Even further "embedded" giving

I was hoping I could come up with a term for “deeper than embedded” before writing this post, but my mind failed me. Since I am on vacation this is probably a good sign. So we’ll open this up to you, dear readers – what term would you use to describe business models in which [...]

Change native to the digital world

(photo by kjarrett, Flickr, Creative Commons) I’m looking for examples of social change organizations that are totally native to the digital world. They were created in and around digital tools and they use these tools to manage their work, communication, programs, fund development – everything. The prevalence of these tools shaped the way the organization’s [...]

Life in 140 bit bits

I’ve been not blogging for the last month. For most of that time, I’ve been not working, not writing, not doing much of the stuff for which I’m known in my professional community.* On the rare moments during which I’ve tuned into my work/professional/writing life, I’ve done so through Twitter. I’ve followed several really interesting [...]

Data matter

Data matter. So says Paul Brest, President of the Hewlett Foundation. Given my earlier posts on data, and the list of ideas that several groups have endorsed as ways to improve philanthropy, this paragraph from Brest’s letter jumped out at me: “In other development work, the Hewlett and Gates Foundations are collaborating to promote transparency [...]

Let’s pitch Hollywood

Think “Craigslist + Kiva = ?” or “Twitter + United Way = ?” or “My.Barack.Obama + VolunteerMatch + WorldBank = ?” Now it’s your turn. We can play on Twitter. I say “Salesforce” and you say “…” Or I say “vaccines” and you say “…” Tags: philanthropy, development, technology

New magazine on nonprofits and IT

Civil Society IT – dedicated to the effective use of IT in all kinds of not-for-profit organisations. Tags: philanthropy, technology

What can philanthropy learn from political campaigns?

I recently found myself wondering what the tactics, strategies, infrastructure, governance changes, and technology applications that distinguish this Presidential campaign from others might mean for communities and community philanthropy. I had just read a piece in the San Francisco Chronicle, and was walking to get bagels on a sunny morning. Since I always have my [...]

Multi-Media Philanthropic Platforms (Tech Roundup 2008.3)

The California Endowment is helping to make possible a live webcast of The Women’s Conference tonight (Wednesday, October 22) from Long Beach. Check it out here. Participant Productions, the movie company funded by Jeff Skoll (also of the Skoll Foundation and SocialEdge) which brought us An Inconvenient Truth, The Visitor, and The Kite Runner (among [...]

New types of trend data

My colleague Jonathan Jaffray has a new blog, philanthropyadvisor.com (great name!), and is out of the starting blocks with an important insight – he notes here that more than 100 domain names had been registered with the word “gustav” by September 1st. He rightly continues to note that donors should be wary of making donations [...]

While I’m away

Well I am away but not for the reason (vacation) I had planned. So instead I’m within striking distance of the Internet and can’t help but capture some thoughts in between other things…. Sean Stannard Stockton has a good conversation going on over at tacticalphilanthropy about philanthropic advising. I, of course, suggest you consider his [...]