Orion Grassroots Network

Resources Blog

Twitter Tools for your mission

posted Nov 16, 2009

Audio from our Twitter basics conference call is now up, in the Conference Calls section under November 2009. Here are some additional resources:

our blog post on things to decide before using twitter,

Frogloop's return on investment of social media and social marketing calculator

twitcause, to help your group campaign on twitter (go there and nominate a group or effort to be campaigned for)

and two services you might want to use that plug into your efforts easily, aktnow and act.ly for twitter causes and events.

Twitter Best Practices for Nonprofit Organizations is a good reference.

Some popular hashtags for nonprofits listed here. Our most often used ones are #wildlife - #climate - #climatechange - #sustainable - #renewable - #urbanag - #localfood - #environment - #green #ecomonday.

Here's a useful blog post that talks about Twitter Lists and how you can use them effectively. See item #4 especially.

Lastly, here's a list of 10 things not to 'tweet' about if you can help it. Humorous, and true.

New Grassroots Jobsource Poster available

posted Nov 5, 2009

Click here to download, print, and display the latest poster of new internships and jobs available via our Grassroots Jobsource: GrassrootsJobsourcePoster.pdf

Go here to view the Grassroots Jobsource main page.

New Service: discounted PR help

posted Oct 26, 2009

Let It Be Known Public Relations which specializes in nonprofit clients is offering 30% off its services for Orion Grassroots Network members. John can help your group gain increased media exposure to increase name recognition and exposure for causes, fundraising efforts, and more. He's available on full-time or project-by-project basis to groups anywhere. Nonprofit references are available upon request. Services offered:

• Writing press materials including press releases, calendar listings, media pitches, Web site content and bylined articles • Building detailed and targeted media lists • Pitching story ideas to the media and setting up interviews • Pre-interview media training and monitoring of phone and in-person interviews • Speaking opportunity research • Gathering hard copies/tapes of all media placements

Contact: 617-872-1875 (ask for John) or ., and ensure that you mention Orion to get the 30% off.

Online social media/engagement tools

posted Oct 13, 2009

Download here (pdf) a handy extended set of resources and tools for those pursuing social change and want to engage folks online. Courtesy of Rootwork, which consults on web design and social media.

Newsletter with resources for Canadian nonprofits

posted Oct 6, 2009

The Sustainability Network Digest is a free monthly email that provides resources and information pertinent to Canadian environmental nonprofits on building organizational capacity. It is currently offered in Ontario, Prairie, Atlantic and Alberta editions. Each announces upcoming events, offers useful articles and resources and contains regional opportunities for nonprofit management training. You can sign up for any or all regional editions of the digest here.

Conservation Campaign Toolkit

posted Sep 30, 2009

New Network member The Conservation Campaign helps groups mobilize public support to win ballot measures and legislation that creates more public funds to protect land and water resources. They provide leadership, expertise, and resources, like their Toolkit, which has checklists, guides, case studies, and more to help you get important conservation initiatives on the ballot.

Monitoring your online image

posted Sep 23, 2009

Here's a good roundup of tools for tracking what's being said about your organization online. Is it important to know what people are saying? You bet, and it will probably become more important, the more wired the sector gets.

Nonprofit management webinars: save 30% on sessions via Orion

posted Sep 22, 2009

The Society for Nonprofit Organizations has announced its fall webinar lineup, here. They are solid webinars with top experts, and cost $99 for non-SNPO members, but the Network is sponsoring them this Fall so you can enjoy them for just $69, a 30% savings. Topics include:

• 10/7 Reliable Fundraising in Unreliable Times, with Kim Klein, Klein & Roth Consulting
• 10/28 Marketing & PR on a Shoestring, with Hannah Brazee Gregory, Shoestring Creative Group
• 11/18 Surviving the Meltdown without Having One, with Katya Andresen, Network for Good
• 12/2 Mobilizing Volunteers in the Face of Budget Cuts, with Susan Ellis, President, Energize Inc.

Use the links above to register for the 30% savings. The first one with grassroots fundraising guru Kim Klein may be the key one, but all are solid. Kim founded Grassroots Fundraising Journal, which Network members can subscribe to for $30 via OGN, a 25-50% savings: for more info and to subscribe, go here.

Ad agency scams

posted Sep 16, 2009

A recent WWF ad features a thousand airliners crashing into New York City, to make a point about the real threats the city faces due to climate change. It was done pro bono by an ad agency who, when they're bored or short of work will approach nonprofits like yours with the ad agency award scam system, wherein agencies approach nonprofits and offer to do free work for them. The work is specifically geared to win awards, not help the nonprofit. They place their ads so they're eligible for awards, but usually in out-of-the-way places. Then they submit the work, win awards, and get more work.

WWF had to denounce the ad, and in fairness probably didn't know anything about it. Don't let it happen to you! Other scams in this vein include:

Our Creatives are Bored Scam. Because all they ever flog is credit cards and phone plans, they offer a nonprofit free work and then go crazy with their brand. When the nonprofit asks why they disfigured their logo, the agencies say 'but we did it for free,' pout, look hurt and say nonprofits don't understand branding.

We Don't Have Enough Work Scam. They'll offer to do some free work for a nonprofit and then use that to leverage more paying work by pointing out what nice chaps they are because they assist 'good causes.' When they become busy the free work will end up at the back of the queue. When the nonprofit asks for a status report they'll tell them they haven't got time to work on the project anymore. When the nonprofit expresses dismay at the time they have invested for no return, the agencies look hurt, pout and say the nonprofit doesn't understand the real world.

Ninth Edition of Popular Grantwriting Manual Available

posted Sep 8, 2009

The Funding Exchange's ninth edition of their classic grantwriting handbook takes the mystery out of grantwriting, guiding you step by step through the proposal preparation process. Its practical, straightforward style presents a wealth of information in an easy-to-understand format. Worksheets and checklists are included throughout the manual to simplify the grantwriting and project planning process. More information about The Art of Grantwriting here.

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