News from the NTEN Connect Blog

NTEN's Technology Leadership Academy Returns for 2012

Submitted by Brett on Fri, 02/03/2012 - 2:43pm

We're excited to announce that the Technology Leadership Academy is returning in 2012. Even better, thanks to the generous support of Google and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, we're able to offer the Academy at no charge to qualifying organizations.

The Academy gets at the very heart of what NTEN does. We believe that with improved tech leadership, nonprofits like yours will provide more and better programs, inspire more communities, and involve more volunteers to share their time.

> Learn more and apply by February 24th!

Ten Things Your Nonprofit Needs to Know About Video

Submitted by Brett on Thu, 02/09/2012 - 12:07pm

You know bad video when you see it, right? We're exposed to so much video these days, many viewers simply don't have the patience to watch it anymore. (Unless it features somebody's cute cat.)

As nonprofits, we already have a tough time competing for viewers' limited attention against companies willing to spend millions on video, so we need to make sure we get it right.

To help with that, we've enlisted Andy Goodman, author of Why Bad Ads Happen to Good Causes, and Steve Stockman, author of How to Shoot Video that Doesn't Suck, to present "Why Bad Video Happens to Good Causes: Ten Things Your Nonprofit Needs to Know to Make Video Work for You".

> Learn more and register today!

How To Track Everyone Who's Anyone To You: Is A Single Database Right for Your Org?

Submitted by Annaliese on Wed, 02/08/2012 - 11:08am

[Editor's note: The following is an excerpt of an article in the December 2011 issue of NTEN:Change. Read the complete issue of NTEN's new quarterly journal for nonprofit leaders by subscribing to the journal for free!]

By Laura Quinn, Idealware

Since most organizations don’t track just one type of constituent, the idea of a single database for all of them—donors, volunteers, clients, email subscribers, advocates and everyone else—is something of a holy grail. The ability to easily see how all your constituents interact with your organization, and with each other, makes for an attractive, ideal vision of what a database should be.

In reality, a single constituent database usually means some sort of compromise.

Keeping Them Coming Back for More: Your Communications Arcs

Submitted on Tue, 2/7/2012 - 4:59pm
Story arcs are what keep you coming back to your favorite TV shows: you care what happens next. What does this have to do with nonprofit marketing? Everything!

Social Networking IRL (In Real Life) at the NTC

Submitted by Mimi on Mon, 02/06/2012 - 5:12pm

It’s already February, and the 2012 Nonprofit Technology Conference is only two months away! One of the best parts of the conference is the opportunity to connect with other nonprofit technology professionals, so you can share your experiences and knowledge.

We want to make sure you make the most of the social and networking events at the 2012 NTC, so this week we’re filling you in on the NTC Connect Track and other opportunities to connect with the NTC Community.

Member Round Up: We've got dancing babies!

Submitted by Amanda on Fri, 02/03/2012 - 2:41pm

This week, our members are releasing new fundraising tools, hosting workshops, and even awarding grants. While we’re encouraged by some statistics our members released regarding nonprofits and technology, we’re also thrilled that anyone could like us this much:

Thank you so much for all your help in the NTEN Champions Fundraising Campaign, Corey Pudhorosky!

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

Why You Need a Mobile-Enhanced Email Template

Submitted on Thu, 2/2/2012 - 2:57pm
Nearly 90 million Americans use their phone to read email. If you don't improve your email template, you may be ignored by a large part of your audience.

Communications Styles: How to Get Your Message Out (When People Aren't Listening Properly)

Submitted on Thu, 2/2/2012 - 12:19pm
While communications styles may clash, we still need to find ways to work together. Knowing what your own style is may help.

Your Nonprofit Video in the Spotlight (and on YouTube's Homepage)

Submitted by Anna on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 4:24pm

The DoGooder Nonprofit Video Contest is back and calling for your best 2011 nonprofit videos!

Are you a nonprofit? Did your organization create impactful videos in 2011? Do you want your organization to be recognized for making great videos and maybe win some incredible prizes? Perfect.

The 6th Annual DoGooder Nonprofit Video Contest is taking submissions starting February 1st.

Technology is 90% Psychology

Submitted by Holly on Wed, 02/01/2012 - 12:02pm

Flickr photo: Dom de OliveiraFlickr photo: Dom de OliveiraIf you've ever implemented a technology project at a nonprofit, you know it's true: technology is 90% psychology. Success rarely hinges on the hardware and the software; technology hinges on the humans involved.

These days, technology has forced its way into every single aspect of our organizations. While we used to use change mangement strategies to help soothe the fears of those who would reject the new database, now we need something slightly more radical: entirely new organizations.

I'm a long-time fan of Maddie Grant, so I was excited to see her and co-author Jamie Notter tackle this very topic in Humanize. Their premise is quite simple: to succeed in today's world you've got to throw your old models out the window.