With a week and a half to go in the scholarship challenge, I'm excited to report that we're a third of the way to our goal of $10,000!

76 community members have donated over $3,000. With matching funds from Convio, we've now got enough funding to send 18 people to the NTC. Of course, we want to send even 57 folks to the NTC, so we need you to drop everything and give us five minutes and 5 dollars.  Just click on the "Donate Now" button in the widget up there!

Wasn't that easy? We can add a little extra incentive as well: On Friday, February 20, one of our favorite NTEN members, John Merritt, will match our first $100 donation of the day. Thanks John!

When you donate, you're helping some amazing organizations connect with the most amazing nonprofit technology community around -- you and the rest of the NTEN gang. There are some terrific people who want to attend. Here's a sampling of what they've shared with us:

• "I am the first marketing employee the organization has had in its 100 years and they're very excited to find out what online marketing has to offer."
• "I'm the 'accidental techie' as well as a Program Associate working on all of our projects with the Executive Director. I believe that attending NTC will help me share the benefits and importance of technology with the social change groups that we work with and I look forward to bringing them into the incredible community that NTEN has created."
• "My organization is beginning to develop a website that will use mapping and video to track positive, nonviolent community responses to hate crimes and acts of intolerance. I've been looking for training opportunities just like 'Building and Sustaining Online Communities', 'Communities Without Borders', 'An Open Civic Engagement Platform', and 'Testing... One... Two... Three'. It would be such a gift if I were able to attend."
• "I am a community social worker who is a part of a six person staff and I am by default the person who does our website and eadvocacy. I am mostly self taught. Coming to NTC would be a real chance to learn from colleagues from across the globe.  "

Oh, and in case you hadn't heard, I'm putting my dignity where my mouth is!

When we reach our $10,000 goal, I will remake a Beyonce video, eat a bacon explosion, or play my college marching band trombone in Union Square in broad daylight. Every time you give, you get a vote. Beyonce, by the way, seem to be the fan favorite, so I've been working on my moves. Behold: