mobilizing communities in a connected age
DESCRIPTION
Discover how philanthropic and nonprofit organizations are collaborating to use new technology tools to expand outreach, foster constituent loyalty, drive revenue, increase operational efficiencies, and spur innovation.TRANSCRIPT
Mobilizing Communities in a Connected Age:
Using New Tech Tools & Strategies for Impact
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Audio line: Dial 866-740-1260, Access code: 7730388
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Motivation for this Project
How can nonprofits improve their use of new technology tools and strategies to create social impact?
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Research Questions and Methodology
Research Questions:
• What are key characteristics, practices of successful orgs?
• What can funders do to better support nonprofits’ efforts?
Methodology:
• 16 nonprofit advocacy organizations– Grantees of Mitchell Kapor Foundation & ZeroDivide
• 2 non-grantees for benchmarks– Color of Change & CREDO Action
• Intensive interviews, reviewed websites, collateral material
• Full report at http://zerodivide.org/tech_advocacy
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I. Findings: Technology Integration Crucial
• Strategic use of technology throughout org operations
• Strategic use of technology to communicate with different stakeholder groups
• Executive team provides support and thought-leadership for technology experimentation and implementation
• Organizational culture embraces technology, seeks continuous improvement
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II. Increasing Impact: Leadership Development
Nonprofit LeadershipNonprofit
Leadership
Interest in technologyInterest in technology
Understand tech as an “enabler”
Understand tech as an “enabler”
Hire tech-savvy staff members
Hire tech-savvy staff members
Single largest determinant = Leadership, not size or budget!
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Future Funding Projections
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III. Recommendations to Funders – Others?
Pair fundingwith consulting
Fund tech forlong-term
Provide thoughtleadership
Fund tech for movementbuilding
Fund integratedCRM systems
Build acommunityof practice
Foster leadershipdevelopment
Enable automatedperformanceevaluation
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GABRIEL REY-GOODLATTE & RAVEN BROOKS
Special Guests
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Special guest: Raven Brooks, E.D. of Netroots Nation
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New Media Quick Tips
• Start with goals and strategy. That will lead you to tools and tactics.
• Empower your staff to act and create a collaborative and entrepreneurial environment.
• Be flexible. If the plan sucks, change it.
• Measure what you’re doing and adapt.
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Case Study: New Media at Netroots Nation
• What is Netroots Nation?
• How is it different than many nonprofit organizations?
• Quick usage examples + primary goal:– Mobile app - engage attendees– Video - engage non-attendees & potential supporters– Twitter - rapid response & assessment
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Special Guest: Gabriel Rey-Goodlatte, Color of Change
Pushed Huffington Post not to feature Breitbart
Traditional email campaign, but use of Twitter made significant impact
Suggested tweet for members:
Tell @HuffingtonPost not to promote liar and race-baiter @AndrewBreitbart: http://bit.ly/hyh8qi cc @ariannahuff @colorofchange
Case study: Andrew Breitbart/Huffington Post Campaign
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Maximizing advantages of chosen tool’s functionality
Pass along – spread word, encouraged friends to sign
Direct pressure on Huffington Post, in real time
Created negative public conversation about HuffPo and Breitbart, increasing pressure on HuffPo to respond and provoking reaction from Breitbart
Use of Twitter served several strategic purposes:
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Responding to emerging developments, opportunities
Achieved victory relatively quickly, but knew thousands were still signing petition and tweeting suggested tweet
Changed suggested tweet to stop directing pressure at HuffPo, appropriate since they had met our demand
Used new suggested tweet to spread news of victory:
Victory! After 43k @ColorOfChange members speak out, @HuffingtonPost agrees not to front-page @AndrewBreitbart http://wapo.st/gRGF9Q
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How we pro-actively integrate Twitter into campaigns
Encouraging members to share on Twitter is a built in part of every campaign – reminds us to regularly think through how Twitter can be useful
Whoever is leading a campaign takes the lead on drafting tweets – this means content gets drafted with an eye towards strategy and with programmatic insight
In general - Important to consider the unique properties and opportunities of social media tools, versus simply replicating old models using new tools
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Thank you + Resources and Next Steps
Raven Brooks - @ravenb
http://netrootsnation.org
Gabriel Rey-Goodlatte – [email protected]
http://colorofchange.org
ZeroDivide – [email protected]
http://zerodivide.org/resources_1
The Mitchell Kapor Foundation
http://mkf.org
Mobilizing Communities in a Connected Age:
Using New Tech Tools & Strategies for Impact
Thursday, July 14, 2011