Picks of the Week: January 10 - 17, 2010

Website of the Week -- Everyday Democracy

Everyday Democracy helps local communities explore ways for all kinds of people to think, talk and work together to solve problems. Using groundbreaking tools and methods for organizing large-scale dialogue and collaborative problem solving, Everyday Democracy works with neighborhoods, cities and towns, regions, and states, helping them pay particular attention to how racism and ethnic differences affect the problems they address. The organization partners with local, regional and national innovators to explore ways to connect public dialogue to community change and governance, and to place racial inclusion at the forefront of practices to strengthen democracy. Building on the real-life challenges and successes of communities, Everyday Democracy creates flexible tools and processes that are widely used and adapted in the United States and beyond. For more information, go to: http://www.everyday-democracy.org/en/Index.aspx.


Publication of the Week -- Transformational Philanthropy: Entrepreneurs and Nonprofits by Lisa Dietlin

From the publisher: Transformational Philanthropy: Entrepreneurs and Nonprofits is a practical guide on attracting entrepreneurs to nonprofit organizations as an investor, donor and true philanthropist. It provides insight into the decision making patterns, expectations, and philanthropic behaviors of entrepreneurs. The primary use of this book will be for those in the philanthropic world to understand how to approach entrepreneurs for donations and contributions. The book includes real world examples, industry statistics, case studies, interviews, and important "how-to" tips related to entrepreneurs. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week -- 5 Trends that Will Affect Online Fundraising in 2010

Network for Good has identified five trends that will have impact on nonprofit online fundraising in 2010:

1. Nonprofits may see a greater number of donations with a smaller average gift size.
2. As much as the media talks of a possible economic rebound, prospective supporters will still be wary of donating to new causes.
3. Email outreach will continue its upward trend, meaning more email in subscribers' inboxes.
3. Recurring gifts will be a huge portion of online giving.
4. As in the past, year-end gifts will account for a substantial percentage of total annual contributions.

For more information including implications for nonprofits, go to: http://www.fundraising123.org.


Resource of the Week -- eBay Giving Works

eBay Giving Works is the program that helps sellers list items on eBay to benefit nonprofits. Any eBay seller who has an account in good standing can create an eBay Giving Works listing. The program is administered by MissionFish, a licensed nonprofit organization. Because charitable fundraising is a highly regulated area subject to numerous state and federal laws, eBay has created very specific guidelines for allowing charitable solicitations. eBay Giving Works listings stand out with a nonprofit icon. The nonprofit is also described in the listing. Plus, nonprofit listings receive additional visibility through specialized search functionality. eBay Giving Works listings on average tend to sell more often with more bids and at higher final prices. For more information, go to: http://givingworks.ebay.com. To view a short video describing eBay Giving Works, go to: http://www.archive.org.


Tech Tip of the Week -- Align Controls in Access 2007 Using Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts allow you to quickly access frequently used commands or operations. In the past we have published numerous tips for using keyboard shortcuts in Word and Excel. Here are a few for Access 2007 users:

• Display a form or report in Design View or Layout view
• Select a control or controls
• Press Ctrl + L to align the text to the left
• Press Ctrl + R to align the to the right
• Press Ctrl + E to center the text

When using keyboard shortcuts remember to hold the Ctrl key down while pressing the letter. Microsoft provides a complete listing of Access 2007 keyboard shortcuts at office.microsoft.com.