[Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from an article that first appeared in the June 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 Peggy Duvette, WiserEarth

In the nonprofit world, we must listen carefully to our community. But how do we make sure our community feels that its concerns are being addressed while not running in circles to meet every different or conflicting need?

1. Pick accessible channels
Make your organization as open to feedback as possible. Have a Facebook group/page, a Twitter account, or other social web channels, and provide an open channel (like a blog or other social tool) on your own website. Think of these as the digital equivalent of the comment drop box, or an “open door” policy. If you have the capacity, consider organizing local chapter meetups. Invite them in, and they will start to share.

2. Define clear boundaries
While many elements of a nonprofit benefit from open discussion, some areas may suffer from indiscriminate feedback. Debate about specific features for a website or different aspects of what your mission should be will probably be ineffective. You can't stop the community from talking, but you can help define the conversation. Firmly but politely, invite input on areas only where your organization is able to take suggestions, and be candid about principles and features that are unlikely to change.

3. Reinforce positive interaction
Reward interaction and highlight your most active members. Thank them; give them access to greater privileges in the community. You can also solicit stories: interview the people you've helped or might help; their perspectives may give your organization new ideas and direction.

4. Be transparent
People appreciate the genuine. No organization is perfect. Showing the humanity behind your organization can redirect criticism from the people behind your organization to the challenging situations we all face in this work, and really shift the conversation for good. See this example of an organization that was transparent about a failure and gained renewed support from their community.

5. Deliver on your promises
If you've defined clear boundaries and reinforced positive interaction, the best way to keep your community talking and make sure the conversation doesn't go sour is to come through on what you said you'd do. Your community will only trust you if you are true to your word. If you're feeling pressure on this, do two things: underpromise and overdeliver.

(Note: You can read this and the entire June Issue of NTEN:Change. We'd aslo love to hear YOUR tips, strategies, or #FAIL stories about creating effective communities. Leave your feedback in the comments!)