The Social Media Policy Toolkit
You’ve set up your Facebook page and Twitter account, maybe a Tumblr, pinned your interests on Pinterest, and connected with the professional world on LinkedIn. How do you make sure that once your presence is out there, it doesn't get you into any trouble? That’s where a social media policy can come in handy.
A social media policy is a document that outlines for you and your entire staff what belongs on social media--and what does not. No matter what size your organization is, developing your own policy can be an extremely worthwhile exercise, but there are a lot of questions to ask, and it’s often difficult to find the right answers on your own.
Let us help. A well-defined policy can help you better understand your social media presence, create a voice that exemplifies your organization’s values, and protect you from questionable content. Starting February 19, we are offering The Social Media Policy Toolkit, a three-week course designed to help you create a social media policy in real time with plenty of support from Idealware’s experts.
Over three weeks, we’ll break down all the critical elements of a social media policy and help you create your own. We’ll take our time discussing how you can create a policy that suits your organizational values, what to do if someone says something negative about your organization online, and how you can navigate that tricky intersection between the personal and professional that is a reality for the social media environment.
Along the way, you’ll use Idealware’s Nonprofit Social Media Policy Workbook to make sure your policy is comprehensive and easy to use. At the end of the class, you’ll walk away with a clear vision for your organization’s online presence, and have a document to show for all your hard work.
Want to hear more about the course? Check out this promotional video with your teacher, Andrea Berry, discussing a few topics from the session. Watch the video here>>>
Ready to register? Click here. This course is our lowest cost intensive toolkit of the spring, and there's never been a better time to check out our online seminars.
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Showing posts with label SocialMedia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SocialMedia. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
What are people saying about you online?
Monday, August 5, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
New Webinars to Start Summer Off Right from NYCON
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Ideal Ware:Best February 2013
Best of the Web: February 2013
The Idealware “Best of the Web” is a monthly roundup of the top nonprofit resources from the Idealware blog, our Facebook page, and our Twitter feed to help you make the right technology decisions.
A look at how social media has affected online giving.
How do you get the most bang for your buck when investing in the mobile web?
All your tactical technology planning needs in one on-demand package to solve your organization's current problems and avoid future issues.
When you start by asking the right questions, your organization will be in the best place to plan for the future.
Could you use more help thinking through how to use data to help your organization make decisions? This workbook Idealware prepared for NTEN is the perfect place to start.
Tips on how to recruit, retain, and upgrade monthly donors.
Use these apps to keep up with the rapid growth of mobile.
The 325 email marketing terms everyone needs to know.
Save time and increase your organization's productivity by becoming a Google Calendar whiz.
A Guide to Synagogue Management: Research and Recommendations (Idealware)
We looked at a variety of donor and constituent management systems to create an overview for a complex and niche market
We looked at a variety of donor and constituent management systems to create an overview for a complex and niche market
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Pew Report: How internet and social media have transformed the arts
How internet and social media have transformed the arts
By: Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger
Social media has become a new way for arts organizations to promote their work, attract new audiences, as well as advertise themselves. Audiences have become more diverse, attracting younger people to the organizations.
For the full story click here
By: Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger
Social media has become a new way for arts organizations to promote their work, attract new audiences, as well as advertise themselves. Audiences have become more diverse, attracting younger people to the organizations.
For the full story click here
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Take Your Sponsorship Opportunity Online: New Social Media Tool
The New York Future Initiative reported on a developing social media site called Groupable, a free online community that connects grassroots organizations and groups with potential corporate and local sponsors.
The site, which is based in New York, was launched in a private alpha testing phase last summer and opened to the public in beta back in January.
"We saw that it was very difficult for small groups who can't afford to hire a full-time sales person to be able to connect wih sponsors," said Gerrit Hall, 28, of Park Slope, who created the site with Groupable's C.E.O., Nate Brochin, 45, of Millburn, N.J.
The methodology behind Groupable seems simple enough (even if the way it’s explained on the site is a bit hard to follow): group or sponsor registers; group searches for and connects with sponsor, or vice versa, based on common goals and interests; sponsorship is made.
So far, an array of New York City groups have registered, ranging from civic non-profits, to arts organizations, to underwater photographers. Even the New York Tech Meetup is on there, although it seems like its profile has been inactive since it was created back in August of last year. At least one political candidate is using the service, Mark Winston Griffith, who is running in the 36th District (Crown Heights/Bed Stuy) City Council race.
But does it actually work?
Mashable, the influential social media news site, says yes. It gave Groupable high marks in a recent review:
Groupable definitely is a strong network for sponsors and groups. It’s well built and makes everything easily trackable. The issue, as with many other social media services, is critical mass – you’re probably not going to find a lot of local sponsors on Groupable yet. But even if you don’t find groups or sponsors through the service, you can add them yourself and use the platform to manage your sponsorships, making it a tool that groups that do a lot of fundraising should consider. Read more here.
Overall, the concept makes sense, and it can only help give more exposure to nonprofits and their sponsorship opportunities. It would seem sponsors would like the concept too. Do you think this has potential? Share your thoughts here.
The site, which is based in New York, was launched in a private alpha testing phase last summer and opened to the public in beta back in January.
"We saw that it was very difficult for small groups who can't afford to hire a full-time sales person to be able to connect wih sponsors," said Gerrit Hall, 28, of Park Slope, who created the site with Groupable's C.E.O., Nate Brochin, 45, of Millburn, N.J.
The methodology behind Groupable seems simple enough (even if the way it’s explained on the site is a bit hard to follow): group or sponsor registers; group searches for and connects with sponsor, or vice versa, based on common goals and interests; sponsorship is made.
So far, an array of New York City groups have registered, ranging from civic non-profits, to arts organizations, to underwater photographers. Even the New York Tech Meetup is on there, although it seems like its profile has been inactive since it was created back in August of last year. At least one political candidate is using the service, Mark Winston Griffith, who is running in the 36th District (Crown Heights/Bed Stuy) City Council race.
But does it actually work?
Mashable, the influential social media news site, says yes. It gave Groupable high marks in a recent review:
Groupable definitely is a strong network for sponsors and groups. It’s well built and makes everything easily trackable. The issue, as with many other social media services, is critical mass – you’re probably not going to find a lot of local sponsors on Groupable yet. But even if you don’t find groups or sponsors through the service, you can add them yourself and use the platform to manage your sponsorships, making it a tool that groups that do a lot of fundraising should consider. Read more here.
Overall, the concept makes sense, and it can only help give more exposure to nonprofits and their sponsorship opportunities. It would seem sponsors would like the concept too. Do you think this has potential? Share your thoughts here.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
On the Street and On Facebook: The Homeless Stay Wired
The Wall Street Journal offered an article about how even the homeless are connected online. As the article relates:
Like most San Franciscans, Charles Pitts is wired. Mr. Pitts, who is 37 years old, has accounts on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. He runs an Internet forum on Yahoo, reads news online and keeps in touch with friends via email. The tough part is managing this digital lifestyle from his residence under a highway bridge.
"You don't need a TV. You don't need a radio. You don't even need a newspaper," says Mr. Pitts, an aspiring poet in a purple cap and yellow fleece jacket, who says he has been homeless for two years. "But you need the Internet."
Mr. Pitts's experience shows how deeply computers and the Internet have permeated society. A few years ago, some people were worrying that a "digital divide" would separate technology haves and have-nots. The poorest lack the means to buy computers and Web access. Still, in America today, even people without street addresses feel compelled to have Internet addresses.
Skip Schreiber goes online in his van, which is also his home, in San Francisco's Bayview district.
New York City has put 42 computers in five of the nine shelters it operates and plans to wire the other four this year. Roughly half of another 190 shelters in the city offer computer access. The executive director of a San Francisco nonprofit group, Central City Hospitality House, estimates that half the visitors to its new eight-computer drop-in center are homeless; demand for computer time is so great that users are limited to 30 minutes. Read more here.
Like most San Franciscans, Charles Pitts is wired. Mr. Pitts, who is 37 years old, has accounts on Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. He runs an Internet forum on Yahoo, reads news online and keeps in touch with friends via email. The tough part is managing this digital lifestyle from his residence under a highway bridge.
"You don't need a TV. You don't need a radio. You don't even need a newspaper," says Mr. Pitts, an aspiring poet in a purple cap and yellow fleece jacket, who says he has been homeless for two years. "But you need the Internet."
Mr. Pitts's experience shows how deeply computers and the Internet have permeated society. A few years ago, some people were worrying that a "digital divide" would separate technology haves and have-nots. The poorest lack the means to buy computers and Web access. Still, in America today, even people without street addresses feel compelled to have Internet addresses.
Skip Schreiber goes online in his van, which is also his home, in San Francisco's Bayview district.
New York City has put 42 computers in five of the nine shelters it operates and plans to wire the other four this year. Roughly half of another 190 shelters in the city offer computer access. The executive director of a San Francisco nonprofit group, Central City Hospitality House, estimates that half the visitors to its new eight-computer drop-in center are homeless; demand for computer time is so great that users are limited to 30 minutes. Read more here.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Facebook clicks with Lower Hudson Valley nonprofits
LoHud.com reported that Facebook isn't just for hooking up with your friends, finding old college roommates and getting updates on your favorite TV show.
Not-for-profit organizations are increasingly making their presence known on the popular online social network.
Several Lower Hudson Valley agencies recently created profile pages to call attention to their programs, raise money from their newfound "friends" and attract a new generation of volunteers.
"Facebook is really the new frontier in terms of communicating with current donors, having the potential to find new donors and really having the chance to stay in touch on a much more instantaneous level," said Rand Otten, a spokeswoman for Putnam ARC, a Brewster-based organization that works with people with developmental disabilities.
Putnam ARC has a multitiered presence on Facebook - a profile page, a user group for Partners with PARC, its charitable arm, as well as a "cause" page for donations.
"In this day and age, you need to be available," said Otten, who also has PARC on the social networks Twitter and LinkedIn.
There are no hard numbers available on how many local nonprofits are using Facebook, but a quick search by county and agency name turned up fewer than 30 agencies.
Officials acknowledge they aren't quite sure how to harness the potential of tapping into Facebook's 200 million active users worldwide. But they did know that Facebook's fastest-growing demographic is people 35 and older, just the kind of people who support causes with time and money.
"I don't think there is a better option than Facebook right now," said Kiera Pollock, director of sexual trauma services for the Rockland Family Shelter, which works with victims of domestic violence.
While national nonprofits such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have developed a strong following on Facebook, Pollock said, the challenge will be for local agencies to get the word out. To that end, Pollock wants to do more than just post event listings and photographs. She plans to create a discussion board where young people can talk about issues.
A recent survey of more than 1,000 nonprofits nationwide found that three had a presence on Facebook, most for less than two years.
Holly Ross, executive director of NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Network, one of three groups that conducted the survey, said 40 percent of survey respondents reported raising money on Facebook, but 29 percent raised $500 or less over the past 12 months.
"You don't want to have high expectations at this point because we don't know how to do it the right way yet," said Ross, whose organization is based in Portland, Ore. "At this point, you should be thinking of it as an experiment."
Laura Schwartz, executive director of the White Plains-based Child Abuse Prevention Center of New York, said her reason for joining in March was exposure.
"We're one of the best-kept secrets in Westchester and that's really horrible for a nonprofit," said Schwartz, whose agency employs six people and has 68 volunteers.
Otten, of Putnam ARC, recently hosted a breakfast to introduce social networking for area nonprofits. Of the 25 nonprofits in attendance, fewer than five were on Facebook. Most saw it as a better alternative than quarterly newsletters and e-mail blasts, but they didn't know how to set up a page (it takes about 15 minutes).
Plus, the price was right: free.
Since Meals on Wheels Programs and Services of Rockland joined Facebook's cause section two months ago, 84 people have joined. The Nanuet agency has also raised $210 toward its goal of $1,000 to provide home delivery of meals to four clients in June.
Jim Burton, assistant executive director for operations for Meals on Wheels, said his agency, like many nonprofits, isn't entirely sure of what it hopes to accomplish on Facebook, but he is certain that they need to be there.
"It's crucial because it's a world that revolves around technology," he said. "This is going to be expected by people down the road."
Not-for-profit organizations are increasingly making their presence known on the popular online social network.
Several Lower Hudson Valley agencies recently created profile pages to call attention to their programs, raise money from their newfound "friends" and attract a new generation of volunteers.
"Facebook is really the new frontier in terms of communicating with current donors, having the potential to find new donors and really having the chance to stay in touch on a much more instantaneous level," said Rand Otten, a spokeswoman for Putnam ARC, a Brewster-based organization that works with people with developmental disabilities.
Putnam ARC has a multitiered presence on Facebook - a profile page, a user group for Partners with PARC, its charitable arm, as well as a "cause" page for donations.
"In this day and age, you need to be available," said Otten, who also has PARC on the social networks Twitter and LinkedIn.
There are no hard numbers available on how many local nonprofits are using Facebook, but a quick search by county and agency name turned up fewer than 30 agencies.
Officials acknowledge they aren't quite sure how to harness the potential of tapping into Facebook's 200 million active users worldwide. But they did know that Facebook's fastest-growing demographic is people 35 and older, just the kind of people who support causes with time and money.
"I don't think there is a better option than Facebook right now," said Kiera Pollock, director of sexual trauma services for the Rockland Family Shelter, which works with victims of domestic violence.
While national nonprofits such as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have developed a strong following on Facebook, Pollock said, the challenge will be for local agencies to get the word out. To that end, Pollock wants to do more than just post event listings and photographs. She plans to create a discussion board where young people can talk about issues.
A recent survey of more than 1,000 nonprofits nationwide found that three had a presence on Facebook, most for less than two years.
Holly Ross, executive director of NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Network, one of three groups that conducted the survey, said 40 percent of survey respondents reported raising money on Facebook, but 29 percent raised $500 or less over the past 12 months.
"You don't want to have high expectations at this point because we don't know how to do it the right way yet," said Ross, whose organization is based in Portland, Ore. "At this point, you should be thinking of it as an experiment."
Laura Schwartz, executive director of the White Plains-based Child Abuse Prevention Center of New York, said her reason for joining in March was exposure.
"We're one of the best-kept secrets in Westchester and that's really horrible for a nonprofit," said Schwartz, whose agency employs six people and has 68 volunteers.
Otten, of Putnam ARC, recently hosted a breakfast to introduce social networking for area nonprofits. Of the 25 nonprofits in attendance, fewer than five were on Facebook. Most saw it as a better alternative than quarterly newsletters and e-mail blasts, but they didn't know how to set up a page (it takes about 15 minutes).
Plus, the price was right: free.
Since Meals on Wheels Programs and Services of Rockland joined Facebook's cause section two months ago, 84 people have joined. The Nanuet agency has also raised $210 toward its goal of $1,000 to provide home delivery of meals to four clients in June.
Jim Burton, assistant executive director for operations for Meals on Wheels, said his agency, like many nonprofits, isn't entirely sure of what it hopes to accomplish on Facebook, but he is certain that they need to be there.
"It's crucial because it's a world that revolves around technology," he said. "This is going to be expected by people down the road."
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Nonprofits Seek Increased Support for Advocacy; Concerns Over Offending Donor Base and Board Members Also Barriers
Supporting a cause is central to the mission of most nonprofit organizations in the United States, but a lack of resources often forces lobbying and advocacy to the back burner, according to a roundtable of leaders and experts gathered by the Johns Hopkins University Nonprofit Listening Post Project.
Besides having limited funds and small staffs to devote to lobbying, nonprofit leaders also worry that taking strong stances on the issues will offend their donors and board members.
"Nonprofits are supposed to be the agents of democracy and give voice to the powerless," noted Lester M. Salamon, director of the Center for Civil Society Studies at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies. "But their ability to do this is hampered by limited funding."
The roundtable brought together experts in nonprofit advocacy and practitioners representing both service organizations and intermediary organizations. Participants explored nonprofit involvement in the policy process and identified steps that might be taken to boost the scope, scale, and effectiveness of policy advocacy.
Issues raised by roundtable participants included:
85 percent of responding organizations spent less than 2 percent of their budget on advocacy or lobbying.
Besides having limited funds and small staffs to devote to lobbying, nonprofit leaders also worry that taking strong stances on the issues will offend their donors and board members.
"Nonprofits are supposed to be the agents of democracy and give voice to the powerless," noted Lester M. Salamon, director of the Center for Civil Society Studies at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Policy Studies. "But their ability to do this is hampered by limited funding."
The roundtable brought together experts in nonprofit advocacy and practitioners representing both service organizations and intermediary organizations. Participants explored nonprofit involvement in the policy process and identified steps that might be taken to boost the scope, scale, and effectiveness of policy advocacy.
Issues raised by roundtable participants included:
- A lack of funding for nonprofit advocacy and lobbying efforts.
- Concerns among nonprofits that policy advocacy efforts would be frowned upon by their local community, offend their donor base, or encounter board disapproval.
- The need to strengthen and underwrite the activities of advocacy coalitions and intermediary groups, which are increasingly important in nonprofit advocacy efforts.
- Concerns that while nonprofits can be somewhat effective in "playing defense" by responding to a proposed policy or legislative cut, they often lack the resources or sophistication needed to develop new policy proposals.
Participants also identified steps that might be taken to boost nonprofit policy advocacy including:
- Taking a more strategic and inventive approach to advocacy by encouraging board members to tap into their own social networks or by bringing the people organizations serve directly into lobbying efforts to build greater credibility.
- Integrate advocacy into all aspects of an organization by including it in mission statements, strategic plans, staff job descriptions, board job descriptions and budgets.
- Encourage foundations to support nonprofit policy advocacy and invest in local, state, and national nonprofit advocacy coalitions and intermediary organizations.
- Learn to act strategically and build long-term positive relationships between nonprofits and government officials.
- Rely on a wide range of tools, not just e-mail but also blogs and social networking sites such as Facebook.
- Educate legislators and the public about the nonprofit sector's critical role in public service and advocacy in order to build recognition of the value of engaging nonprofit organizations in the policy arena.
85 percent of responding organizations spent less than 2 percent of their budget on advocacy or lobbying.
- Nearly three-fourths of all responding organizations reported undertaking some form of advocacy or lobbying, such as signing correspondence to a public official. However, when it came to more involved forms of participation, such as testifying at hearings or organizing a public event, the proportions reporting any involvement fell to about a third.
- The vast majority (90 percent) of surveyed organizations agreed that "nonprofits have a duty to advocate for policies important to their missions;" a comparable proportion also agreed that organizations like their own should be "more active and involved."
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Chronicle of Philanthropy Podcast Series
The Chronicle of Philanthropy has launched a monthly free audio series called Social Good. Offered by Allison Fine, a communications expert and former nonprofit leader, these podcasts offer lessons on how charities and foundations can use social-media tools to spread their messages and raise money.
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