Picks of the Week: January 23, 2010

Website of the Week – Socialbrite

Socialbrite is a learning hub & sharing community that brings together top experts in social media, causes and online philanthropy. The organization aims to share insights about tools and best practices that advance the social good. Socialbrite is an ad-free community learning center which also offers strategic services to nonprofits. One of the highlights of the website is an extensive collection of tutorials created to help show nonprofits, cause organizations, businesses and individuals how to effectively use social media. Most of the tutorials are short video screencasts. For more information, go to: http://www.socialbrite.org.


Publication of the Week -- Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits: Real-World Strategies That Work by Ilona Bray

From the publisher: Getting tax-exempt status for your nonprofit organization is just the first step toward succeeding in your mission -- ultimately, your nonprofit's effectiveness depends entirely on your ability to raise money. Fortunately, Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits will show you how. Featuring advice and stories from over 40 experienced fundraisers, foundation staffers, journalists, and more, the 3rd edition of Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits offers strategies for raising donations from individuals, companies, and institutions, and covers the tools and staff you'll need to get the job done. The 3rd edition is updated to include a new focus on fundraising in the down economy and features input from development professionals across the U.S. And, you can read up on latest studies on who gives the most and why and the latest tips for "greening" your nonprofit's special events. Plus, you'll get the latest tax figures, guidelines for the new IRS Form 990, and updated resource recommendations and contact information. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.


Trend of the Week – Internet Deeply Embedded in Organizational Life in America

The internet is now deeply embedded in group and organizational life in America. A new national survey by the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project has found that 75% of all American adults are active in some kind of voluntary group or organization and internet users are more likely than others to be active: 80% of internet users participate in groups, compared with 56% of non-internet users. And social media users are even more likely to be active: 82% of social network users and 85% of Twitter users are group participants. In this survey, Pew Internet asked about 27 different kinds of groups and found great diversity in group membership and participation using traditional and new technologies. Asked to assess the overall impact of the internet on group activities:

• 68% of all Americans (internet users and non-users alike) said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to communicate with members. Some 75% of internet users said that.
• 62% of all Americans said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to draw attention to an issue. Some 68% of internet users said that.
• 60% of all Americans said the internet has had a major impact on the ability of groups to connect with other groups. Some 67% of internet users said that.

To access the full report, go to: http://pewinternet.org.


Resource of the Week – Fundraising Resources for Nonprofits

Blackbaud has complied an extensive collection of resources for nonprofits on topics including fundraising, financial management, online fundraising, website management, prospect research, business intelligence, and nonprofit management. The resources are organized in the following categories: white papers, internet resources, industry research, tip sheets, podcasts, newsletters and more. Go to: http://www.blackbaud.com.


Tech Tip of the Week -- Microsoft Office 2010 Quick Reference Guides

There are a lot of great resources to help you learn Office 2010. Custom Guide Online Learning has created printable 2-page quick reference guides which you can download for free. Give it a try.

Word 2010

Excel 2010

PowerPoint 2010