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TechSoup Global Needs Your Vote in the Social Innovation Awards
TechSoup Global has entered The Financial Times-Justmeans Social Innovation Awards competition with winners selected by a panel of judges and presented in a New York City on March 23. In addition to the main competition, there is also a Citizens Choice Award. Help recognize the innovative work our many partners make possible with your vote now. The challenge focuses on corporate social responsibility with an emphasis on "traditional media and social media in the name of social innovation." TechSoup Global has entered the "Philanthropy" category. We're in great company, including ...
Free Manuals for Refurbishing Computers
Twenty years ago, I was building computer training labs in homeless shelters with no hardware budget. I developed a small refurbishing operation with a bunch of homeless guys who were much better at fixing things than I. We simply had to trial-and-error our way through it, much like the 600 or so nonprofit refurbishers in the Community MAR network. I only wish I had had access to a set of free, comprehensive how-to guides on how to get going on refurbishing computers then. At long last, it's a new ball game. TechSoup has just posted that set of free comprehensive refurbishment how-to ...
Really Simple Security Video Takes the Confusion out of Staying Safe Online
We all know that there are things we should be doing to stay safe online, but keeping current with the latest technology can be daunting, even for the tech literate. The good news is that you can get a handle on the basics without reading a 300 page manual that's about as interesting as watching paint dry.
Enter Really Simple Security, a biweekly, one-minute long video series hosted on YouTube, designed for the regular folks among us. Don't just take our word for it; watch their video on a very timely subject matter:
5 Questions: Superheroes of Online Fundraising: Become a Data-Driven Strategist
Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions. Speaker: Sarah DiJulio, M+R Strategic Services Session: Superheroes of Online Fundraising: Become a Data-Driven Strategist 1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010? I think the most important trend this year is multi-channel convergence: using mobile, email, web, broadcast, print, ...
TechSoup Customer Service: We're Really Busy!
As some of you may remember, we had reduced our phone service hours around the holidays due to a bit of a backlog of work to get through. (We can be very popular, you know!) Over the holidays we were able to answers almost everyone's questions and begin the year with a clean and fresh start. It seems that since then, our popularity has only increased — and so has the volume of calls, emails, and faxes. We'd like to assure everyone that we are doing our best to help every nonprofit or library that contacts us as soon as we are able to but for now our call times and fax and email response ...
RSA Security Conference Day 2: Using Your Own Computer at Work
As alluded earlier in the TechSoup Blog, IT managers in the corporate sector are taking greater notice to a trend that we've encountered for many years — employees or volunteers bringing in their own computers to the office. Due to lack of funding or a dedicated IT budget, you may bring your own laptop to the office, or work on say your nonprofit's finances at home. In the short run this is mainly done as a cost saving measure, since it's often difficult to allocate grant funding to office equipment unless it's explicitly allowed. In addition, you are often likely to find great deals on ...
CDI's Plan to Restore Communications to Chilean NGOs
Updated March 8: See below for information about how you can support CDI's earthquake relief program. In some ways, the impact of the recent earthquake in Chile wasn't as immediately obvious as that of the earthquake in Haiti. President Michelle Bachelet initially refused foreign aid, but as the death toll has grown, the need for an international response has become obvious. This week, the American Red Cross increased its original response pledge to a quarter of a million dollars. After their hugely successful text messaging campaign for Haiti, the Red Cross has set up a similar campaign for ...
5 Questions: Are You For Real? Working with a Virtual Team
Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions. Speaker: Jenn Sramek, CivicActions Session: Are you for real?! Working with a virtual team 1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010? Openness and FOSS (free and open source software) are really perfect fits for nonprofits who share the values of collaboration, community, empowerment, and ...
Digital Video Tools for Your Organization
Nonprofits, as well as businesses everywhere are jumping on the video bandwagon and using video to effectively tell stories. You can engage your current audience and supporters with compelling video that tells your organization's story while attracting donors and activists to your cause. Post a video message from your executive director on your website, or show your volunteers at work as part of your outreach efforts. TechSoup's inventory of digital video tools makes it easy — and inexpensive — to add videos to your organization's toolkit. Flip Video Cameras, Adobe Premiere Elements 8, ...
The Future of Computer and Network Protection
A little more than a year after MessageLabs, a cloud based spam and malware protection service, was acquired by Symantec and became Symantec Hosted Services, I had a chance to talk to someone from Symantec about the progress they have made and what's to be expected in the fight against organized cyber attacks. Using intelligence gathered from the MessageLabs global network, Symantec has been able to improve their monitoring and response to the latest outbreaks and attacks in both enterprise and consumer offerings. In addition, they are leveraging their synergies to enhance their product ...
NTEN Member Buzz Round-Up: First week of March 2010
(Note: This is a weekly round-up of NTEN members doing and sharing their nptech awesome. Members are in bold. Tag your own news with "nten member" or "nptech" to help us find your awesome online, or contact Annaliese with your updates.) NPower Seattle welcomed a new Executive Director: Alison Carl White. Weclome! Avencia has become Azavea: same GIS technology and web and mobile geo-spatial services and software development, but with a new name! The March 501 Tech Club in NYC will be a panel on "Texting for Good: Trends, Tools, and Tips for Nonprofits" ...
5 Questions: Social Media's Potential for Faith Based Communities
Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions. Speaker: Lisa Colton, Darim Online Session: Social Media's Potential for Faith Based Communities 1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010? Adjusting job descriptions. Social media are tools that should be in everyone’s toolbox (not relegated to the “IT” person only), and the ...
Layal Rabat Introduction to the Community
Here is an interview that Megan Keane did with me a while back, cross-posted at: Member Spotlight Layal Rabat aka Ninlil Xeltentat. I also did a little video of my own to introduce myself to everyone here:
The People Behind AVG Free Anti-Virus
At RSA Conference, I had the chance to meet the people who make the widely popular AVG Anti-Virus software, which is often recommended in our Virus and Security Forum. Many in the nonprofit and library sectors are probably familiar with their products. I was assured that they stand by their free product as much as their paid business line of products, and they are on top of new threats all the time with an extensive and frequently updated database.
Crank Your Drupal Site Up a Notch
Pop quiz: What do Amnesty International, Monty Python, the White House, and NTEN have in common? Web sites powered by Drupal. (The fact that I had the opportunity to write that sentence is itself an example of the power of Drupal!) Drupal has been out of the tech hobby shed for awhile now, of course. You may already be running it, but unsure of what it can do. Or you may be looking for a CMS platform for your next web site, and giving Drupal a hard look -- and not just because it's free and open source, but that helps, right? Either way, we'll get you up to speed at our upcoming ...
5 Questions: Persuasion for Techies: How to Win Your Supporter's Left Brain, Right Brain, and Heart with Behavioral Economics
Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions. Speaker: Katya Andresen, Network for Good Session: Persuasion for Techies: How to Win Your Supporter's Left Brain, Right Brain and Heart with Behavioral Economics 1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010? Now that online outreach is coming of age, we’ll be figuring out how to integrate ...
Fab Lab Sets Its Sights on Haiti
Also published on AshokaTech. I wrote a blog post a few months ago about Fab Lab, a network of community-operated workshops springing up all over the world. I was excited about Fab-Fi, Fab Lab's name for the simple directional antennas they're using to build a mesh wireless network all over Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Of course, to get the full effect of what's cool about Fab Lab, it's useful to take a step back. Fab Lab isn't about free wi-fi; it's about providing people with tools to produce whatever they want, tools that were inaccessible to consumers only a few years ago. Afghans are using ...
5 Questions: Ending Segregation and Tapping the Power of Diversity Through Technology In Your Nonprofit
Ed. Note: As we prepare for the 2010 Nonprofit Technology Conference, we wanted share a wee bit of the wisdom our speakers will be serving up, so as not to overwhelm you when you get to Atlanta. We're asking them all to share their answers to five very important questions. Speaker: Jacey Tramutt, Peak Parent Center Session: Are you Sending the Message, “We Don’t Need You?” Ending Segregation and Tapping the Power of Diversity Through Technology In Your Nonprofit 1. What's the most important trend in nonprofit technology for 2010? Figuring out how to make technology not a ...
Free Webinar on March 11: Get Started on Facebook
Many nonprofits and libraries are using Facebook to interact with their constituencies and reach out to new audiences — but what's the best way to get your organization started on this hugely popular social networking site? Attend this free webinar next Thursday, March 11 at 10 a.m. Pacific time and hear social media consultant John Haydon walk through the essential steps to establishing and managing a successful Facebook presence for a nonprofit or library. We will also hear from Gabe O'Neill of Kids Are Heroes, who will share lessons learned from developing their own Facebook page. Get ...
RSA Security Conference Day 1: Clouds Are Here to Stay
RSA Conference, the annual IT conference on security, officially kicked off this week in San Francisco's Moscone Center. Last year, we noted that IT managers in the enterprise sector were ambivalent about cloud computing or "software as a service" (SaaS) as deployed and used in the enterprise. This year, cloud computing still has its fair share of sessions and discussions, but with the acknowledgement that IT managers will have to accept it in the enterprise environment, as well as address the security risks it poses accordingly. The fact that Web 2.0 applications in public clouds — like ...
