News from the NTEN Connect Blog

Working in the Stratosphere: Cloud-Based Tools, Services, and Opportunities

Submitted by Brett on Tue, 05/01/2012 - 4:25pm

Can Cloud-based tools make your nonprofit more efficient? Join us for this free 3-part webinar series to explore the options in three of your nonprofit's core function areas.

Thanks to the generous support of Google, we're able to offer you these awesome series for free!

> Free for everyone! Learn more and register

Using Brand Archetypes to Find Your Voice (Like George Lucas Did)

Submitted by Brett on Fri, 05/18/2012 - 10:08am

It's an open secret that George Lucas based much of Star Wars on Joseph Campbell's The Hero with a Thousand Faces. By using archetypes, Lucas tapped into something elemental in human psychology and created a cultural phenomenon.

So, why don't we try the same thing? At our upcoming webinar, "Using Brand Archetypes to Find Your Voice in Social Media", we'll help you match your organizational voice to one of the 12 major brand archetypes. By focusing your voice, you'll strengthen your brand and better engage your supporters.

This is going to be a fun one, so why don't you:

Learn more and register today >>

What is the Value of the Cloud for CSOs in the Developing World?

Submitted on Thu, 5/17/2012 - 4:48pm
The Cloud is channelling the creativity of developers in the developing world despite the absence of sufficient infrastructure.

Social Media Benchmarks for Smaller Organizations

Submitted by Holly on Thu, 05/17/2012 - 9:30am

When it comes to technology, it's often assumed that smaller organizations just don't have the resources to use the tools and services that larger nonprofits do. Fancy databases? Too expensive. Up-to-date computers on a working network? Not enough tech savvy staff to keep it going. While there are exceptions to the rule – and cloud services are helping make more of those exceptions – it's generally the case.

We see it year after year in our IT Staffing Survey – unless, as it turns out, you are talking about social media.

Sharing Our Way toward Equality: Social Media and Gay Rights

Submitted by Brett on Tue, 05/15/2012 - 6:56am

By John Hoffman, Director of New Markets, ZeroDivide

Since the moment that President Obama stated that he supports same-sex marriage, there’s been a flurry of social media activity, both pro and con, on the issue. It’s obvious by now that social media has played a huge role in shaping Americans’ attitudes toward LGBT issues. But I would go a step further. Despite the unavoidable struggles and setbacks that lay ahead, the inherent qualities of social media make the passage of same-sex marriage and equal rights for LGBT individuals and families inevitable. Here’s why:

Google Drive: Does It Matter?

Submitted on Mon, 5/14/2012 - 10:48am
Google Drive is still brand new and not without limitations, but its capabilities are pretty hard to ignore.

Member Round Up: Change and Opportunities!

Submitted by Amanda on Fri, 05/11/2012 - 2:23pm

Flickr:MarkusramFlickr:MarkusramWe can feel it - the season is changing! How do we know? NTEN members are providing more educational opportunities, asking for more help on amazing projects, and announcing even more technology tools than ever before. With all the change going on, make sure you learn about all the ways NTEN members are making a difference in the world. 

Have more news to share? Drop us a line or include your links in the comments!

Engaging Volunteers in Technical Roles

Submitted by Brett on Fri, 05/11/2012 - 11:54am

Would you trust a volunteer to help maintain your organization's servers? Okay, probably not, but what about taking out an iPad to collect constituent data? Or setting up wi-fi hot spots after a disaster.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of many a nonprofit, and there are many ways you can engage them in technical roles – but it requires a special skill set to manage them. We'll explore the pros and cons of a volunteer workforce supporting technology at our upcoming webinar, "Engaging Volunteers in Technical Roles".

Learn more and register today >>

Developing a Cloud Migration Strategy, Part 2: Process, Costs & Things to Consider

Submitted on Thu, 5/10/2012 - 2:57pm
The promise of the cloud is that you don't have to worry about servers anymore. The reality of the cloud is that you have a lot of other things to think about.

Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together: Free Email Marketing Webinars from Blackbaud and Constant Contact

Submitted by Brett on Thu, 05/10/2012 - 2:30pm

Our friends over at Blackbaud, in association with Constant Contact, have been running a great series on email marketing, Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together. There are still two live events left (and they're free):

Seats are going fast, so be sure to head over and check them out.