Weekend Link Roundup (May 22 - 23, 2010)

Our weekly roundup of new and noteworthy posts from and about the nonprofit sector....

Communications/Marketing

When it comes to taglines, less is more, writes nonprofit marketing expert Nancy Schwartz. "Take the time," adds Schwartz, "to develop a single, clear tagline [that] conveys the essence of your organization's value."

Diversity

On her Leading Edge blog, Rosetta Thurman takes issue with a statement the Brooking Institution includes at the end of its job listings. "The language makes it sound as if women and minorities are not usually qualified," writes Thurman, which makes it an example of "how not to do diversity."

Nonprofits

On her Nonprofit Leadership 601 blog, Heather Carpenter responds to key findings from a new report on employment trends in the sector. While "nonprofits are planning to hire new staff in the latter part of 2010 into 2011," writes Carpenter, many are hiring from outside their organizations, which is "especially disconcerting for emerging leaders."

"The next time you're pressured to keep overhead low when you know it will compromise effectiveness, explain that doing so is a violation of your conscience, your ethics and yourself," writes Uncharitable author Dan Pallotta on his Free the Nonprofits blog. "Declare that you will not sacrifice mission on the altar of public relations, or put your duty to create social change in conflict with anyone's preoccupation with the seamy game of appearances."

Last week, the Panera Bread Company announced it will open a nonprofit restaurant in Clayton, Missouri. While Kristin Ivie commends the company for its efforts, she also wonders "what the point of this 'nonprofit' is, other than literally not making any profits."

Nonprofit Board Crisis blogger Mike Burns also questions why the restaurant is a nonprofit. Asks Burns, "Is it because the business model clearly means that there [are] no profits to be made? Is it because the 'profits', whatever they will be, will be distributed for good works? Or is it because these stores are social ventures of a nonprofit foundation and the trustees will not be personally profiting?...."

Philanthropy

In a post on his Tactical Philanthropy blog, Sean Stannard-Stockton names the "Piano Stairs" video submitted by the Ford Foundation's Kyle Reis the winner of TP's "fantastic video competition." The video has been kicking around YouTube for some time now, but if you haven't seen be sure to take a look. It's great.

In a nice post on the Philanthropy Potluck blog, Cary Lenore Walski takes a close look at the final version of the Disrupting Philanthropy: Technology and the Future of the Social Sector report, co-authored by philanthropy consultant Lucy Bernholz, Center for Strategic Philanthropy & Civil Society director Ed Skloot, and CSPCS staff member Barry Varela.

In a new post on the GiveWell blog, Elie Hassenfeld examines how two big-name orgs, the American Cancer Society and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, spend their money.

Social Entrepreneurship

Deborah Fleischer of the Triple Pundit blog shares six trends in social entrepreneurship, courtesy of the Skoll Foundation.

Social Media

In a post on her newly redesigned blog, Beth Kanter shares tips nonprofits can use to build their social media strategy. They include:

• Integrate social media with your Internet communications or program strategy;
• Use listening techniques to develop a deeper understanding of your audience;
• Use conversation starters to engage your audience;
• Identify "influencers" in social media spaces -- individuals who have influence within a targeted audience -- and cultivate them;
• Make sure your content has a "social life";
• Use social media to close the loop between online and offline action;
• Allocate enough staff time and expertise to implement an effective social media strategy;
• Launch small pilots and reiterate using the right metrics to understand what is and isn't working; and
• Identify organizational culture issues that may prevent adoption.

On her Non-Profit Marketing blog, Katya Andresen offers a list of things your organization should have before launching a Facebook page, including a well-branded Web site that's capable of processing online donations and seamless integration between your on- and offline fundraising efforts.

Technology

Last but not least, Lucy Bernholz explains why "we need good data to help us tell stories."

That's it for now. What did we miss? Drop us a line at [email protected] and have a great week!

-- Regina Mahone

Comments

[Emily Davis]

You might want to also check out the Next Gen Consulting Cafe as a resource for materials on nonprofits, social media, and next gen consulting.

[Regina Mahone]

Will do. Thanks for the suggestion!