The NonProfit Times - December 15, 2007 - (Page 13)

Turbo-Charged Web Use Embracing technology to tell stories, raise funds and create loyalty By Natalie Ghidotti and Mark Hrywna I t’s often said that nonprofits run several years behind the technology curve of the for-profit world. Technology often means risk,and risk for a nonprofit manager doesn’t always pan out. With limited dollars, nonprofits have to be extremely careful about money spent on technology. Hence the reason so many nonprofit Web sites are typical brochure sites with nothing more than a mission statement, contact information and zero interactivity. But in a world of constant interaction – mainly taking place on Web sites and blogs and through podcasts and streaming video – nonprofits have to take their online messages to a new level. Reaching more members and volunteers and raising more dollars now greatly depends on how you position yourself in cyberspace. Embracing the world’s ever-changing technology can be scary, especially for an organization dependent on charitable dollars. But there are those organizations that have forged ahead. Here are some examples of nonprofits that have truly championed technology and used it to grow their organizations. Some are national “powerhouse” nonprofits, while others are regional and local organizations doing big things on limited dollars. Their Web sites are places to explore, learn from and use as a benchmark for your own Web site upgrades and overall Web use. LIFE ROLLS ON www.liferollson.org At first, Josh Billauer thought it was just a waste of time.“God, she’s spending an hour a day on MySpace and we’re paying for that,”he thought. Billauer, board president of the Life Rolls On Foundation in San Diego, had a staff member who was responsible for keeping track of the time she’d spend on projects, so he knew exactly how much time she was spending on the social networking site. Almost three years later, the foundation is ranked number one in the nonprofit and philanthropic category on MySpace, with almost 15,000 members. (The category includes formal 501(c)3 organizations, such as Life Rolls On, but also other social groups that call themselves nonprofits. Last year, the foundation even had MySpace underwrite one of its events. While the number of MySpace members might not correlate directly to fundraising dollars for Life Rolls On, it does add up in the exposure department. Using features like the bulletin board and blogs, the foundation can publicize events, such as a recent concert that was finalized just days before the event that drew several hundred people. It can also put out a call for volunteers. The foundation’s MySpace page is linked to its home page, so supporters can engage the nonprofit, donate or volunteers all during the same Web experience. One of the ways Life Rolls On measures Web traffic is through embedded additional technology within the Web pages to keep track of metrics. Through streaming video embedded into its Web pages, the foundation and its partners can determine how often a video is viewed, where in the world it’s viewed, and how many unique hits the page received, Billauer said. For a nonprofit trying out the social networking scene, Billauer suggested being able to speak to the demographics of those who use the site.“Any organization can benefit,” he said.“It doesn’t have to be as formalized or professional on MySpace, just to reach out to people. You need to make the effort to build the network; it’s like a snowball effect, more people…proactively trying to join your group.” AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY www.acs.org cancer. “That’s what we want, definitely just being able to take content and doing whatever they want with it,” Pellegrini said.“It’s becoming a collection of users’ most passionate stories. Community mobilization is one of the goals of the cancer society. Social networking is one extremely powerful way to mobilize communities online.” NEW YORK CITY COALITION AGAINST HUNGER www.nyccah.org Best Fundraisers Continued from page 11 people who can’t help themselves.” An active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Lautman has served on its National Board and its Foundation Board. She is a founding board member of the Association of Direct Response Fundraising Counsel. She also helped to establish the Community Council for the Homeless in Washington, D.C. “You have to love what you’re doing in order to be effective,” Lautman said. “You have to love all the components of it…including the down and dirty work; then, and only then, do you get to share in all the glory of the project.” NPT DECEMBER 15, 2007 The American Cancer Society (ACS) has experienced a 100-percent increase in Web traffic during the past year, said Adam Pellegrini, director, strategic online, because of numerous initiatives that are part of rebuilding the society’s Web site, which will take 15 months and include migrating 22,000 pages of help content. ACS is taking a “methodical approach to new technologies” like social networking, he said, using tons of data and analytics to ensure they’re putting information on the Web that users need. In March,ACS launched a Relay For Life e-Community, what amounts to a Web-based, year-round version of its Relay For Life events. The site is focused on individuals who go to Relay for Life events, where they can connect with each other online or create their own blogs.“The amount of real, passionate stories on their blogs has been overwhelming to us,” Pellegrini said. The goal is to create a massive social networking Web on the ACS platform, he said, allowing users to take control of their experiences and create their own social networking experiences, like a MyYahoo! or My MSN, but for social networking. Users are the ones driving the community, even down to the local chapter announcing events, while others might share stories about surviving www.nptimes.com The New York City Coalition Against Hunger needed a way to visually educate residents about nutritious food access in the city’s East Harlem neighborhood.With help from the federal government’s Compassion Capital Fund -- part of George W. Bush’s faith-based initiative - the Coalition created online Google maps to paint the picture of New York City’s hunger plight. “Maps are just a great way to tell a story, especially when it comes to the geographic access to food,” said JC Dwyer, director of programs and national service for NYCCAH. Once visitors find their way to the Coalition’s Web site, they can enter a ZIP code, keyword or borough name into a search box to pull up a Google map displaying charitable food organizations in that area indicated by red flags. Clicking on a red flag pulls up information about that particular soup kitchen or pantry, such as a name, address and phone number.The Google Maps interface also offers zoom and drag features, as well as the option to view the city via satellite image, with or without street names. The maps are definitely the highlight of the Coalition’s Web site, but they aren’t the only thing bringing visitors back. There’s also the New York City hunger blog that offers up-to-date information on hunger issues facing the city. “This site is leagues above what we had,” Dwyer said. “Since the launch of the new site, people have begun to take us more seriously. When your Web site lacks that professionalism, it makes it really hard. Now, funders and nonprofits from across the country are calling us to tell them how we did our redesign.” There were so many calls that Dwyer and others saw a need to create another hunger maps Web site at www.hungermaps.org. The site -- unveiled in February at a national conference of anti-hunger organizations in Washington, D.C. -- is based on the NYCCAH maps and takes advantage of the nonprofit’s data. Its goal is to help local service providers, politiTurbo-Charged, page 14 THE NONPROFIT TIMES http://www.nyccah.org http://www.liferollson.org http://www.acs.org http://www.hungermaps.org http://www.nptimes.com

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The NonProfit Times - December 15, 2007 Say Hello To 2008, Kissin’ Cousin of 2007 Scandal Ensnares Red Cross CEO Contents Nonprofits Getting A Second Lease On Life Hot Nonprofit Auctions Is It $10, $25 or $100? The World’s Best Fundraisers Turbo-Charged Web Use Help Wanted: 640,000 Open Positions Focus On Community Impact Has United Ways Changing Donor Migration - North Putting That Spark In Your Script NPT Jobs Resource Directory

The NonProfit Times - December 15, 2007

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