Why should your library be on YouTube? Read Geoff Livingston’s Mashable post “5 Ways Non-Profits Can Increase Engagement with YouTube.”
Here’s YouTubes’ Nonprofit program
FREE
GuideStar
Some sites have your information without your input! These sites may even invite comments by your patrons! One site to monitor is GuideStar, where donors as well as patrons and volunteers may go to learn more about your library!
The GuideStar Exchange is a free service which allows nonprofit organizations to add and update information about their organizations to a master database used by 22,000 visitors every day.
Update your profile (you will be asked for your mission etc) and you will earn the GuideStar Exchange Seal on their report pages and a free one-year subscription to ”GuideStar Premium“ (and a free subscription as long as you update each year!)
MORE INFO at: http://www2.guidestar.org/rxg/help/faqs/guidestar-exchange/index.aspx#faq2005 .
And, don’t forget to check out any reviewer’s comments!
InsiderPages.Com
Can you interest patrons or Friends members to write short reviews on local businesses? If so, you could make some money!! (Hey small town libraries—you especially have an opportunity here!)
MORE INFO
NASA
is offering a second opportunity to apply for Free Space Shuttle Artifacts
MORE INFO
ARTICLES/BOOKS TO READ
Avery, Sarah. “The IRS View of Nonprofit Governance,” GuideStar, December, 2009
http://www2.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2009/the-irs-view-of-nonprofit-governance.aspx?source=dec09nwsltr
…..this article includes our Word the Day: Inurement
Gordon, Susan “Effective Fundraising with Facebook Causes,” N Ten Nonprofit Technology Network, June 18, 2009: http://nten.org/blog/2009/06/18/effective-fundraising-facebook-causes (December 17, 2009)
Higman, Rebecca and Katya Andersen “Online Donors: Why They Leave and How to Win Them Back,” N Ten Nonprofit Technology Network, September 29, 2009: http://nten.org/blog/2009/09/24/online-donors-why-they-leave-and-how-win-them-back (December 17, 2009).
Martignetti, Tony. “Year-End IRA Gifts Are Still Possible,” GuideStar, December, 2009 http://www2.guidestar.org/rxa/news/articles/2009/year-end-ira-gifts-are-still-possible.aspx?source=dec09nwsltr (December 5, 2009)
Prestone, Caroline. “Charities Look for Ways to Unlock Benefits of Social Media Tools” Chronicle of Philanthropy, December 10, 2009: http://philanthropy.com/free/articles/v22/i04/04001101.htm (December 9, 2009)
Raymond, Susan U. Nonprofit Finance for Hard Times: Leadership Strategies When Economies Falter Wiley, 2009 (ISBN: 978-0-470-49010-5)
More Info: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470490101.html
FORUMS/TRAINING
CharityHowto.com offers free step-by-step videos for non-profits, including tutorials on online fundraising: http://www.charityhowto.com/
Free access to archived teleconferences on funding at Network For Good Learning Center: http://www.fundraising123.org/training
A few examples:
Dec 15, 2009: 6 Steps to Building a Dynamic Grantseeking Calendar Slides (pdf), Audio (mp3), Transcript (pdf)
Oct 20, 2009: “Missionize” Your Year-End Fundraising: Maximizing Your Organization’s Fundraising Potential this Holiday Season Handout (pdf), Audio (mp3), Transcript (pdf)
Oct 16, 2009: A Rookie’s Guide to Online Fundraising and Marketing (Foundation Center) NetworkforGood_OnlineFundraising_101609.pdf (pdf)
Sep 29, 2009: Digital Facelift: Tips for Taking Your Website from Blah “Before” to Amazing “After” Slides (pdf), Handout (pdf), Audio (mp3), Transcript (pdf)
GRANTS and CONTESTS
TechSoup
Become a free ‘By the Cup’ subscriber and enter to win an hour of tech time with a techie from TechSoup! You can enter once a month
Deadline: ongoing
More Info: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=PeTxcI_2bwQ1SIj69qmFfFog_3d_3d
Coming Up Taller Awards (President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities)
Awards recognize and reward excellence in after school and out of school arts and humanities programs
Amount: up to 10,000 each
Deadline: January 29
More Info: http://www.pcah.gov/news/cut2010Nominations.htm
MISCELLANEOUS
Squareup.com streamline credit card access for small groups. A small plug-in to your cell phone allows you to scan credit cards!
DonateNow offers nonprofits ability to accept website donations (no merchant account required) for a fee: http://www1.networkforgood.org/for-nonprofits/fundraising/donatenow
SOCIAL MEDIA and ONLINE FUNDING
SocialVibe.com:
http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraising/raise-funds-on-socialvibecom/
Fundraisingip.com—how to raise funds online:
You have a website: http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraising/raise-funds-online-with-or-without-your-own-website-part-1/
You don’t have a website: http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraising/raise-funds-online-with-or-without-your-own-website-part-2/
ARTICLES/BOOKS TO READ
“Nonprofit Finance: What Board Members and Trustees Need to Know,” October 15, 2009. The Chronicle of Philanthropy [Transcript] http://philanthropy.com/live/2009/10/nonprofit_finance
(Part of The Chronicle’s series of free live discussions featuring Nonprofit Finance Fund to provide advice to nonprofit and foundation leaders on how to manage in tough times. The series takes place every other Thursday at noon)
FUNDRAISING EVENTS
Learn what you need to know about Fundraising Booths at: http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraising/setting-yourself-up-for-great-fundraising-fundraiser-booths-shows/
MISCELLANEOUS
You will find much information by clicking through links at Tech Soup:
Learn why Excel should not be used as a donor database:
http://www.idealware.org/articles/Excel_isnt_database.php
Scroll through this list to see what federal programs are available to nonprofits: http://www.ezec.gov/Fundseekers%20Guide%20to%20the%20Galaxy/Applicant%20Eligibility%20index.pdf
Prospect Worksheet:
http://www.ezec.gov/Fundseekers%20Guide%20to%20the%20Galaxy/gsb_prospect.doc
ONLINE FUNDRAISING
Anyone can initiate online fundraising on your behalf! FirstGiving vets the nonprofits, hosts the website and ensures the transfer of money to the nonprofit. The site fee is 7.5% of the donations. More info at: http://www.firstgiving.com
Online fundraising and benchmark studies: http://www.e-benchmarksstudy.com/
(does require free registration)
State of online fundraising: http://nten.org/blog/2009/09/24/state-online-fundraising
Learn tidbits such as
o December accounted for about 21% of the year’s transaction volume, but 48% of the total dollars raised.
o The average online gift for the month of December increased to $248.82
o Research by Target Analytics found that online donors do switch to become offline donors, but offline donors rarely become online donors
Articles to Read
Find out how much $25 can buy in ads on Facebook in this blog by the Social Media Subcouncil: http://govsocmed.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-much-exposure-can-25-buy-you-on.html
From the New York Times: Banks no longer want to manage small non-profit investments? http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204563304574314882717782344.html?mod=djkeyword (It may be time to consider your local Community foundation?)
The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Prospecting Column explains that the number of millionaires is declining: http://philanthropy.com/news/prospecting/index.php?id=8904
“Funding raising words never to use.” Interesting comments after this brief Prospecting Column: http://philanthropy.com/news/prospecting/index.php?id=8890 (add your own!)
The Chronicle also reports that half of Charities have cut staff: http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/index.php?id=9021
Capital Campaigns
Grant Station has a series of links on everything you should know about capital campaigns: http://www.grantstation.com/Public/Funding_Strategies_px/capital_cam_vol_01.asp
Free or Somewhat Free
Jing: Software to snap a picture of your screen, record video of onscreen action and instantly share http://www.jingproject.com/
Grants and Contests
Corporation for National and Community Service
Social Innovation Fund (be on the lookout this fall)
Fact Sheet: http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/09_0716_serveact_sif.pdf
Libraries in Action
Run or Walk
Cleve J. Fredricksen Library’s 4th annual Library Loop 5K Race and Community Fun Walk Saturday, August 1st: http://www.cumberlandcountylibraries.org/index.aspx?NID=722
Nickel Saved….
Are you cooling or heating the library when no one is there? Books and materials don’t need to be as comfortable as people. Consider a programmable thermostat, which automatically adjusts the temperature when the library is closed, but allows for over-rides as needed.
Online Money
“10 Ways to Support Charity Through Social Media” from GovFresh Government2.0 site:
http://govfresh.com/2009/07/10-ways-to-support-charity-through-social-media
Check @Smartgivers on Twitter or see their site at: http://twitter.com/smartgivers
Product/Service Fundraising
Print on Demand
Does your library have a ‘one of kind’ or out-of print that if could offer as print on demand? Find out what the University of Michigan is doing with Amazon:
http://www.lib.umich.edu/news/stories/agreement_with_amazon_will_make_um_digital_books_widely_available_536.html
Notecards
“Using Customized Notecards to Make Money,” –from fundraising IP.com– http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraising/using-customized-notecards-to-raise-money/
Miscellaneous
Federal Government grant info: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/resources.jsp
FAQs, user guides, checklists, animated tutorials, newsletters, webcasts, brochures,
download software and find additional resources for applying for Federal grants.
PA Conservation Works Program
Training was held on July 27th by ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability (http://www.icleiusa.org/blog).
Recording: http://tinyurl.com/lpx28d
PPT slides: http://tinyurl.com/lflysv
More on the Conservation Works program: http://preview.tinyurl.com/l4wlfs
IRA Training Material on Governance: http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=208454,00.html
(found on Twitter through @BoardSource)