Website of the Week – Urban Institute - The Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy
The Center on Nonprofits and Philanthropy (CNP) explores the role and impact of nonprofit organizations and philanthropy in democratic societies. CNP is developing the Nonprofit Advocacy Initiative, a five-year project that brings together people and institutions with diverse expertise to examine how the advocacy activities of nonprofit organizations affect public attitudes and civic participation, political discourse, public policy, and social change. Go to: http://www.urban.org/center/cnp/index.cfm.
Publication of the Week -- Net Work: A Practical Guide to Creating and Sustaining Networks at Work and in the World by Patti Anklam
From the publisher: Patti Anklam provides a guide for leaders and participants to work within and lead purposeful social networks "in the world." Awareness of "networks" and "networked organizations" has reached the mainstream of the business publishing world, as evidenced in the increasing number of articles in such publications as the Harvard Business Review and the Sloan Management Review. Formal networks include civic organizations like Rotary International, alumni groups, and business and professional groups. There is yet another class of network that is not yet well defined, and for which the norms and governance models are emerging--networks such as inter-company and intra-company learning and collaboration networks; independent consultants who share common interests and passions who want to remain independent but work collaboratively and consistently with like-minded others. They can be geographically local business networks; web-based virtual learning groups and communities; or global action networks destined to make the world a better place. The purpose of this book is to provide a taxonomy and guidebook to these "emergent" networks, with a specific focus on helping leaders and participants to create and sustain successful networks. It will address the need for articulating a governance model and norms, selecting and using appropriate tools, and expectations for how the network will grow and change over time. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Giving USA 2011 Highlights
After a steeper drop than was previously believed - 13.2 percent between 2007 and 2009 - charitable giving rose slightly in 2010 to $290.89 billion, according to Giving USA 2011, the annual report on philanthropy released today by the Giving USA Foundation. While this year's inflation-adjusted increase of 2.1 percent is a promising sign, it also signals the need for modest expectations: at this rate, it could take another five to six years for giving to return to pre-recession levels. Other highlights of the Giving USA 2011 study include:
• Even with this year's uptick, total philanthropy only returned to levels from the year 2000, accounting for inflation, as demonstrated on the graph below.
• Giving remained above 2 percent of GDP for the fourteenth consecutive year - a testament to philanthropy's place as a core American value.
• Religion continued to receive the largest share of contributions in 2010, followed by education.
• On the whole, most sectors experienced growth over 2009 levels of philanthropy. Most notably, international affairs received 13.5 percent more contributions (adjusted for inflation), driven primarily by Haiti relief efforts and grants from the Gates Foundation.
• After two years of decline, arts and culture showed a healthy uptick of over 4 percent.
To download an executive summary of Giving USA 2011 free of charge, go to: http://www.givingusareports.org/free.php.
Resource of the Week – Ten Tactics for Engaging the Public
How can online tools help you engage citizens in public decision-making and problem-solving? What are the most common mistakes being made by public managers and other leaders as they try to work with the public online? In a given scenario, which tools and tactics seem most appropriate and effective? Using Online Tools to Engage – and be Engaged by – the Public, a new report from the IBM Center for the Business of Government, delves into these questions, describes a range of scenarios and tactics, and gives real-world examples of online engagement. It highlights over 40 different technologies in use today to support various kinds of public participation. Though it was compiled for use by governments, the report and the tools listed in this table are also worth considering for nonprofits that wish to engage their stakeholders online. To download this resource, go to: http://www.businessofgovernment.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Copy Formatting in Word
A previously published tip Fast Formatting covered using format painter (the paintbrush icon) to copy the format of text. Since I am a fan of shortcut keys, and sometimes format painter seems a bit erratic when using it to repeatedly copy the same format, here's how to do the same thing using shortcut keys:
• Click on the text which you want to copy a format from
• Press Ctrl+Shift+C (copy format) to copy the text formatting of the area where the cursor is located
• Select the text you want to copy the format to and press Ctrl+Shift+V (paste format)
This method is even more flexible than using the paintbrush. You can paste the format as many times as you want, since the format copy is saved in a memory area like the clipboard, and still do other things in between copies. And it appears to work in all versions of Word.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Picks of the Week: June 19 - 25, 2011
Website of the Week – City University of New York: Center for the Study of Philanthropy
The Center for the Study of Philanthropy administers the Global Network on Women's Advocacy and Civil Society. The Network disseminates information on women's issues among research centers, nonprofit organizations, and advocacy groups. Network users have access to an active bibliography of resources, a discussion listserv, and other research studies. Go to: http://www.philanthropy.org.
Publication of the Week -- Nonprofit Consulting Essentials: What Nonprofits and Consultants Need to Know by Penelope Cagney
From the publisher: Author Penelope Cagney is an active consultant and principal of The Cagney Company. A recognized authority on nonprofit consulting, she is a sought-after presenter for international conferences and webinars, as well as a frequent contributor to publications worldwide. Everyone seems to have a different idea of what it means to consult or be a consultant, especially in the charitable sector. Finally, we have a book, Nonprofit Consulting Essentials that really delves into the assumptions and truths and the roles and responsibilities of consultants. This really is an essential guide to nonprofit consulting and capacity building in the current climate of dramatic and discontinuous change. Whether you are just entering the sector or looking to refresh your skills, this book is a must-read. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Obstacles to Nonprofit Innovation and Performance Measurement
In early 2010, the Johns Hopkins Listening Post Project conducted a survey focused on nonprofit innovation and performance measurement. This survey produced three important findings:
• The adoption of innovative practices is widespread among nonprofits. In fact, the vast majority (82 percent) of all Sounding respondents reported implementing at least one innovative program or service over the past five years.
• Although innovation is widespread within the nonprofit sector, it is not as widespread as it could be. Thus, more than two‐thirds of the organizations reported having at least one innovation in the past two years alone that they wanted to adopt but were unable to, and most attributed this inability to a lack of funding.
• Especially troubling was respondents’ inability to move promising innovations to scale. Reasons included a lack of “growth capital,” narrow govern‐mental funding streams, and the tendency of foundations to encourage innovations but then not sustain support for them.
This survey demonstrated that a key challenge for nonprofits isn’t a dearth of innovative ideas, but rather a lack of much‐needed resources to develop and sustain them. To explore this problem in greater depth and gain a better understanding of how nonprofits can overcome this obstacle, in December 2010 the Listening Post Project held an online webinar which brought together nonprofit experts, representatives of nonprofit intermediary organizations, and practitioners from a diverse set of nonprofit organizations. A new report summarizes the major findings that emerged from the session and proposes strategies that could help nonprofits to deploy innovative services and programs despite scarce resources. To read the report on this webinar or last year's survey findings that it discussed, please visit: http://www.ccss.jhu.edu.
Resource of the Week – Imagine Canada's Nonprofit Library
Imagine Canada is a national charitable organization whose mission is to support and strengthen Canada’s charities and nonprofits so they can, in turn, support the Canadians and communities they serve. Imagine Canada’s Nonprofit Library is the largest online resource center for people who work in Canada's charities and nonprofits. The Nonprofit Library offers recommended resource lists and a searchable database to the John Hodgson Library collection, the most comprehensive collection of Canadian research and practical resources in the following areas: governance & accountability, philanthropy & fundraising, organizational management, human resources and volunteerism. Non-Canadian nonprofits will find Imagine Canada’s library to be of great support to their work as well. To access this extensive Library, go to: .
Tech Tip of the Week -- Create Equations in Excel 2010
In Excel 2010 you can insert common mathematical equations into your worksheets or build your own equations with the new equation editing tools. Here’s how:
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the Symbols group, click the arrow next to Equation
• Select from the equation gallery and the equation is inserted in a text box
To build your own equation:
• Insert a text box (or shape)
• Click to select the text box (or shape)
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the Symbols group, click Equation
• The Equation Tools Design Ribbon is displayed
The Center for the Study of Philanthropy administers the Global Network on Women's Advocacy and Civil Society. The Network disseminates information on women's issues among research centers, nonprofit organizations, and advocacy groups. Network users have access to an active bibliography of resources, a discussion listserv, and other research studies. Go to: http://www.philanthropy.org.
Publication of the Week -- Nonprofit Consulting Essentials: What Nonprofits and Consultants Need to Know by Penelope Cagney
From the publisher: Author Penelope Cagney is an active consultant and principal of The Cagney Company. A recognized authority on nonprofit consulting, she is a sought-after presenter for international conferences and webinars, as well as a frequent contributor to publications worldwide. Everyone seems to have a different idea of what it means to consult or be a consultant, especially in the charitable sector. Finally, we have a book, Nonprofit Consulting Essentials that really delves into the assumptions and truths and the roles and responsibilities of consultants. This really is an essential guide to nonprofit consulting and capacity building in the current climate of dramatic and discontinuous change. Whether you are just entering the sector or looking to refresh your skills, this book is a must-read. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Obstacles to Nonprofit Innovation and Performance Measurement
In early 2010, the Johns Hopkins Listening Post Project conducted a survey focused on nonprofit innovation and performance measurement. This survey produced three important findings:
• The adoption of innovative practices is widespread among nonprofits. In fact, the vast majority (82 percent) of all Sounding respondents reported implementing at least one innovative program or service over the past five years.
• Although innovation is widespread within the nonprofit sector, it is not as widespread as it could be. Thus, more than two‐thirds of the organizations reported having at least one innovation in the past two years alone that they wanted to adopt but were unable to, and most attributed this inability to a lack of funding.
• Especially troubling was respondents’ inability to move promising innovations to scale. Reasons included a lack of “growth capital,” narrow govern‐mental funding streams, and the tendency of foundations to encourage innovations but then not sustain support for them.
This survey demonstrated that a key challenge for nonprofits isn’t a dearth of innovative ideas, but rather a lack of much‐needed resources to develop and sustain them. To explore this problem in greater depth and gain a better understanding of how nonprofits can overcome this obstacle, in December 2010 the Listening Post Project held an online webinar which brought together nonprofit experts, representatives of nonprofit intermediary organizations, and practitioners from a diverse set of nonprofit organizations. A new report summarizes the major findings that emerged from the session and proposes strategies that could help nonprofits to deploy innovative services and programs despite scarce resources. To read the report on this webinar or last year's survey findings that it discussed, please visit: http://www.ccss.jhu.edu.
Resource of the Week – Imagine Canada's Nonprofit Library
Imagine Canada is a national charitable organization whose mission is to support and strengthen Canada’s charities and nonprofits so they can, in turn, support the Canadians and communities they serve. Imagine Canada’s Nonprofit Library is the largest online resource center for people who work in Canada's charities and nonprofits. The Nonprofit Library offers recommended resource lists and a searchable database to the John Hodgson Library collection, the most comprehensive collection of Canadian research and practical resources in the following areas: governance & accountability, philanthropy & fundraising, organizational management, human resources and volunteerism. Non-Canadian nonprofits will find Imagine Canada’s library to be of great support to their work as well. To access this extensive Library, go to: .
Tech Tip of the Week -- Create Equations in Excel 2010
In Excel 2010 you can insert common mathematical equations into your worksheets or build your own equations with the new equation editing tools. Here’s how:
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the Symbols group, click the arrow next to Equation
• Select from the equation gallery and the equation is inserted in a text box
To build your own equation:
• Insert a text box (or shape)
• Click to select the text box (or shape)
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the Symbols group, click Equation
• The Equation Tools Design Ribbon is displayed
Monday, June 13, 2011
Picks of the Week: June 12-18, 2011
Website of the Week – Renaissance Journalism Center
The Renaissance Journalism Center (RJC), a project of San Francisco State University’s Journalism Department, incubates innovative approaches to journalism and storytelling that serve, strengthen and empower communities. Created in 2009, the Center provides grants, technical assistance and training, and forges entrepreneurial partnerships with journalists and their news organizations, ethnic media and hyperlocal news sites, philanthropic and nonprofit organizations, scholars and students. The Center is operated in partnership with ZeroDivide, a foundation that leverages technology to benefit people in low-income, minority and other disadvantaged communities. Go to: http://rjcmedia.org. The Renaissance Journalism Center created a toolkit to help community/ethnic media outlets and nonprofit organizations to become more adept users of new media – from video and audio, to the various social media, blogs, SEO, and monitoring and metrics. To access the Toolkit, go to: http://newmediatoolkit.org.
Publication of the Week -- Fundraising for Social Change, 6th Edition by Kim Klein
From the publisher: New edition! This bestselling book is one of the most widely used in the field by nonprofit organizations across the country. A soup to nuts description of how to build, maintain and expand an individual donor program, this book is often called "the Bible of grassroots fundraising." Since it was first published in 1988, Fundraising for Social Change has become one of the most widely used books on fundraising in the United States. Fundraising practitioners and activists rely on it for hands-on, specific, and accessible fundraising techniques, and it has become a required text in dozens of college courses around the country. This new edition offers the information that has made the book a classic: proven know-how on asking for money, planning and conducting major gifts campaigns, using direct mail effectively, and much more. The book has been significantly changed to include new technology—e-mail, online giving, and blogs—and contains expanded chapters on capital and endowment campaigns, how to feel comfortable asking for money, how to recruit a team of people to help with fundraising, and how to build meaningful relationships with donors. In addition, this essential resource contains new information on such timely topics as ethics, working across cultural lines, and how to create opportunities for fundraising more systematically and strategically. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Nonprofits' Use of Facebook
In February 2011, Idealware surveyed 505 nonprofit organizations using Facebook as part of their communications mix in order to answer some of the questions from last year's social media survey and find out where the nonprofit world stands after the Nonprofit Social Media Decision Guide. This report sums up the results of the survey, with high-level takeaways of the data, as well as overviews of how much time organizations are spending on Facebook, how many have set goals and how they’re keeping track of their own results. This is all interspersed with case studies and quotes from the interviews to shed light on what success means on Facebook and to provide ideas on how to use the site. Key findings include:
• About 200 of the 505 organizations surveyed reported success converting Facebook fans into donors or volunteers.
• More than 70 percent of respondents saw a significant increase in traffic to their websites because of their Facebook presence.
• About 66 percent of respondents from advocacy organizations saw an increase in people taking some noticeable form of action, like signing a petition.
• 80% of the respondents felt that Facebook helped them enhance their relationship to existing constituents
To access the report, go to: http://www.nonprofitfacebookguy.com.
Resource of the Week – Donated Goods and Services for Nonprofits
Good360, a registered 501(c)(3), is an innovative online marketplace where product donations from America's top brands become goods for the greater good. Register today to browse our online catalog, arrange for direct shipping or pick-ups in your neighborhood, and connect with local donors for recurring pick-ups. Corporate partners include Home Depot, HP, Bed Bath and Beyond and many more. Go to: http://good360.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Recolor a Picture or Change the Color or Transparency in Office 2010
In Office 2010 -- Word, PowerPoint and Excel -- you can recolor a picture, adjust the color saturation and tone, and more! Here's how:
• Select the picture you want to recolor
• Click the Picture Tools Format tab on the Ribbon
• In the Adjust group, click Color
• Select one of the many options, for example:
The Renaissance Journalism Center (RJC), a project of San Francisco State University’s Journalism Department, incubates innovative approaches to journalism and storytelling that serve, strengthen and empower communities. Created in 2009, the Center provides grants, technical assistance and training, and forges entrepreneurial partnerships with journalists and their news organizations, ethnic media and hyperlocal news sites, philanthropic and nonprofit organizations, scholars and students. The Center is operated in partnership with ZeroDivide, a foundation that leverages technology to benefit people in low-income, minority and other disadvantaged communities. Go to: http://rjcmedia.org. The Renaissance Journalism Center created a toolkit to help community/ethnic media outlets and nonprofit organizations to become more adept users of new media – from video and audio, to the various social media, blogs, SEO, and monitoring and metrics. To access the Toolkit, go to: http://newmediatoolkit.org.
Publication of the Week -- Fundraising for Social Change, 6th Edition by Kim Klein
From the publisher: New edition! This bestselling book is one of the most widely used in the field by nonprofit organizations across the country. A soup to nuts description of how to build, maintain and expand an individual donor program, this book is often called "the Bible of grassroots fundraising." Since it was first published in 1988, Fundraising for Social Change has become one of the most widely used books on fundraising in the United States. Fundraising practitioners and activists rely on it for hands-on, specific, and accessible fundraising techniques, and it has become a required text in dozens of college courses around the country. This new edition offers the information that has made the book a classic: proven know-how on asking for money, planning and conducting major gifts campaigns, using direct mail effectively, and much more. The book has been significantly changed to include new technology—e-mail, online giving, and blogs—and contains expanded chapters on capital and endowment campaigns, how to feel comfortable asking for money, how to recruit a team of people to help with fundraising, and how to build meaningful relationships with donors. In addition, this essential resource contains new information on such timely topics as ethics, working across cultural lines, and how to create opportunities for fundraising more systematically and strategically. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Nonprofits' Use of Facebook
In February 2011, Idealware surveyed 505 nonprofit organizations using Facebook as part of their communications mix in order to answer some of the questions from last year's social media survey and find out where the nonprofit world stands after the Nonprofit Social Media Decision Guide. This report sums up the results of the survey, with high-level takeaways of the data, as well as overviews of how much time organizations are spending on Facebook, how many have set goals and how they’re keeping track of their own results. This is all interspersed with case studies and quotes from the interviews to shed light on what success means on Facebook and to provide ideas on how to use the site. Key findings include:
• About 200 of the 505 organizations surveyed reported success converting Facebook fans into donors or volunteers.
• More than 70 percent of respondents saw a significant increase in traffic to their websites because of their Facebook presence.
• About 66 percent of respondents from advocacy organizations saw an increase in people taking some noticeable form of action, like signing a petition.
• 80% of the respondents felt that Facebook helped them enhance their relationship to existing constituents
To access the report, go to: http://www.nonprofitfacebookguy.com.
Resource of the Week – Donated Goods and Services for Nonprofits
Good360, a registered 501(c)(3), is an innovative online marketplace where product donations from America's top brands become goods for the greater good. Register today to browse our online catalog, arrange for direct shipping or pick-ups in your neighborhood, and connect with local donors for recurring pick-ups. Corporate partners include Home Depot, HP, Bed Bath and Beyond and many more. Go to: http://good360.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Recolor a Picture or Change the Color or Transparency in Office 2010
In Office 2010 -- Word, PowerPoint and Excel -- you can recolor a picture, adjust the color saturation and tone, and more! Here's how:
• Select the picture you want to recolor
• Click the Picture Tools Format tab on the Ribbon
• In the Adjust group, click Color
• Select one of the many options, for example:
Monday, June 6, 2011
Picks of the Week: June 5-11, 2011
Website of the Week – Institute for Social Entrepreneurs
The Institute for Social Entrepreneurs provides education, training and consulting services for social entrepreneurs in the United States and abroad. The website includes introductory resources to social entrepreneurship, a glossary, bibliography, links to other useful websites and more. Go to: www.socialent.org.
Publication of the Week -- The Search for Social Entrepreneurship by Paul Charles Light
From the publisher: Research on social entrepreneurship is finally catching up to its rapidly growing potential. In The Search for Social Entrepreneurship, Paul Light explores this surge of interest to establish the state of knowledge on this growing phenomenon and suggest directions for future research. Light begins by outlining the debate on how to define social entrepreneurship, a concept often cited and lauded but not necessarily understood. The subsequent section examines the four main components of social entrepreneurship: ideas, opportunities, organizations, and the entrepreneurs themselves. The copious information available about each has yet to be mined for lessons on making social entrepreneurship a success. The third section draws on Light s original survey research on 131 high-performing nonprofits, exploring how they differ across the four key components. The fourth and final section offers recommendations for future action and research in this burgeoning field. Paul C. Light is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Public Service at New York University. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Social Media Reaching African Americans and Hispanics
Nearly one in three African American adults (30%) and four in ten Hispanics (39%) say they are more likely to support a cause or social issue online than offline today—both significantly higher percentages than Caucasians (24%), according to the new Dynamics of Cause Engagement study. Jointly conducted in late 2010 by Georgetown University’s Center for Social Impact Communication and Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, the study examined trends in cause involvement and the roles of a variety of activities in fostering engagement with social issues among American adults age 18 and over. Other key findings include:
• African Americans and Hispanics are significantly more likely to believe that they can help get the word out about a social issue or cause through online social networks.
• African Americans and Hispanics are significantly more likely than Caucasians to look to social media as an additional source of information.
• African Americans and Hispanics are significantly more likely than Caucasians to be involved in several key issues, including diabetes, domestic violence, bullying, childhood obesity, Haiti relief and HIV/AIDS.
For more information, go to: http://csic.georgetown.edu.
Resource of the Week – Key Elements of Effectiveness: Bridgespan’s Organization Wheel
High performing nonprofits think about their organizations as much more than the boxes and lines on an “org chart.” The Bridgespan Group finds that truly effective organizations exhibit strengths in five key interrelated areas: leadership, decision-making and structure, people, work processes and systems, and culture. Effective organizations pay attention to 10 key characteristics across these five areas. For example, effective leadership requires having a clear vision that is translated into well understood priorities, and supported by a cohesive and aligned leadership team. For more information on these important capacity building framework, go to: http://www.bridgestar.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Apply Artistic Effects to Pictures in PowerPoint 2010
You can apply artistic effects to a picture in PowerPoint 2010 to make it look more like a sketch, drawing, or painting. Only one effect can be applied at a time. Applying a different artistic effect will remove the previously applied effect. Here's how:
• Click the picture you want to apply an artistic effect to
• Click the Picture Tools Format tab on the Ribbon
• In the Adjust group, click Artistic Effects
• Click the effect that you want to apply
• Click Artistic Effects Options to fine tune the artistic effect
The Institute for Social Entrepreneurs provides education, training and consulting services for social entrepreneurs in the United States and abroad. The website includes introductory resources to social entrepreneurship, a glossary, bibliography, links to other useful websites and more. Go to: www.socialent.org.
Publication of the Week -- The Search for Social Entrepreneurship by Paul Charles Light
From the publisher: Research on social entrepreneurship is finally catching up to its rapidly growing potential. In The Search for Social Entrepreneurship, Paul Light explores this surge of interest to establish the state of knowledge on this growing phenomenon and suggest directions for future research. Light begins by outlining the debate on how to define social entrepreneurship, a concept often cited and lauded but not necessarily understood. The subsequent section examines the four main components of social entrepreneurship: ideas, opportunities, organizations, and the entrepreneurs themselves. The copious information available about each has yet to be mined for lessons on making social entrepreneurship a success. The third section draws on Light s original survey research on 131 high-performing nonprofits, exploring how they differ across the four key components. The fourth and final section offers recommendations for future action and research in this burgeoning field. Paul C. Light is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Public Service at New York University. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Social Media Reaching African Americans and Hispanics
Nearly one in three African American adults (30%) and four in ten Hispanics (39%) say they are more likely to support a cause or social issue online than offline today—both significantly higher percentages than Caucasians (24%), according to the new Dynamics of Cause Engagement study. Jointly conducted in late 2010 by Georgetown University’s Center for Social Impact Communication and Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, the study examined trends in cause involvement and the roles of a variety of activities in fostering engagement with social issues among American adults age 18 and over. Other key findings include:
• African Americans and Hispanics are significantly more likely to believe that they can help get the word out about a social issue or cause through online social networks.
• African Americans and Hispanics are significantly more likely than Caucasians to look to social media as an additional source of information.
• African Americans and Hispanics are significantly more likely than Caucasians to be involved in several key issues, including diabetes, domestic violence, bullying, childhood obesity, Haiti relief and HIV/AIDS.
For more information, go to: http://csic.georgetown.edu.
Resource of the Week – Key Elements of Effectiveness: Bridgespan’s Organization Wheel
High performing nonprofits think about their organizations as much more than the boxes and lines on an “org chart.” The Bridgespan Group finds that truly effective organizations exhibit strengths in five key interrelated areas: leadership, decision-making and structure, people, work processes and systems, and culture. Effective organizations pay attention to 10 key characteristics across these five areas. For example, effective leadership requires having a clear vision that is translated into well understood priorities, and supported by a cohesive and aligned leadership team. For more information on these important capacity building framework, go to: http://www.bridgestar.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Apply Artistic Effects to Pictures in PowerPoint 2010
You can apply artistic effects to a picture in PowerPoint 2010 to make it look more like a sketch, drawing, or painting. Only one effect can be applied at a time. Applying a different artistic effect will remove the previously applied effect. Here's how:
• Click the picture you want to apply an artistic effect to
• Click the Picture Tools Format tab on the Ribbon
• In the Adjust group, click Artistic Effects
• Click the effect that you want to apply
• Click Artistic Effects Options to fine tune the artistic effect
Monday, May 30, 2011
Picks of the Week: May 29 - June 4, 2011
Website of the Week – boardnetUSA
boardnetUSA is a unique website dedicated to the express purpose of connecting nonprofit boards and new leaders. The website is designed to be a common technological platform for a national collaborative network of communities working locally to enhance nonprofit board governance. This growing network of Community Partners work together on common themes of populating board rooms as well as individually developing services tailored to their local market. The Volunteer Consulting Group, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization in New York City with over 38 years of experience aiding in the development and strengthening of nonprofit organizations, initially developed the concept of boardnetUSA. With assistance from philanthropic and corporate supporters the Volunteer Consulting Group serves as the primary management and coordinating entity of the growing national network that is boardnetUSA. Go to: http://www.boardnetusa.org/public/home.asp.
Publication of the Week -- Small Change: Why Business Won't Save the World by Michael Edwards
From the publisher: A new movement is afoot that promises to save the world by applying the magic of the market to the challenges of social change. Its supporters argue that using business principles to solve global problems is far more effective than more traditional approaches. What could be wrong with that? Almost everything, argues former Ford Foundation director Michael Edwards. In this hard-hitting, controversial exposé, he marshals a wealth of evidence to reveal that in reality, a market approach hurts more than it helps. Real change will come when business acts more like civil society, not the other way around. Author
Michael Edwards is an independent writer and activist who is affiliated with the New York-based think-tank Demos, the Wagner School of Public Service at New York University, and the Brooks World Poverty Institute at Manchester University in the UK. From 1999 to 2008 he was Director of the Ford Foundation’s Governance and Civil Society Program, and previously worked for the World Bank, OxFam, and Save the Children. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Women Strongest Believers in the Power of Supporting Causes
8 in 10 American women believe that supporting causes creates a sense of purpose and meaning in life; and feel everyone can make a difference through their support, while their male counterparts are more likely to view supporting causes as a fad, according to new data released today by Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide and Georgetown University’s Center for Social Impact Communication. The findings are part of the larger Dynamics of Cause Engagement study, conducted among American adults age 18 and older in late 2010,which explored trends in cause involvement and the roles of a variety of activities in fostering engagement with social issues. Similarities and Differences in Cause Support In addition to believing that everyone can make a difference by supporting causes, American women are more likely than men to believe that supporting causes creates a sense of purpose and meaning in life, makes them feel good about themselves and makes them feel like part of a community. More than four in ten Americans (45%) are actively involved with supporting causes, and women make up a significantly larger part of this group than men. For more information, go to: http://csic.georgetown.edu.
Resource of the Week – Connected Citizens: The Power, Peril and Potential of Networks
Open-source projects and grassroots collective action are important sources of inspiration for 21st-century civic engagement, enabling us to combine the creativity and transparency of open innovation with community organizing’s relational abilities and courage to confront power. This is the message of a new report, “Connected Citizens: The Power, Peril and Potential of Networks,” released by Monitor Institute and Knight Foundation. The report examines the role of networks in linking up citizens, with the goal of increasing participation in community leadership. The report looked at 70 projects that use an open and decentralized network-centric approach. Many of the projects “are technologically enabled,” says the report. “Others are rooted in in-person relationships. Most combine online and offline interaction, as well as insights from the open-source movement and grassroots organizing. Five patterns emerged for good network building:
• Listening to and consulting the crowds: Actively listening to online conversations and openly asking for advice.
• Designing for serendipity: Creating environments, in person and online, where helpful connections can form.
• Bridging differences: Deliberately connecting people with different perspectives.
• Catalyzing mutual support: Helping people directly help each other.
• Providing handrails for collective action: Giving enough direction for individuals to take effective and coordinated action.
The Connected Citizens report details each of these five patterns, with examples and case studies. It has an accompanying website. To access the report and the website, go to http://www.knightfoundation.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Edit Videos with PowerPoint 2010
In PowerPoint 2010 you can edit a video clip before you embed it in your presentation. You can:
• Trim
• Add effects and styles
• Crop
• Adjust the size
• Adjust the contrast
• Add borders and effects, and more...
The following resources can help you learn these amazing new features:
• YouTube Video Edit Videos with PowerPoint 2010 from Microsoft
• Article Edit Videos inside a Presentation in PowerPoint 2010 from WindowsVJ.com
• Article Five tips for working with Video in PowerPoint 2010 from TechRepublic.com
boardnetUSA is a unique website dedicated to the express purpose of connecting nonprofit boards and new leaders. The website is designed to be a common technological platform for a national collaborative network of communities working locally to enhance nonprofit board governance. This growing network of Community Partners work together on common themes of populating board rooms as well as individually developing services tailored to their local market. The Volunteer Consulting Group, a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization in New York City with over 38 years of experience aiding in the development and strengthening of nonprofit organizations, initially developed the concept of boardnetUSA. With assistance from philanthropic and corporate supporters the Volunteer Consulting Group serves as the primary management and coordinating entity of the growing national network that is boardnetUSA. Go to: http://www.boardnetusa.org/public/home.asp.
Publication of the Week -- Small Change: Why Business Won't Save the World by Michael Edwards
From the publisher: A new movement is afoot that promises to save the world by applying the magic of the market to the challenges of social change. Its supporters argue that using business principles to solve global problems is far more effective than more traditional approaches. What could be wrong with that? Almost everything, argues former Ford Foundation director Michael Edwards. In this hard-hitting, controversial exposé, he marshals a wealth of evidence to reveal that in reality, a market approach hurts more than it helps. Real change will come when business acts more like civil society, not the other way around. Author
Michael Edwards is an independent writer and activist who is affiliated with the New York-based think-tank Demos, the Wagner School of Public Service at New York University, and the Brooks World Poverty Institute at Manchester University in the UK. From 1999 to 2008 he was Director of the Ford Foundation’s Governance and Civil Society Program, and previously worked for the World Bank, OxFam, and Save the Children. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Women Strongest Believers in the Power of Supporting Causes
8 in 10 American women believe that supporting causes creates a sense of purpose and meaning in life; and feel everyone can make a difference through their support, while their male counterparts are more likely to view supporting causes as a fad, according to new data released today by Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide and Georgetown University’s Center for Social Impact Communication. The findings are part of the larger Dynamics of Cause Engagement study, conducted among American adults age 18 and older in late 2010,which explored trends in cause involvement and the roles of a variety of activities in fostering engagement with social issues. Similarities and Differences in Cause Support In addition to believing that everyone can make a difference by supporting causes, American women are more likely than men to believe that supporting causes creates a sense of purpose and meaning in life, makes them feel good about themselves and makes them feel like part of a community. More than four in ten Americans (45%) are actively involved with supporting causes, and women make up a significantly larger part of this group than men. For more information, go to: http://csic.georgetown.edu.
Resource of the Week – Connected Citizens: The Power, Peril and Potential of Networks
Open-source projects and grassroots collective action are important sources of inspiration for 21st-century civic engagement, enabling us to combine the creativity and transparency of open innovation with community organizing’s relational abilities and courage to confront power. This is the message of a new report, “Connected Citizens: The Power, Peril and Potential of Networks,” released by Monitor Institute and Knight Foundation. The report examines the role of networks in linking up citizens, with the goal of increasing participation in community leadership. The report looked at 70 projects that use an open and decentralized network-centric approach. Many of the projects “are technologically enabled,” says the report. “Others are rooted in in-person relationships. Most combine online and offline interaction, as well as insights from the open-source movement and grassroots organizing. Five patterns emerged for good network building:
• Listening to and consulting the crowds: Actively listening to online conversations and openly asking for advice.
• Designing for serendipity: Creating environments, in person and online, where helpful connections can form.
• Bridging differences: Deliberately connecting people with different perspectives.
• Catalyzing mutual support: Helping people directly help each other.
• Providing handrails for collective action: Giving enough direction for individuals to take effective and coordinated action.
The Connected Citizens report details each of these five patterns, with examples and case studies. It has an accompanying website. To access the report and the website, go to http://www.knightfoundation.org.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Edit Videos with PowerPoint 2010
In PowerPoint 2010 you can edit a video clip before you embed it in your presentation. You can:
• Trim
• Add effects and styles
• Crop
• Adjust the size
• Adjust the contrast
• Add borders and effects, and more...
The following resources can help you learn these amazing new features:
• YouTube Video Edit Videos with PowerPoint 2010 from Microsoft
• Article Edit Videos inside a Presentation in PowerPoint 2010 from WindowsVJ.com
• Article Five tips for working with Video in PowerPoint 2010 from TechRepublic.com
Monday, May 23, 2011
Picks of the Week: May 22, 2011
Website of the Week – Nonprofit Capacity Building Learning and Resource Center
The purpose of the Center for Community Partnership's (CCP) Nonprofit Development Program at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside is to strengthen nonprofit organizational effectiveness. The Nonprofit Development Program seeks to build the capacity of local nonprofits by offering training, workshops, professional development, networking, technical assistance and community-based learning projects. It also connects nonprofits to a variety of resources, especially those available at UW-Parkside, other area higher education institutions, and government and community organizations. Nonprofit programs, services and opportunities are centralized in the Nonprofit Capacity Building Learning and Resource Center. It includes conferences and workshops, forms for nonprofit organization start-up, tools and resources, professional network, technical assistance, professional development, funding information, volunteer sources, professional associations, and nonprofit employment opportunities. Go to: http://www.uwp.edu.
Publication of the Week -- Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders and Professionals by Darian Rodriguez Heyman
From the publisher: A comprehensive handbook for leading a successful nonprofit. This handbook can educate and empower a whole generation of nonprofit leaders and professionals by bringing together top experts in the field to share their knowledge and wisdom gained through experience. This book provides nonprofit professionals with the conceptual frameworks, practical knowledge, and concise guidance needed to succeed in the social sector. Designed as a handbook, the book is filled with sage advice and insights from a variety of trusted experts that can help nonprofit professionals prepare to achieve their organizational and personal goals, develop a better understanding of what they need to do to lead, support, and grow an effective organization.
• Addresses a wealth of topics including fundraising, Managing Technology, Marketing, Finances, Advocacy, Working with Boards
• Contributors are noted nonprofit experts who define the core capabilities needed to manage a successful nonprofit
• Author is the former Executive Director of Craigslist Foundation
This important resource offers professionals key insights that will have a direct impact on improving their daily work. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Social Justice Grantmaking Trends
According to Key Facts on Social Justice Grantmaking (2011 Edition), social justice giving accounted for more than 14 percent of grant dollars awarded by the largest U.S. foundations in 2009. The top 25 social justice funders gave 70 percent of the total in the latest Foundation Center's annual grants sample. Foundations’ social justice giving spans all areas of activity, from human rights to environmental justice to the arts. Consistent with past trends, the biggest share of social justice grant dollars awarded in 2009 (29 percent) went for economic and community development, followed by health care access and affordability (17 percent), and human rights and civil liberties (13 percent). To download the free report, go to: http://foundationcenter.org.
Resource of the Week – Participatory Action Research
In many evaluations, program beneficiaries are rarely involved. Participatory action research provides a way to do so, engaging all parties in all aspects of an evaluation, from defining the problem to gathering and analyzing data to preparing recommendations. In this guide, part of a series on evaluation techniques prepared by GrantCraft, you will learn about a unique evaluation method and how contributors have used it to evaluate programs in agriculture, early childhood development, and immigration. Highlights include:
• Ensuring a rigorous approach and objective results
• Developing trusting partnerships as part of an evaluation
• Building the conditions for a successful participatory action research evaluation
• Two mini-case studies
Downloading this guide and other learning tools takes a brief one-time registration. From there on all materials may be downloaded without cost. Go to: www.grantcraft.org. A companion slide show is available at http://www.grantcraft.org/?pageid=1263.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Embed a Video in a PowerPoint 2010 Presentation
PowerPoint 2010 makes it easy to embed a video from a file directly into your presentation. Here’s how:
• In Normal view, select the slide you want to embed the video in
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the Media group, click the arrow under Video
• Click Video from file
• In the Insert Video dialog box, locate and select the video that you want to embed
• Click Insert
You can also click the Video icon in a content layout to insert a video.
The purpose of the Center for Community Partnership's (CCP) Nonprofit Development Program at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside is to strengthen nonprofit organizational effectiveness. The Nonprofit Development Program seeks to build the capacity of local nonprofits by offering training, workshops, professional development, networking, technical assistance and community-based learning projects. It also connects nonprofits to a variety of resources, especially those available at UW-Parkside, other area higher education institutions, and government and community organizations. Nonprofit programs, services and opportunities are centralized in the Nonprofit Capacity Building Learning and Resource Center. It includes conferences and workshops, forms for nonprofit organization start-up, tools and resources, professional network, technical assistance, professional development, funding information, volunteer sources, professional associations, and nonprofit employment opportunities. Go to: http://www.uwp.edu.
Publication of the Week -- Nonprofit Management 101: A Complete and Practical Guide for Leaders and Professionals by Darian Rodriguez Heyman
From the publisher: A comprehensive handbook for leading a successful nonprofit. This handbook can educate and empower a whole generation of nonprofit leaders and professionals by bringing together top experts in the field to share their knowledge and wisdom gained through experience. This book provides nonprofit professionals with the conceptual frameworks, practical knowledge, and concise guidance needed to succeed in the social sector. Designed as a handbook, the book is filled with sage advice and insights from a variety of trusted experts that can help nonprofit professionals prepare to achieve their organizational and personal goals, develop a better understanding of what they need to do to lead, support, and grow an effective organization.
• Addresses a wealth of topics including fundraising, Managing Technology, Marketing, Finances, Advocacy, Working with Boards
• Contributors are noted nonprofit experts who define the core capabilities needed to manage a successful nonprofit
• Author is the former Executive Director of Craigslist Foundation
This important resource offers professionals key insights that will have a direct impact on improving their daily work. Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Social Justice Grantmaking Trends
According to Key Facts on Social Justice Grantmaking (2011 Edition), social justice giving accounted for more than 14 percent of grant dollars awarded by the largest U.S. foundations in 2009. The top 25 social justice funders gave 70 percent of the total in the latest Foundation Center's annual grants sample. Foundations’ social justice giving spans all areas of activity, from human rights to environmental justice to the arts. Consistent with past trends, the biggest share of social justice grant dollars awarded in 2009 (29 percent) went for economic and community development, followed by health care access and affordability (17 percent), and human rights and civil liberties (13 percent). To download the free report, go to: http://foundationcenter.org.
Resource of the Week – Participatory Action Research
In many evaluations, program beneficiaries are rarely involved. Participatory action research provides a way to do so, engaging all parties in all aspects of an evaluation, from defining the problem to gathering and analyzing data to preparing recommendations. In this guide, part of a series on evaluation techniques prepared by GrantCraft, you will learn about a unique evaluation method and how contributors have used it to evaluate programs in agriculture, early childhood development, and immigration. Highlights include:
• Ensuring a rigorous approach and objective results
• Developing trusting partnerships as part of an evaluation
• Building the conditions for a successful participatory action research evaluation
• Two mini-case studies
Downloading this guide and other learning tools takes a brief one-time registration. From there on all materials may be downloaded without cost. Go to: www.grantcraft.org. A companion slide show is available at http://www.grantcraft.org/?pageid=1263.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Embed a Video in a PowerPoint 2010 Presentation
PowerPoint 2010 makes it easy to embed a video from a file directly into your presentation. Here’s how:
• In Normal view, select the slide you want to embed the video in
• Click the Insert tab on the Ribbon
• In the Media group, click the arrow under Video
• Click Video from file
• In the Insert Video dialog box, locate and select the video that you want to embed
• Click Insert
You can also click the Video icon in a content layout to insert a video.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Picks of the Week: May 15 - 21, 2011
Website of the Week – Bridgespan Group
Founded in 2000, the Bridgespan Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps nonprofit and philanthropic leaders develop strategies and build organizations that inspire and accelerate social change. At the heart of its mission is the belief that a strong and effective nonprofit sector can be a powerful force for change as well as a source of human inspiration. The Bridgespan Group pursues its mission through three sets of activities:
• Strategy consulting, executive search, and philanthropy advising, to help nonprofit organizations and philanthropists develop and implement strategies with the potential to achieve significant results.
• Sharing insights, strategies and tools developed by us and by others through research and client engagements.
• Developing or supporting strategic initiatives that aim to improve performance across the nonprofit sector. Notable among these is the Bridgestar initiative, which seeks to help nonprofits attract, connect, and develop strong leadership teams
To access this content-rich website, go to: http://www.bridgespan.org/About/Default.aspx.
Publication of the Week -- Joining a Nonprofit Board: What You Need to Know by F. Warren McFarlan and Marc J. Epstein
From the publisher: Joining a Nonprofit Board offers an important guide to the roles and responsibilities of a nonprofit board member. Marc J. Epstein and F. Warren McFarlan provide a step-by-step guide to how board members can work with a nonprofit organization to achieve the organization's overarching mission, attain financial sustainability, and develop and execute the systems needed to accomplish both. Based on more than 10 years of research from Rice University and Harvard Business School and filled with illustrative examples, Joining a Nonprofit Board explores the basic structure of a nonprofit, explains how to build and monitor a nonprofit's mission, and identifies how the board performs an effective assessment of a nonprofit. The book also explores the challenges posed by the duality of leadership between the unpaid volunteer non-executive chairman of the board and the CEO. Joining a Nonprofit Board includes a helpful explanation of a "board member's life cycle." The authors start with the decision to join a board and explain how to prepare for the first meeting. The book explores how to serve effectively the first two years and reveals what it takes to develop your ongoing role as a trustee. Finally the book describes how to transition off the board to other forms of service with the organization. Joining a Nonprofit Board is a comprehensive resource for anyone who wants to take their experience in the business world and serve a nonprofit with passion and clarity.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Foundation Funding for Native American Issues and Peoples
Over the past decade, U.S. foundation support benefiting Native Americans declined from 0.5 percent to 0.3 percent of total foundation giving. According to Foundation Funding for Native American Issues and Peoples, total grant dollars targeting Native Americans dropped 30.8 percent in the latest year, compared to a 14.1 percent overall downturn in foundation giving. This report was prepared by the Foundation Center with Native Americans in Philanthropy. Other key findings of the report include:
• The top 10 funders for Native Americans in 2009 accounted for close to 60 percent of grant dollars.
• Education received the largest share of foundation giving for Native Americans in 2009.
• Most foundation funding for Native Americans in 2009 supported organizations not affiliated with tribal governments.
• Recipients located in three of the country's seven major regions (Northeast, Midwest, and Southwest) captured more than two-thirds of grant dollars benefiting Native Americans in 2009.
• Eight of the top 25 recipients are Native-led or for the exclusive benefit of Native Americans.
To download a copy of the report, go to: http://foundationcenter.org.
Resource of the Week – Just-In-Time Board Orientation Webinar
This webinar has been designed in response to the expressed concern that it can sometimes take new board members several months or more to fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Just-In-Time Board Orientation will provide a clear, crisp picture of your board member's responsibilities in policy development, strategic planning, fiduciary duties, fundraising, and oversight functions. This session will provide information, tools and techniques needed to bring new board members up to speed quickly. It will increase their confidence and their productivity in board and committee meetings right from the start. As a result, new board members will be better able to "hit the ground running." Just-in-Time Board Orientation can even be offered to prospective board members to assist them in making an informed decision about whether to join your board. The session can also help current board leaders re-focus their efforts. Special features include : Attendees will receive a board orientation resource manual in advance of the webinar. After the webinar, they will receive the PowerPoint presentation file as well as free access to the Create the Future Webinars Blog, an online learning community where webinar participants can get answers to questions, post comments, find and share resources, and more. The webinar is offered on a quarterly basis. For more information about the schedule and to register, go to: http://www.createthefuture.com/webinars.htm.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Saving your PowerPoint 2010 Presentation as a Video
There are a number of new features in PowerPoint 2010 which allow you to enhance your presentations with video, images and animations. During the coming weeks we will be publishing a series of tips that introduce you to these amazing new tools. Create a Video is one of these new features. Here’s how it works
• Create your presentation
• Save the presentation
• Click the File tab
• Click Save & Send in the left pane
• Under File Types, click Create a video
• Make changes in the right pane, if necessary
• Click the Create Video button
After you create a video, you can share it with others by:
• Sending it as an e-mail attachment
• Burning it to a DVD disc
• Uploading it to a video sharing Web site such as YouTube
• Posting it on your website or other shared location
Founded in 2000, the Bridgespan Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps nonprofit and philanthropic leaders develop strategies and build organizations that inspire and accelerate social change. At the heart of its mission is the belief that a strong and effective nonprofit sector can be a powerful force for change as well as a source of human inspiration. The Bridgespan Group pursues its mission through three sets of activities:
• Strategy consulting, executive search, and philanthropy advising, to help nonprofit organizations and philanthropists develop and implement strategies with the potential to achieve significant results.
• Sharing insights, strategies and tools developed by us and by others through research and client engagements.
• Developing or supporting strategic initiatives that aim to improve performance across the nonprofit sector. Notable among these is the Bridgestar initiative, which seeks to help nonprofits attract, connect, and develop strong leadership teams
To access this content-rich website, go to: http://www.bridgespan.org/About/Default.aspx.
Publication of the Week -- Joining a Nonprofit Board: What You Need to Know by F. Warren McFarlan and Marc J. Epstein
From the publisher: Joining a Nonprofit Board offers an important guide to the roles and responsibilities of a nonprofit board member. Marc J. Epstein and F. Warren McFarlan provide a step-by-step guide to how board members can work with a nonprofit organization to achieve the organization's overarching mission, attain financial sustainability, and develop and execute the systems needed to accomplish both. Based on more than 10 years of research from Rice University and Harvard Business School and filled with illustrative examples, Joining a Nonprofit Board explores the basic structure of a nonprofit, explains how to build and monitor a nonprofit's mission, and identifies how the board performs an effective assessment of a nonprofit. The book also explores the challenges posed by the duality of leadership between the unpaid volunteer non-executive chairman of the board and the CEO. Joining a Nonprofit Board includes a helpful explanation of a "board member's life cycle." The authors start with the decision to join a board and explain how to prepare for the first meeting. The book explores how to serve effectively the first two years and reveals what it takes to develop your ongoing role as a trustee. Finally the book describes how to transition off the board to other forms of service with the organization. Joining a Nonprofit Board is a comprehensive resource for anyone who wants to take their experience in the business world and serve a nonprofit with passion and clarity.
Click to preview this book on Amazon.com.
Trend of the Week – Foundation Funding for Native American Issues and Peoples
Over the past decade, U.S. foundation support benefiting Native Americans declined from 0.5 percent to 0.3 percent of total foundation giving. According to Foundation Funding for Native American Issues and Peoples, total grant dollars targeting Native Americans dropped 30.8 percent in the latest year, compared to a 14.1 percent overall downturn in foundation giving. This report was prepared by the Foundation Center with Native Americans in Philanthropy. Other key findings of the report include:
• The top 10 funders for Native Americans in 2009 accounted for close to 60 percent of grant dollars.
• Education received the largest share of foundation giving for Native Americans in 2009.
• Most foundation funding for Native Americans in 2009 supported organizations not affiliated with tribal governments.
• Recipients located in three of the country's seven major regions (Northeast, Midwest, and Southwest) captured more than two-thirds of grant dollars benefiting Native Americans in 2009.
• Eight of the top 25 recipients are Native-led or for the exclusive benefit of Native Americans.
To download a copy of the report, go to: http://foundationcenter.org.
Resource of the Week – Just-In-Time Board Orientation Webinar
This webinar has been designed in response to the expressed concern that it can sometimes take new board members several months or more to fully understand their roles and responsibilities. Just-In-Time Board Orientation will provide a clear, crisp picture of your board member's responsibilities in policy development, strategic planning, fiduciary duties, fundraising, and oversight functions. This session will provide information, tools and techniques needed to bring new board members up to speed quickly. It will increase their confidence and their productivity in board and committee meetings right from the start. As a result, new board members will be better able to "hit the ground running." Just-in-Time Board Orientation can even be offered to prospective board members to assist them in making an informed decision about whether to join your board. The session can also help current board leaders re-focus their efforts. Special features include : Attendees will receive a board orientation resource manual in advance of the webinar. After the webinar, they will receive the PowerPoint presentation file as well as free access to the Create the Future Webinars Blog, an online learning community where webinar participants can get answers to questions, post comments, find and share resources, and more. The webinar is offered on a quarterly basis. For more information about the schedule and to register, go to: http://www.createthefuture.com/webinars.htm.
Tech Tip of the Week -- Saving your PowerPoint 2010 Presentation as a Video
There are a number of new features in PowerPoint 2010 which allow you to enhance your presentations with video, images and animations. During the coming weeks we will be publishing a series of tips that introduce you to these amazing new tools. Create a Video is one of these new features. Here’s how it works
• Create your presentation
• Save the presentation
• Click the File tab
• Click Save & Send in the left pane
• Under File Types, click Create a video
• Make changes in the right pane, if necessary
• Click the Create Video button
After you create a video, you can share it with others by:
• Sending it as an e-mail attachment
• Burning it to a DVD disc
• Uploading it to a video sharing Web site such as YouTube
• Posting it on your website or other shared location
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