as well as businesses everywhere are jumping on the video bandwagon and using video to effectively tell stories. You can engage your current audience and supporters with compelling video that tells your organization's story while attracting donors and activists to your cause. Post a video message from your executive director on your website, or show your volunteers at work as part of your outreach efforts. TechSoup's inventory of digital video tools makes it easy — and inexpensive — to add videos to your organization's toolkit. Flip Video Cameras, Adobe Premiere Elements 8, ...
The Future of Computer and Network Protection
A little more than a year after MessageLabs, a cloud based spam and malware protection service, was acquired by Symantec and became Symantec Hosted Services, I had a chance to talk to someone from Symantec about the progress they have made and what's to be expected in the fight against organized cyber attacks. Using intelligence gathered from the MessageLabs global network, Symantec has been able to improve their monitoring and response to the latest outbreaks and attacks in both enterprise and consumer offerings. In addition, they are leveraging their synergies to enhance their product ...
NTEN Member Buzz Round-Up: First week of March 2010
(Note: This is a weekly round-up of NTEN members doing and sharing their nptech awesome. Members are in bold. Tag your own news with "nten member" or "nptech" to help us find your awesome online, or contact Annaliese with your updates.) NPower Seattle welcomed a new Executive Director: Alison Carl White. Weclome! Avencia has become Azavea: same GIS technology and web and mobile geo-spatial services and software development, but with a new name! The March 501 Tech Club in NYC will be a panel on "Texting for Good: Trends, Tools, and Tips for Nonprofits" ...
