News for Social Entrepreneurs
Social Entrepreneur blog for the world changers
Year of the Meetup
Jan 27th
We hereby declare 2012 as the Year of the WordPress Meetup. You’ll want to get in on this action.
meet·up \mēt-əp\ noun
A meeting, especially a regular meeting of people who share a particular interest and have connected with each other through a social-networking Web site: a meetup for new moms in the neighborhood; a meetup to plan the trip; a meetup for WordPress users.1
So what is a WordPress Meetup? Basically, it’s people in a community getting together — meeting up — who share an interest in WordPress, whether they be bloggers, business users, developers, consultants, or any other category of person able to say, “I use WordPress in some way and I like it, and I want to meet other people who can say the same.” Meetups come in different shapes and sizes, but they all carry the benefit of connecting you with potential collaborators and friends, and helping you learn more about what you can do with WordPress. Here are some of the common types of WordPress meetups:
- Hang out and work on your WordPress sites together
- Social/happy hour type gatherings
- Mini-lectures/presentations
- Developer hacking meetups
- Show & tell of how group members are using WordPress
- Formal instruction on how to use WordPress
- Lecture series (possibly with visiting speakers)
- Genius bar/help desk
There’s no prescribed format, as each local group can decide for itself what they want to do. Some groups mix it up from month to month, while others have multiple events each month to satisfy the needs of their community.
The tough part? Running a popular group takes time and money. Just as we worked last year to remove the financial burden for WordCamp organizers and provide logistical support so they could focus more on their event content and experience, we want to start extending that kind of support to meetup groups as well. We don’t want it to cost anything for someone to run a WordPress meetup, or to attend one — building local communities should be as free as WordPress itself!
Since there are so many more meetups than there are WordCamps, we’re going to start with the cost that is the same for every group: meetup.com organizer dues. We’re setting up an official WordPress account on Meetup.com right now, and over the next couple of weeks will be working with existing meetup group organizers, people who want to start a new meetup group, and the helpful folks at Meetup.com to put this program in place. WordPress meetup groups that choose to have their group become part of the WordPress account will no longer pay organizer dues for that group, as the WordPress Foundation will be footing the bill.
This is exciting for several reasons. First, it means local organizers who are giving something back to the project by way of their time won’t also have shell out $12-19/month for the privilege. That alone is a big step. Second, it will open the door to more events and leaders within a community, since leadership and event planning won’t need to be tied to “owning” the meetup group. Third, more active meetup groups means more WordCamps, yay!
In addition to the financial aspects, we’ll be working on ways to improve social recognition of meetup activity by incorporating feeds from the official meetup groups into the WordPress.org site, and including meetup group participation in the activity stream on your WordPress.org profile.2 I’m also hoping we can do something around providing video equipment to meetup groups (like we already do for WordCamps) to record presentations and tutorials that can be posted to WordPress.tv, helping meetup groups offer WordPress classes in their community, and getting involved with mentoring WordPress clubs at local schools and universities. Oh, and we’ll send out some WordPress buttons and stickers to the groups that join in, because everyone loves buttons and stickers.
We’re also putting together some cool resources for people who want to start a new meetup group. There will be a field guide to getting started and some supplies to help you get your group going, and a forum for organizers to talk to and learn from each other.
Over time, we’ll be talking to organizers and looking at what other expenses we can absorb and what other support we can provide to local groups. For now, we’re starting with the organizer dues. If you currently run a WordPress meetup group (whether you are using Meetup.com or not) or would like to start a WordPress meetup group in your area, please fill out our WordPress Meetup Groups survey. Filling in the survey doesn’t obligate you to join the official group, it just gives us a starting point to a) find out what groups are around/interested, and b) get some information on existing groups and their expenses and needs. Meetup.com will contact the group organizers who’ve said they’d like to join the new program, and will walk them through the logistics of the change and answer questions before helping them to opt-in officially.
So, if you currently run a WordPress meetup group, or you would like to start one, please fill out our WordPress Meetup Groups survey. I can’t wait to see more meetups!
1 – Adapted from “meetup” definition at dictionary.com.
2 – Didn’t know about profiles? Check out http://profiles.wordpress.org/users/yourwordpressdotorgusernamehere (put in the username you use in the WordPress.org forums) to see yours!
Why is it so difficult to manage volunteers?
Jan 27th
This week I taught my undergraduate students about volunteer management best practices. I enjoyed hearing about their volunteer experiences and I was not surprised when some students explained how they had volunteered at well known organizations that were disorganized in their volunteer management practices.
The biggest issue I’ve encountered while working in nonprofits is the lack of planning for volunteer management. Like the case with nonprofit operations in general, many nonprofits don’t make the time to strategicly plan their volunteer recruitment and retention efforts. All volunteers should be managed just like another member of the staff and should be able to:
- Complete an volunteer application
- Receive a job description
- Be oriented and trained on the job
- Receive communication on a consistent basis from the staff and board
- Be evaluated and recognized for their efforts
I learned this the hard way t0o — its not “oh we need some volunteers this week so lets recruit them” but let’s plan in advance the volunteers we need this years, the skills we are looking for from those volunteers, and how we are going to recruit them.
One of the required readings for this section was the Strategic Volunteer Engagement Handbook. This helpful handbook lays out how nonprofits can effectively manage their volunteers.
Nonprofit Leadership Initiatives Take 2
Jan 27th
I’ve been a part of many national committees aimed at improving leadership in the sector. First there was the Nonprofit Congress’s Leadership Working Group. As a committee we worked with a consultant to develop a booklet titled Work with Me: Intergenerational Conversations in Nonprofit Leadership. Unfortunately the committee dissolved along with the Nonprofit Congress.
Then there was the Nonprofit Workforce Coalition and spent a year working to develop a campaign to promote careers in the nonprofit sector. We hit a wall when we realized that funding for the campaign would take away from funding for our organizations.
The I joined the Next Generation Leadership Forum, a committee aimed at documenting and replicating nonprofit leadership best practices. This Forum was started by the Craigslist Foundation but also dissolved when continued funding could not be obtained for the forum.
Now — there is the Initiative for Nonprofit Talent and Leadership started by the Independent Sector and supported by many national nonprofit organizations.
The Initiative for Nonprofit Talent and Leadership aims to create a set of goals and strategies that will serve as the foundation for a national cross-sector effort to better prepare, train, and sustain leaders to constructively and collaboratively address the complex challenges our society faces.
I hope this initiative is different than the other forums and committees that I described above. I hope funders and the coalition members work to sustain this initiative long enough to influence leadership practices in the nonprofit sector. In addition, I hope this initiative builds on the work that has already been done to document nonprofit leadership best practices.
Featured Nonprofit Job: Higher Education Research and Policy Analyst
Jan 27th
Cross-Posted From Nonprofit Jobs
Looking for a nonprofit job in sunny Atlanta, GA? The Southern Education Foundation (SEF) has just the position for you.
Effective immediately, SEF is looking for a highly motivated candidate to fill its brand new Higher Education Research and Policy Analyst role. This position is being created to help expand SEF's ability to conduct research, analyze policy, and develop programming to improve access to college and degree completion nationally. A particular focus will be placed on the successs of low-income and minority students. As such, all interested applicants should have a strong passion for working with these types of students, and a strong knowledge of Minority-Serving institutions.
Interested in this position? Before you apply, make sure you fit the following requirements:
Looking for a nonprofit job in sunny Atlanta, GA? The Southern Education Foundation (SEF) has just the position for you.
Effective immediately, SEF is looking for a highly motivated candidate to fill its brand new Higher Education Research and Policy Analyst role. This position is being created to help expand SEF's ability to conduct research, analyze policy, and develop programming to improve access to college and degree completion nationally. A particular focus will be placed on the successs of low-income and minority students. As such, all interested applicants should have a strong passion for working with these types of students, and a strong knowledge of Minority-Serving institutions.
Interested in this position? Before you apply, make sure you fit the following requirements:
- A doctorate degree in higher education, public policy, or a related field.
- Experience with conducting higher education research and reporting.
- Communication skills are a must, including written, oral, and electronic.
Manassas City Council Stands By Nonprofit Funding Method
Jan 27th
Despite a push for change, the Manassas City Councils has decided to stick with its current method of funding nonprofit and arts groups.
The Washington Post reported yesterday that the Council voted unanimously to keep its current funding method rather than switch to another that is used in Prince William County. That system appoints a citizen panel to make recommendations on which nonprofit groups to fund and how much. It has been under fire by groups like the Prince William County Symphony, whose members say too much money has gone towards the Manassas Ballet ($1.6 million since fiscal year 2005). One of the biggest advocates for changing the current system is Council member Mark D. Wolfe (R) whose wife, Amy, is the ballet's artistic director. Wolfe abstained from the vote given his relationship to the ballet.
The city decided to keep the current system in part because it believes taxpayer money should be handled by the Council. The current funding system in Manassas appoints a subcommittee of council members who make recommendations to the City Council on which nonprofits should receive support. One change was made, however: The subcommittee will now have only two council members, instead of the usual three.
You can read more about this story in The Washington Post.
The Washington Post reported yesterday that the Council voted unanimously to keep its current funding method rather than switch to another that is used in Prince William County. That system appoints a citizen panel to make recommendations on which nonprofit groups to fund and how much. It has been under fire by groups like the Prince William County Symphony, whose members say too much money has gone towards the Manassas Ballet ($1.6 million since fiscal year 2005). One of the biggest advocates for changing the current system is Council member Mark D. Wolfe (R) whose wife, Amy, is the ballet's artistic director. Wolfe abstained from the vote given his relationship to the ballet.
The city decided to keep the current system in part because it believes taxpayer money should be handled by the Council. The current funding system in Manassas appoints a subcommittee of council members who make recommendations to the City Council on which nonprofits should receive support. One change was made, however: The subcommittee will now have only two council members, instead of the usual three.
You can read more about this story in The Washington Post.
Snooki, ‘Housewives’ and the Reality of Celebrity Businesses
Jan 27th
How 15 minutes of fame can lead to as many problems as opportunities.
Snooki, ‘Housewives’ and the Reality of Celebrity Businesses
Jan 27th
How 15 minutes of fame can lead to as many problems as opportunities.
Examples Of Permitted Political Activities
Jan 26th
Nonprofit organizations are forbidden to participate in any activity that favors or opposes any political candidate, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be involved with politics at all.
While an organization can not intervene on behalf of a political campaign, it may undertake certain types of nonpartisan political activities. Yet even in these situations, organizations still need to tread lightly or risk the wrath of the IRS.
In her book “Good Counsel,” Lesley Rosenthal lists some permissible political events for nonprofit organizations:
While an organization can not intervene on behalf of a political campaign, it may undertake certain types of nonpartisan political activities. Yet even in these situations, organizations still need to tread lightly or risk the wrath of the IRS.
In her book “Good Counsel,” Lesley Rosenthal lists some permissible political events for nonprofit organizations:
- Voter Education and Voter Registration Drives: These are a-OK for nonprofits as long as there are no biased references to individual candidates or political parties. Timing is also an important factor for the permissibility of these events. For example, distributing newsletters on a candidate’s voting record on issues important to the nonprofit would probably constitute intervention during an election year.
- Speeches by Candidates: An organization may invite a political candidate to speak at an event, but only if opposing candidates for the same office are given equal time. The event must not advocate for a certain position.
- Facility Rental: A nonprofit that has space for public gatherings may rent space to a candidate looking to make a space, so long as the organization charges the campaign its customary fees and makes the space available to opposing candidates. In addition, the space must be regularly offered by the organization and not specifically for the candidate.
Nonprofit Jobs On The Rise
Jan 26th
Cross-Posted from Nonprofit Jobs
A new study by Johns Hopkins University is giving job seekers yet another reason to flock towards nonprofit jobs.
The NonProfit Times wrote about the report from the Baltimore, Md.-based school that showed that jobs in the nonprofit sector increased an average of 2.1 percent from 2000 to 2010, while for-profit jobs decreased by an average of 0.6 percent annually. This trend even held up during the height of the Great Recession (between 2007 and 2009), with nonprofit employment increasing at an average of 1.9 percent per year while for-profit work declined. The only year in the past decade that nonprofits didn't outperform for-profits was 2005, when both sectors reported a 2-percent increase in jobs.
If you are wondering which industries increased the most, the JHU study has answers to that, too. It cited the greatest increase in jobs in the following fields: Healthcare, education, and social assistance. Those three happen to be the largest employers in the nonprofit sector, with healthcare jobs making up 57 percent of the nonprofit workforce.
There was one bit of negative news for nonprofits. According to the report, for-profit businesses outpaced nonprofit growth when it came to social assistance, education, and nursing home care. As a result, nonprofits in these fields lost market share to for-profits. The reasons for this aren't exactly clear, but insiders are blaming market conditions and the moral tenets of competing industries, which tend to become muddled in tough economic times.
You can read more about JHU's study of nonprofit jobs in The NonProfit Times.
A new study by Johns Hopkins University is giving job seekers yet another reason to flock towards nonprofit jobs.
The NonProfit Times wrote about the report from the Baltimore, Md.-based school that showed that jobs in the nonprofit sector increased an average of 2.1 percent from 2000 to 2010, while for-profit jobs decreased by an average of 0.6 percent annually. This trend even held up during the height of the Great Recession (between 2007 and 2009), with nonprofit employment increasing at an average of 1.9 percent per year while for-profit work declined. The only year in the past decade that nonprofits didn't outperform for-profits was 2005, when both sectors reported a 2-percent increase in jobs.
If you are wondering which industries increased the most, the JHU study has answers to that, too. It cited the greatest increase in jobs in the following fields: Healthcare, education, and social assistance. Those three happen to be the largest employers in the nonprofit sector, with healthcare jobs making up 57 percent of the nonprofit workforce.
There was one bit of negative news for nonprofits. According to the report, for-profit businesses outpaced nonprofit growth when it came to social assistance, education, and nursing home care. As a result, nonprofits in these fields lost market share to for-profits. The reasons for this aren't exactly clear, but insiders are blaming market conditions and the moral tenets of competing industries, which tend to become muddled in tough economic times.
You can read more about JHU's study of nonprofit jobs in The NonProfit Times.
Global Fund Gets Major Gift From Gates Foundation
Jan 26th
These are tough economic times we live in, but philanthropic organizations are still willing to give big money to causes that improve the lives of people in need.
That was the key message that Bill Gates sent when his organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, committed $750 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The major gift came in the form of a promissory note, a new funding mechanism that allows an organization to distribute funds based on immediate needs, which leads to greater impact.
The Gates Foundation has always placed a high priority on deadly diseases with its philanthropic efforts. The organization has already contributed $650 million to the Global Fund since its inception 10 years ago at the World Economic Forum, which is a gathering of the world's top business and political leaders. In addition, the foundation has a Global Health Program that uses advances in technology to help save lives in poor nations. Most of this work is done through grants to partner organizations.
Since 2002, investments to the Global Fund have helped develop innovative treatments for AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in developing countries around the world. The organization has provided antiretroviral treatment to 3.3 million people, detected and treated 8.2 million people with tuberculosis, and provided 230 million bed nets to families to prevent malaria. These efforts and more have helped save 100,000 lives every month.
You can read more about this story in The NonProfit Times.
That was the key message that Bill Gates sent when his organization, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, committed $750 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. The major gift came in the form of a promissory note, a new funding mechanism that allows an organization to distribute funds based on immediate needs, which leads to greater impact.
The Gates Foundation has always placed a high priority on deadly diseases with its philanthropic efforts. The organization has already contributed $650 million to the Global Fund since its inception 10 years ago at the World Economic Forum, which is a gathering of the world's top business and political leaders. In addition, the foundation has a Global Health Program that uses advances in technology to help save lives in poor nations. Most of this work is done through grants to partner organizations.
Since 2002, investments to the Global Fund have helped develop innovative treatments for AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in developing countries around the world. The organization has provided antiretroviral treatment to 3.3 million people, detected and treated 8.2 million people with tuberculosis, and provided 230 million bed nets to families to prevent malaria. These efforts and more have helped save 100,000 lives every month.
You can read more about this story in The NonProfit Times.
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