Using Social Media Tools for Fundraising

1. Using Social Media Tools for Fundraising Megan Keane Online Community Manager, TechSoup September 2008

2. Overview Introduction/background on TechSoup community Social media tools overview Flickr Twitter Second Life Interactive demo/tour of Second Life Wrap-Up/Q & A/discussion

3. TechSoup.orgThe technology place for nonprofits TechSoup is a popular, comprehensive online content and community destination for nonprofits that provides unbiased information and technical know-how to ensure that nonprofits make the best possible use of technology.

4. A Comprehensive Technology Resource for Nonprofits Software donation program (TechSoup Stock) Refurbished Computer Initiative (RCI) Learning Center articles TechSoup Community Nonprofit Commons NetSquared (Net2) Public Computing & Libraries (MaintainIT Project) Free Downloads TechSoup Global

5. TechSoup.org/community

6. TechSoup Community 17 Forums Events Calendar Member Spotlight Community Blog Second Life Surveys Soup Recipes Managed by two Community Managers and volunteer hosts and star users .

7. TechSoup Community Network Extending community beyond TechSoup site Reach out to constituents on other online community platforms that they already frequent Expand our community to wider range of nonprofits Provide community members with further networking and collaboration opportunities Leverage social media tools towards social change

8. Where in the (Online) World is TechSoup?

9. NetSquared (Net2) TechSoup’s Web 2.0 arm Spur responsible use of social media tools for social change Annual conference Monthly Net Tuesday events Community blog International reach with local groups and events

10. Traditional online community building tools Message boards Listservs Email newsletters

11. Social Media “Web 2.0” Tools What does Web 2.0 really mean anyway? Wikipedia definition: “…web technology and web design that aims to facilitate creativity, information sharing, and, most notably, collaboration among users” Sounds like online community!

12. New social tools for community building Blogs Wikis Social bookmarking (tagging) Event sites Video sharing services Online social networking sites

13. There’s no shortage of social media tools…

14. …but how do you decide which ones to use?… Consider your audience Time and resources to establish and maintain online presence Desired benefits Experimentation Outreach strategy and periodic re-evaluation of strategies

15. …and how to you use them? Different tools good for different purposes, not always for others Multiple tools means more time to upkeep, important not to fragment community across many platforms Key to best implement them all in way that is useful and easy to maintain, and a place people will want to go

16. Online Communities in Disguise May not appear to be online communities, but have tremendous potential for getting your message across

17. Photo-sharing service Many people use casually but uses for organizations too Raising awareness Launching campaigns Documenting impact Illustrating change over time Showcasing your organization

18. Building community around photos Flickr groups: Individual accounts, but group organizing features Public or private groups Increased visibility Humanize organization with visual images of people behind the organization and those they serve

19. Making the most of Flickr Tagging, titles, descriptions so photos are findable Creative Commons licensing to allow further distribution of your photos Privacy settings, filters to share images appropriately Create promotional materials: cards, mugs, t-shirts, etc. Online embedded editing tool

20. Launching campaign Humane Society LOLSeal Photo Caption contest Users submitted captions for baby seal photos

21. Used Flickr to display all entries “lolseals08” tag to keep entries together Link to take further action in campaign to save baby seals Button to spread word on Facebook

22. Online activism Oxfam advocates for Ethiopian coffee farmers Starbucks photo petitions Call to action

23. Documenting Impact International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Day after Sichuan earthquake Documenting important issues, historical events

24. Showcasing your work • No group, “npsl” tag holds it all together • Easy way to communicate a visual concept that might be unfamiliar • Outstanding promotional vehicle

25. More Flickr applications Flickr API allows for many 3rd party applications Take advantage of uploading tools: email, mobile, desktop clients Slideshows, Facebook applications, more

26. Microblogging What are you doing? SMS, instant messaging, web updates Short, succinct updates --140 character limit per Tweet Started as way to document life activities, but has evolved into more uses

27. Followers and followees Building up larger network of followers broadcasts your message to wider audience

28. Twitterpacks Wiki of people to follow by topic, location, events, etc. Large signal to noise ratio Value in following those with useful/relevant updates

29. What’s Twitter good for? Quick shout-outs, calls to action Promoting events News, conference briefings Sharing articles, blog entries, other resources with others Getting a quick answer to a question Solicit feedback, ideas, suggestions, news source

30. Disaster Response Nate Ritter during San Diego fires Non-web alerts Aggregating information from news sources Wisdom of crowds: compilation of updates from community

31. Fundraising 24 hour campaign for Sharing Foundation in 2007 50% of goal achieved in last 2 hours largely from Twitter 2006 took 3 weeks to raise same amount

32. Power of Twitter • Beth Kanter 2008: Can conference room of connected people get 250 people to donate $10 by the end of the conference? • $2,657  from 112 donors in 90 minutes

33. Community Support Motivational support: Qwitter to quit smoking Social support network: Useful tips on topics of concern or interest Bringing awareness to cause to different groups, expanding reach (TuDiabetes)

34. Instant communication Finding others at conferences/events @ messages or direct messages Follow certain Twitter accounts to get updates on particular topic

35. Important to listen too Twitter search, track mentions of name/cause/organization/replies Subscribe as RSS feed or email update Firefox extension Use favorites feature to document feedback Support community efforts

36. Second Life

37. Nonprofit Commons in Second Life Through the Nonprofit Commons project, TechSoup is assembling a community of nonprofits in Second Life to help lower the barriers of access to this emerging virtual world

38. Nonprofit Commons in Second Life • Our goal is to create a learning community of practice for nonprofits to explore and learn about the virtual world, and to investigate the many ways in which nonprofits can utilize this unique environment. • Through this community, we provide free office space to qualifying groups, hold meetings, create a cooperative supportive learning environment and foster outreach, education, fundraising, all in a virtual space.

39. Leadership and assistance through virtual community organizing strategies • In-world Meetings • Wiki • Website/community blog • NPSL tag • Management steering committee group • Directory of Nonprofits in Second Life • Branding as NPO experts and advisors to all new orgs in-world

40. Community Blog: NPSL

41. Community Wiki

42. But isn’t Second Life just a game? • Often a matter of convincing board members and funders of its value • Finding more ways of obtaining statistics and measuring impact • Medium fosters innovation and creativity through combination of audio, text, and visual technologies • Nonprofits continuing to develop new ways to build awareness and reach people

43. New ways to collaborate and get work done • Free, real-time meeting space to collaborate with activists around the globe via voice and text chat capabilities • Connect with organizations doing similar work worldwide • Networking in-world for real life and in-world projects

44. Reduces Your Carbon Footprint • Carbon (and cost) savings of participating in event from own computer screen • OneClimate’s Virtual Bali Conference this past Dec. • In-world speeches, press conferences • Alternative way to participate, minus carbon cost of flying

45. Fundraising • Nonprofits can use Second Life to raise funds • The 4th Annual American Cancer Society's virtual Relay 4 Life just raised over $200,000 • Second Life awareness can translate into real-world dollars • Digital Campfires received truck-load of real-world monitors and computers through connections made in Second Life

46. Provides safe and anonymous means of self-expression

47. A Space for making the impossible happen • Large community of people with disabilities in Second Life • Second Life Wheelies (disability nightclub) where adults with disabilities can interact in an environment without the physical constraints they experience in real life

48. Leadership role for your organization • Opportunity to become thought leaders and innovators in your area of expertise • Global Kids runs virtual workshops on global issues and leadership to teens • Best Practices for bringing this type of education to Second Life

49. What works? • Activities that take advantage of 3-D interactivity of virtual world that the web can’t match • Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC)’s Gone Gitmo installation • Virtual representation of Guantanamo Bay gives avatars temporary simulated experience of being imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay • Teaching tool about issues of habeaus corpus

50. Best Practices: What we have learned • Holding eventsis a great way to bring avatars to our offices, and builds friendships and connections among our members. • In-world fundraisingwas our initial goal, but it hasn't worked out for most. • It’s important to maintain a presenceon the mainland, for foot-traffic, versus being on our own private island • Freebies/branded toolsare a great way to draw traffic, and can spread your message far and wide.