Case Foundation - Investing in People and Ideas that Can Change the World

TED Fellows Friday

sokuntheas — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:59:12 +0000

We are proud to support the TED Fellows program, because we truly believe in giving a voice and platform for social entrepreneurs, innovators, and changemakers, like the Fellows, who are coming up with big ideas that can change the world. The Fellows get to benefit from the amazing resources that TED provides, and we want to be able to share some of their experiences and learnings with up-and-comers and social citizens with great ideas who aspire to be like them.

Since the TED and TED Fellows blogs feature a series, Fellows Friday, that profiles one Fellow each week, we asked them to answer another question for our audience:

There are many aspiring social entrepreneurs out there who are trying to take their passion and ideas to the next level. What is one piece of advice you would give to them based on your own experiences and successes?

So, every Friday – starting this week – in conjunction with the Fellows Friday posts, we’ll also highlight each person’s answer to the question above on our blog. We’ll continue to look for ways to feature the Fellows and their amazing work and insight. Check back here for a quick look at all of our posts that reference TED Fellows.

For those who are less familiar with the TED Fellows program, it is an international fellowship that selects a group of 40 individuals from all around the world each year, who show world-changing potential, to participate in the TED Conferences. The program is designed to help nurture and spread their work to the world. Ten of the 40 Fellows are then selected to be a part of an extended Senior Fellows program. The Case Foundation is a sponsor of the TED Senior Fellows program. For more information about the TED Fellows program, check out http://www.ted.com/fellows. And, make sure to check out previous Fellows Friday posts!

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College students, want to build your resume while having fun this fall?

sokuntheas — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:35:22 +0000

Intern with us! We are looking for energetic and talented college students with a passion for civic engagement and philanthropy to join us for the fall semester at The Case Foundation. If you or someone you know fits the bill, please read on or forward the job description below!

Internships at the Case Foundation offer college students invaluable resume building work experience and networking opportunities! Not only will Interns work closely with members of the Case Foundation team and have the opportunity to learn about and contribute to many aspects of our business, but they also get to interact with our partner organizations and participate in events that feature leaders in the community.

Job Responsibilities:
Interns are a valued part of our team will handle a variety of projects to support the Foundation's mission of investing in big ideas that can change the world. They will support our social innovation programs, social media strategy and office operations on a range of tasks including, but not limited to:

Conduct research and prepare reports or write posts for Foundation blog
Assist with grant administration tasks
Perform project-specific outreach to nonprofit and other external partners
Assist with special event planning and organization
Contribute and help maintain/enhance social media and networking presence
Assist in blogger outreach
Perform project-specific marketing and communications outreach
Help with online photo gallery, video gallery and image search needs
Support team administrative needs, when needed (including data entry, filing, mass mailings, schedule coordination and taking and preparing meeting notes)

Job Requirements:

Undergraduate and graduate college students
Ability to commit at least 15 hours per week (flexible structure, either broken out into 2 or 3 days per week)
Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills is a must, as successful candidate will work both internally with Foundation colleagues and externally with applicants and grantees from diverse populations and communities
Interest in and ability to work in both a team environment and alone with minimal direction
Demonstrated personal computer skills, including basic troubleshooting and use of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and the willingness to learn other software tools
Demonstrated use and comfort navigating Web 2.0 sites and tools, including blogs, social networks, video and photo sharing, etc.
Interest in building capacity in underserved communities and championing individuals, nonprofits and social enterprises that connect people, increase giving and catalyze civic action

Compensation:
This is an unpaid internship. The Foundation does offer transportation reimbursement.

To Apply:
Please email resume and cover letter to contactus@casefoundation.org, using the subject line: “Fall 2010 Internship” by September 15th. We will only contact candidates who will be asked to come in for interviews.

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VPP invests up to $5.5 million in KIPP DC

sokuntheas — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:56:45 +0000

It is important to us to support the DC community, and one of the most effective ways we have done this is by investing in Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP) and their portfolio of grantees. We're excited to share their latest announcement - an investment partnership of up to $5.5 million in the growth of KIPP DC - and wanted to share the note below from Carol Thompson Cole, VPP's President and CEO. This news comes on the heels of another exciting development for VPP; just a couple of weeks ago, they were included among the first round of grantees for the Social Innovation Fund.

I am very excited to share with you the news of our second investment in Portfolio II. VPP will enter an investment partnership of up to $5.5 million in the growth of KIPP DC over the next four years. KIPP DC is the highest performing network of college-preparatory public charter schools in Washington DC and serves children and youth in under-resourced communities.

The VPP investment of growth capital and strategic assistance will help KIPP DC expand from seven schools serving approximately 1,550 students to ten schools serving at least 3,400 students and promises to provide outstanding social return for VPP’s investors, stakeholders, and most importantly, for the children and youth of low-income families in our region. The demonstration of KIPP’s high performing model at scale in the National Capital Region has the potential to raise expectations for how high-quality education can be delivered in under-served communities around the country.

We began working closely with KIPP DC and its excellent executive and board leadership in October, 2009 when we funded business planning, led by McKinsey, as the final step in our investment selection process. The total investment committed to KIPP DC, including business planning, is $5.9 million. VPP and KIPP DC have developed a very effective relationship, and we look forward to deepening and strengthening our partnership throughout the investment and beyond.

I have personally been very impressed by the vision, commitment and leadership capabilities of Susan Schaeffler, Founder and Executive Director, and Allison Fansler, President and COO, as well as the bold aspirations and drive of board members, including board chair, Terry Golden, and KIPP DC board member and VPP investor, David Bradley. This outstanding leadership team has the passion and ability to achieve this ambitious growth plan and build a strong and sustaining public school system that will be able to deliver outstanding results for students in our region for years to come.

You can read more about the KIPP investment on our website, in the Washington Post, and in our official announcement, below.

Thank you for your investment and support that makes our work with KIPP DC possible and will result in almost two thousand more students receiving an excellent education and strong foundation for a successful adulthood. We are grateful for your generosity and commitment to the children and youth of our region.

Sincerely,

Carol

Can online giving really be this fun? Ed Norton and Crowdrise think so.

sokuntheas — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:37:16 +0000

Edward Norton says, “If you don’t give back, no one will like you.” He was the Incredible Hulk and leader of Fight Club, so I’d listen if I were you.

I was surprised to see Ed Norton making appearances at various conferences during Internet Week last month in NYC, and even more surprised to find that he was there to talk about online fundraising?! Ok, you had me at Ed Norton, but really, he’s here to talk about things in our sweet spot - giving, social media, online platforms? I’m all ears.

He was making the rounds to talk about Crowdrise, a new online fundraising platform that he and partners Shauna Robertson, and Robert and Jeffrey Wolfe have created. The platform integrates social networking, crowdsourcing, and incentives in order to not only put the "fun" back in fundraising, but also make it more effective. I had the pleasure of speaking with Robert Wolfe - he and his brother Jeffrey were co-founders of Moosejaw, the online outdoor gear and apparel retailer - and wanted to bring their experiences in successful online retail marketing to the fundraising world, hence the birth of Crowdrise.

Clearly, their marketing skills are working. Since their public launch in May, they have been mentioned and featured all over - from networks (ABC, NBC, CNN, and USA Today) to blogs (Mashable, ReadWriteWeb and Likeable Media) and posts on Facebook and Twitter. They’ve clearly leveraged their celebrity connections - Seth Rogan, Russell Brand, and Will Ferrell all have fundraising projects on the site (Will Ferrell is even offering his own brand of sexy sunscreen to donors who give $17 or more to his project, Scholarships for Cancer Survivors). And, it looks like it may be translating into general users and participants, too. Although they’re not disclosing how many users and projects they currently have on the platform, there does look to be plenty of activity.

From my discussion with Robert and perusing through the site, one thing is evident - what lies at the core of Crowdrise is FUN. From his infectious enthusiasm, to the irreverent and witty copy on their site, to the cool prizes offered - they try to infuse fun in all elements of the process. Here’s what Robert has to say:

Sokunthea: There have been many online volunteer and fundraising platforms that have sprouted as of late. What makes Crowdrise different from others out there?

Robert: Our goal at Crowdrise is to have an impact by making volunteering and fundraising fun. I don't want to bore you with a million examples of how we go at it but if you play around on the site you'll see endless foolishness that we hope is somewhat notable. I'd say the two most unexpected parts of Crowdrise, that have been really awesome since we launched, are the point program and the crazy engagement.

The Crowdrise community is obsessed with their points and I certainly mean that in the most positive way. You earn Crowdrise points by donating, raising money and getting votes from the community. The idea is that the crowd determines who the most philanthropic people are on Crowdrise and those people are rewarded with points and awesome prizes. The combination of crowdsourcing along with incentives that you typically find in online retail creates more engagement and raises more awareness about Crowdrise projects. There's no question that the most passionate people are having the most fun and getting rewarded for digging in.

Even though we've only been live a short time I can say with some degree of confidence that people are getting addicted to the site. And, the best part is that it's super niche and all about giving back. Random people are voting for each other and donating to each others projects and helping each other fundraise. It's actually really cool. We're getting multiple emails a day from people saying... 'Someone just started fundraising for the project that I started but I don't know them. Is that a mistake?' And, our answer is that it may be a mistake but that's really what Crowdrise is all about. The social network enables people to click around like mad and find real human people starting projects for causes they care about and helping 'em out.

Sokunthea: How did you come up with the Points Program?

Robert: When we were doing our research and talking to high school and college students to try to figure out how to make volunteering fun and appealing to them, we realized a lot of high school students who had to do community service to graduate didn't particularly like it. We're obsessed with our own airline miles and developed a really successful point program at the other company we founded, Moosejaw. So, we thought it made a lot of sense to create a point system in the philanthropic space to try to make everything a little more fun. And, our badges couldn't be any more ridiculous.

Also, on Crowdrise, a $29 donation also enters you to win an iPad. We have lots of different prizes and they're all really, really good. At the end of the day, our goal is to create engagement, drive donations and make it all fun. If our incentives get people to participate more then it's all good.

Sokunthea: Donor Fatigue is a big question when it comes to the hot topic of online fundraising and the popularity of online giving challenges. Are there ways that Crowdrise addresses this issue?

Robert: I don't want to be boring but, to us, it all goes back to making Crowdrise fun and we're supremely focused on it. There's a difference between asking someone to donate $9 to an important cause and asking someone to donate $9 to an important cause and you also get signed up to win a Macbook Air and a Shower Cap. We’re embracing everything we learned as online retailers to incentivize people to do good. Also, why isn't Incent a word? Can someone fix that? We definitely care about the quality of our community, not the quantity. We'd much rather have 10 people on the site kicking ass then have a hundred people with still those same 10 having fun and giving back.

So, the way we see it, we’ll contribute to that fatigue if we’re not making it fun.

Also, we don’t see ourselves as competing with online giving challenges like Chase Giving or Pepsi Refresh. We're competing with people who wait to get a letter in the mail from a charity and send in a check. Fifteen years ago, no one thought anyone would buy shoes and backpacks on the internet and, in that same way, we think we can do a decent job getting people why typically give back in real life to also do it online. I'm sure I'm making no sense at all.

Sokunthea: Who’s behind all of the fun irreverent copy throughout your site?

Robert: That's mostly me and my brother and Shauna and Edward with plenty of feedback from customers, too.

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10 ways students can get their good on this summer

sokuntheas — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:02:12 +0000

After just experiencing the third heat wave in the New York/DC area, summer is surely in full swing! And, the best part of summertime for students is … no school! But, what are you going to do with all that free time?

Youth Service America put out a list of 10 ideas on how you can really make this summer a GOOD one! A summary of their 10 suggestions are below. Check out their site for full details on 10 Ways to Get Ur Good on this Summer!

Set up a lemonade stand and donate the money you make to Alex's Lemonade Stand.
Offer to pet-sit for your neighbors going on vacation for free.
Are you a certified lifeguard? If so, offer to volunteer at your local local YMCA.
It’s hurricane season. If you live in a hurricane-prone area, make a disaster relief kit or refill your current one and share information with friends and family.
If you're eligible, donate blood.
Keep the World Cup fever going! Support your city’s homeless street soccer team by cheering them on or hosting a drive to collect soccer accessories.
Make sure to help elderly neighbors, by offering to mow their lawn, help with gardening, or with groceries.
Volunteer at a nursing home or shelter.
Did you grow from last summer? Donate those clothes that no longer fit to Goodwill or Salvation Army.
Help promote literacy and Summer reading by registering organizations in your community that can use free books with First Book.

8 tips for successful volunteer management from VolunteerSpot

sokuntheas — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:32:15 +0000

The other day, a friend asserted that all of the volunteer management tools out there seem to be geared towards either helping individuals in large cities find volunteer opportunities or are set up for large organizations with time and resources to manage their projects. But what about the suburban PTO mom who coordinates several volunteer programs a year, or the three person nonprofit that can't afford the dollars or time it takes to set up some of these management services?

I don't know how exactly how valid her points were, since they were based on anecdotal observations, but as luck would have it, I was introduced to Karen Bantuveris, Founder and CEO of VolunteerSpot, the same week I had this discussion. And, she has the simple and straightforward solution that any individual, group, or nonprofit can use for managing their volunteer projects.

I asked Karen a few questions to better understand VolunteerSpot, and here's what I learned:

Sokunthea: Can you briefly tell us about VolunteerSpot?

Karen: Glad to. VolunteerSpot makes volunteering easy! We help volunteer leaders, committee chairs and teachers by simplifying the time-consuming task of scheduling, signing up and reminding volunteers. Since we make it so easy to sign up to volunteer, schools and nonprofits report more people are showing up to help - up to 20% more!

What’s most exciting is that our simple time-saving tool is making a powerful difference - teachers are inviting more parents into the classroom as helpers and local volunteer-led groups are able to expand their services. One example is Open Books Chicago, an innovative literacy social venture serving kids from low-income families. By improving how they coordinate volunteers (using VolunteerSpot), they have been able to expand from one to three programs.

Sokunthea: How did you get started, and who uses VolunteerSpot?

Karen: VolunteerSpot was born out of my personal frustration watching good people wanting to volunteer at my daughter’s school and for local Austin nonprofits supporting Hurricane Katrina evacuees, but opting out because small communication hassles got in the way. It was often the same story - reply-all-email overload, showing up and not being needed, or wanting to volunteer and not getting a call back.

At schools, parents are called on to bridge critical funding gaps - helping in the classroom, supervising in the cafeteria and library, and supporting fundraisers like carnivals and concessions stands. VolunteerSpot gives parents and teachers a simple way to coordinate help that’s familiar to them, similar to launching an online party invitation. Because we’re so easy to use, and anyone can launch a sign up calendar, VolunteerSpot quickly spreads mom-to-mom, teacher-to-teacher, group-to-group from school, to Scouts, to soccer, etc.

It turns out the same moms who are volunteering at school are also very active in their workplace volunteer programs, in community nonprofits and faith-based service activities. In a little over a year, VolunteerSpot has powered all kinds of service: after-school mentoring programs, building projects, church-run soup kitchens, literacy programs, art festivals, public radio pledge drives, animal rescue teams, immunization clinics, and more. It has been such a rewarding year; we just reached a quarter-million volunteers served!

Sokunthea: What makes VolunteerSpot different from all of the volunteer management platforms out there?

Karen: VolunteerSpot’s ‘special sauce’ is that ANYONE can launch a volunteer schedule and invite others to sign up to help – in a handful of minutes. Other volunteer management platforms require board approval, budget meetings and training to get started. They’re absolutely the right tool for many professional volunteer managers in large organizations. However, 80% of nonprofits have just two paid staff members and a tremendous amount of volunteering happens more informally with committee chairs, corporate volunteer captains, and neighbors who don’t have access to formal volunteer management software. Instead, they are left to Excel spreadsheets, email and frustrating online groups to coordinate volunteers. We don’t think it’s right that people who raise their hands as a volunteer leader get saddled with cumbersome administrative to do their jobs.

Our basic service is free and gives leaders everything they need to schedule, sign up and remind volunteers of their commitments. We’ve added additional tools for nonprofits and groups in our new premium service including volunteer hours tracking and multiple registration fields - so if you’re organizing a large charity race, for example, you can capture volunteer t-shirt size and the group a volunteer is affiliated with.

Sokunthea: What tips or advice do you have for volunteer leaders?

Karen:

Make it easy for volunteers to help you, and let them!
Post clear instructions on your website for how folks can get involved and a link to sign up to volunteer (if practical).
Remember the ‘little things,’ details like where to park, what to wear and bring, and who will greet them when they arrive.
If volunteers reach your voicemail, let them know on your message when to expect a call back and where else they can find commonly requested information, such as a website.
Reach out on multiple channels where your volunteers are listening. Share information via email, Facebook, Twitter, phone calls, etc.
Invite volunteers to share their stories and experiences through photo sharing websites, Facebook groups and other social media. Make it easy for volunteers to invite their friends to help, too.
Ask volunteers what special skills they may bring to the table that your group could benefit from – you may find your volunteers are also artists, web developers or have accounting or marketing expertise and are willing to share.
Of course, use VolunteerSpot =).

What does democracy mean to you?

sokuntheas — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:46:51 +0000

We're so fortunate to be based out of the nation's capitol, where we are surrounded by reminders of democracy and independence - whether it be the government buildings and agencies, national monuments, or countless rallies and protests. Best of all, there are diverse groups of people and tourists from all over the country and world who come to live in and visit this city, and at the heart of democracy and independence are people.

And in honor of Independence Day, we want to hear what you have to say! What does democracy mean to you?

In line with other great programs out there that aim to provide a platform for individuals to share what democracy means to them, like what Everyday Democracy is doing on their website, we want to offer another way for you to add your voice to the mix and share it publicly. First, our energetic interns hit the streets of DC to get first-hand what people have to share on camera. Below are some of the great responses that were shared with us.

Then, we also tweeted out the question from our Case Foundation Twitter account. Here are a few of the responses:

@YC2N: Democracy to me, in short, means "personal choice" or Freedom of choice...from my travels it seems to make all the diff!

@Ladychow666: being free to be who I am while contributing positively to society

@chrisrotvik: citizens who are educated on and engaged in the issues // What does democracy mean to you?

@causeofbeing: It means nothing at the moment. That word, like love, has been thrown around loosely and lost its power.

@HHFoHhelpsHAITI: Democracy provides us the FREEDOM to change things for the better; to reach out in love and help those in need.

So, what does democracy mean to you? Please continue to share it via Twitter to @CaseFoundation, in the comments below, or over at Everyday Democracy!

Nonprofits, here’s what NOT to do on social media

sokuntheas — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:50:22 +0000

Did you know today is Social Media Day? Yup, Mashable declared it so.

It may be obvious for the tech world to embrace social media so whole-heartedly, but it has been even more exciting for me to see the nonprofit world embrace it, especially right now at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service. I am so glad they integrated a social media for social good track into the conference agenda and am having lots of fun following the flow of activity on the #NCVS Twitter feed and Facebook page (thanks for all your hard work, @HeyJK).

Yesterday's social media for social good panel included an all-star cast from the social media world: Craig Newmark (Craigslist), Paul Gillin (technology journalist), Joe Rospars (Blue State Digital), Jack Dorsey (Twitter), and Andrew Noyes (Facebook).

Although the panel spent a lot of time dispensing their expertise and advice on how nonprofits can use social media, the discussion that most intrigued me was due to a question from the audience. Chris Noble asked: Are there some key things that nonprofits SHOULD NOT do on social media?

I love how this simple question turns the same discussion around, and by doing so, provides more opportunities to give nonprofits advice on the use of social media from a different perspecive.

The panel had some great responses:

Paul Griffin said not to treat it as just another distribution channel for your same content. For example, don’t only use it as another method for distributing your press releases.
Surprisingly, Jack Dorsey, told the audience not to listen to them (the panelists and experts)! How you communicate depends on your audience. People say not to tweet about your breakfast, but in his case, his mom follows him on Twitter, so it’s relevant to her, and she cares!
Andrew Noyes said, above all things, be authentic.

I immediately started jotting down my list of don’ts, such as:

Don’t have a one-way stream of information. People can see you’re not having dialogue, thus not listening to what others have to say.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. If you’re new and not sure of what to do, it’s ok. People will know you’re a new user. Be open about it and instead use that as an opportunity to get advice and input.
Don’t erase tweets and posts (unless you’re ready for the backlash). Someone saw it at one point or other. Own up to your actions and words.
Don’t have others write or tweet for you if you are an executive or influencer. People will find out and don’t like that.

I could go on, but thought it would be more interesting to see what advice my friends on Twitter have to add. Here are some of the replies to my question:

@JFTibbs: NPs shouldn't sign up for a social media account to “just to be on there”. A dead account looks worse than no account.

@allieb37: nps should NOT let the conversation happen w/out them - be careful to listen, but actively participate in the conversation!

@akmcquade: Don't: auto DM, only ask for $, not respond to people, not RT others

@geoffliving: Don't curse?

@GordonJayFrost: Don't ignore mentions! Engagement begins by listening AND showing that you're listening. See this: http://ht.ly/24Y9L

@kivie: npos can't forget reciprocity. Don't let supporters feel you always ask for help, retweets, follows etc w/o returning the favor

What are your don’ts? Add them to the list!

Is it the end of nonprofits (as we know it?)

sokuntheas — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:33:54 +0000

Not so much.

After an energizing and star-studded opening plenary for the National Conference on Volunteering and Service at the Radio City Music Hall yesterday, I went to a session, titled End of Nonprofits (as we know it). Clearly many others were just as intrigued by the provocative title, because the session was jam-packed. So, is it the end of nonprofits as we know it? From what I gathered from this panel – not really.

Rather, the session encouraged nonprofits to look to and learn from innovative models that are successful and impactful, such as social entrepreneurship and other hybrid models, cross-sector collaboration, leveraging new media and technologies, and learning from other effective nonprofits.

The panel, moderated by Jonathan Greenblatt, Founder & President of All for Good, gave great examples of how they’re leveraging the above models:

Adam Ostrow, Editor-in-Chief of Mashable, talked about their Summer of Social Good program
Cheryl Dorsey, CEO of Echoing Green, talked about how they fund innovative new ideas and social entrepreneurs
Ryan Scott, Founder & CEO of CauseCast, gave great examples of how media, celebrity and corporate alignment can help nonrprofit causes
Nancy Lublin, CEO of DoSomething, a social entrepreneur herself, reiterated that there are great nonprofits (or not-for-profits) out there and the sector isn't broken

Of course, I believe in all of the above models and finding new ways to innovate for success, but the fact of the matter is that the concept of innovation (and learning from it) is not new! Innovation happens and has happened every day since the beginning of time – it just takes shape in different forms. What we view as the more traditional nonprofits at one point were the innovators of their time. The world will continue to evolve, there will always be new organizations, new models, new ways of doing things that will be the "innovative" thing of its day.

I had the good fortune of sitting in on an interview Senator Harris Wofford gave to WhatGives?! and he talked about the fact that America's creation was due to social invention, thus it should be ingrained in our nation’s DNA. I am likely butchering his example, because I am not much of a history buff, but he relayed that the first colonies were created and funded by for profit corporations from England, employed by the King, looking for expansion (for example, the East India Company), and it was the individuals on those ships that came together to come up with social solutions and plans for how they can create a new life and new nation. This is social innovation and social invention … not a new concept.

I really believe as long as there will be social issues to solve, there will be nonprofits (or the service nonprofits provide) in some shape or form – whether it’s a hybrid model like social enterprises or the more traditional. Tactics to leverage innovative models, including partnerships and collaboration, will be just that – smart tactics and programs that are a part of an organization’s complete strategic business plan. What’s more important to me, is how we teach nonprofits to better leverage these ideas and become more impactful and effective?

I was at another conference a couple weeks ago: Social Impact Exchange’s Inaugural Conference on Scaling. The Social Impact Exchange is a membership association of funders and the like that are focused on increasing investment and sharing knowledge on scaling high-impact nonprofits, programs, and initiatives. Much of the discussions and panels provided a critical look by funders (and other perspectives) at how we should be funding – to scale impact, be more mission-focused, and only support high-impact nonprofits. If this is the way funding is heading, then those nonprofits that aren't being smarter about how they're innovating and operating will be in trouble and it could be their end.

So, instead of asking about whether or not it’s the end of the nonprofit as we know it, maybe we should be talking about how we can strengthen nonprofits as we know it!

Why should institutions continue to invest in crowdsourcing and challenges?

sokuntheas — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 17:27:46 +0000

My colleagues, Michael Smith and Kari Saratovsky, and I are presently at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in New York City (along with over 5,000 other attendees!). There is so much great information coming from this conference that we want to bring as much of what we’re learning to you as soon as possible!

I just participated in panel that Michael moderated: Crowdsourcing Success: How Philanthropy Can Make the Most of Prizes and Challenges. This is clearly a topic we are passionate about and focused on, as you can see from our programs like America’s Giving Challenge, events like Promoting Innovation with the White House, and all of the content and resources we share our blog. It’s really exciting to see a packed room of lively attendees who are interested in this topic as well, and to hear from the great lineup of panelists:

Jose Zamora, Journalism Program Associate, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Claire Lyons, Manager, Global Grant Portfolios, PepsiCo Foundation
Dalila Wilson-Scott, CFO/COO, Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase

The three have such great perspectives from their challenge programs that leverage crowdsourcing – Knight News Challenge, Pepsi Refresh Project, Chase Community Giving – and of course, Michael's perspective from our work and involvement in the space.

Prior to the session, I was able to ask each of the panelists the same question, in order to share with you thoughts directly from them on video. Below are their responses to the question: Why should institutions continue to invest in this model of crowdsourcing and challenges?

And, for some key points from the session, here are a few highlights –

For institutions:

Institutions need to recognize they don’t have all the answers, or even all the questions sometimes. They also need to be comfortable with knowing they don’t know it all.
Crowdsourcing in these ways, whether it be for ideas or to decide who wins a challenge, is about democracy – it’s saying, “We trust you.”
For organizations that don’t win the online challenges, going through the application process is valuable in and of itself. It helps you understand what you can do to improve and which strategies to employ for next time.
You can start with data to drive why you set up programs like these, but in the end, you have to take risks.
Although choosing one type of platform limits some users, is that where most people are? Go where people are, otherwise, why create something in the woods?

For Participants:

You need to be targeted on where you can be most successful.
Donor fatigue is very real, so you need to be strategic and be targeted in your messages to them. One audience member suggested asking them how often they want to hear from you.
Don’t be fooled, it takes real assets and resources to activate an audience to win challenges.
Alliance building is key. You need a lot of friends/supporters to win a challenge. How can you work with others to help your cause?

CaseSoup video recap: Promoting Innovation interview with Rob McEwen and Jim Bennett

sokuntheas — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:39:10 +0000

Next in our lineup of video interview recaps from the public-private strategy session with the White House on promoting innovation through prizes, challenges and open grantmaking, is with Rob McEwen, Chairman and CEO of US Gold and Lexam Explorations and Founder of Goldcorp and Jim Bennett, former Vice President of Netflix.

Check out Kristin's interview with them below and hear their answers to questions, such as:

CaseSoup video recap: Promoting Innovation interview with Aneesh Chopra

sokuntheas — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:40:12 +0000

We had a lively discussion with numerous questions from viewers, including those below. Make sure to check out videos and presentations from the main event and other CaseSoup interviews with experts from the day.

CaseSoup video recap: Promoting Innovation interview with Sonal Shah and Jonathan Bays

sokuntheas — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:41:22 +0000

Next in our lineup of video interview recaps from the public-private strategy session with the White House on promoting innovation through prizes, challenges and open grantmaking, is with Sonal Shah, Director of the Office of Social Innovation & Civic Participation, and Jonathan Bays, Consultant with McKinsey & Company and Co-Author of the recent report, And the winner is… Capturing the Promise of Philanthropic Prizes.

Here are some of the questions Sonal and Jonathan addressed:

Check this post for the full lineup of interviewees, and you can also view videos and presentations from the main event here.

Application deadline extended: It's not too late to intern with us this summer!

sokuntheas — Fri, 14 May 2010 18:06:26 +0000

We are looking for energetic and talented college students with a passion for civic engagement and philanthropy to join us this summer as interns at The Case Foundation. If you or someone you know fits the bill, please read on or forward the job description below!

Conduct research and prepare reports or write posts for Foundation blog
Assist with grant administration tasks
Perform project-specific outreach to nonprofit and other external partners
Assist with special event planning and organization
Contribute and help maintain/enhance social media and networking presence
Assist in blogger outreach
Perform project-specific marketing and communications outreach
Help with online photo gallery, video gallery and image search needs
Support team administrative needs, when needed (including data entry, filing, mass mailings, schedule coordination and taking and preparing meeting notes)

Job Requirements:

Undergraduate and graduate college students
Ability to commit at least 15 hours per week (flexible structure, either broken out into 2 or 3 days per week)
Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills is a must, as successful candidate will work both internally with Foundation colleagues and externally with applicants and grantees from diverse populations and communities
Interest in and ability to work in both a team environment and alone with minimal direction
Demonstrated personal computer skills, including basic troubleshooting and use of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and the willingness to learn other software tools
Demonstrated use and comfort navigating Web 2.0 sites and tools, including blogs, social networks, video and photo sharing, etc.
Interest in building capacity in underserved communities and championing individuals, nonprofits and social enterprises that connect people, increase giving and catalyze civic action

Compensation:
This is an unpaid internship. The Foundation does offer transportation reimbursement.

To Apply:
Please email resume and cover letter to contactus [at] casefoundation [dot] org, using the subject line: “Summer Internship” by June 15th. We will only contact candidates who will be asked to come in for interviews.

CaseSoup video recap: Promoting Innovation interview with Peter Diamandis and Tom Kalil

sokuntheas — Thu, 13 May 2010 15:35:58 +0000

On April 30th, we co-hosted a public-private strategy session with the White House on driving innovation and civic dialogue through the use of prizes, challenges and open grantmaking. The conference was a great success with lively discussions and presentations on the topic. Since space was limited for attendees and in the spirit of public participation, we wanted to make sure anyone, anywhere could have access to some of the key speakers at the event, by hosting interactive live CaseSoup Q&A sessions. We interviewed leading innovators, including including Sonal Shah of the White House Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation, US CTO Aneesh Chopra, the team from the Pepsi Refresh Project, and others. We also opened it up for the public to ask their questions via Twitter, live Chat, and email.

Over the next several weeks, I will be posting recorded videos of these live interviews, starting today with Peter Diamandis, Chairman and CEO of the X Prize Foundation, and Tom Kalil, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and National Economic Council.

Here is a sampling of some of the questions they answered:

Check this post for the full lineup of interviewees, and you can also view videos and presentations from the main event here.

Need some gift ideas for Mother's Day?

sokuntheas — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:52:31 +0000

Mother's Day is just around the corner, and if you're like me, there are lots of moms in your life to hurry up and shop for. Not only do I have my mom, but there's my mother-in-law, my sister and sisters-in-law that are moms, and girlfriends with kids that I like to send a little something to as well.

But let's face it, after 30 years of mother's day gifts for my mom, there's not much else I can get her that's unique and exciting. Luckily, at the end of the day, the gifts that mean the most are those that show you've put thought into them and that you care. So, this year, why not get gifts for all of the moms in your life that not only show you care about her, but also about social good, with a gift that gives back.

Here's a list with some great items for any of the moms in your life! Think of it as two gifts in one ... something for her and something for bettering the world.

Jewelry:

You can find the most beautiful pieces from Ten Thousand Villages, where you can feel confident that all of the products you buy are fair-trade. Here are a few of my favorite items: plaid wood bangle bracelet from India, brass circles necklace from Kenya, and turquoise mandala earrings from Nepal.
Amnesty International also has a great selection of jewelry. Check out this Hoops for Hope necklace and bracelet set that will match just about any outfit and helps ensure all school-aged girls in Ajquema (Guatemala) receive an education.
If the mom in your life feels diamonds are a girl's best friend, then you can feel better about the bling you buy her if it's from Brilliant Earth. They sell conflict-free diamond jewelry, and 5% of proceeds are donated to communities in Africa that have been negatively affected by jewelry trade.
The FEED Foundation has multiple items to help give a hungry child warm meals through the World Food Programme. In addition to their shopping bags, they also have this bracelet.

Flowers, Chocolates and the like:

Nothing brightens up my day or apartment like flowers. Sending that mom in your life the Pink Hope Bouquet or the Stand Up to Cancer Bouquet from Teleflora will both brighten up her day and help fund breast cancer research.
How is it that flowers and chocolates seem to make the perfect gift pairing? Well, with or without flowers, this Love Your Mom gift basket from Divine Chocolate will make any chocolate-loving mom happy. She'll be eating delicious fair-trade chocolate made by cocoa farmers in Ghana, who own 45% of the company.
Not a chocolate lover? For those other moms with a sweet tooth, Baking for Good has a great selection of goodies, like these Mom Cookies, and they donate 15% of your purchase to the charity you choose.
If the above options don't do it for you, you can find a other edible and floral options at giftback.com and 10% of your purchase will go to the charity of your choice.

Decorative items:

In addition to just about every other type of gift, you can find amazing decorative items from WorldofGood.com, an online marketplace for "good" gifts from around the world. Check out the Mother's Day gift guide for ideas. What's great is that they clearly show you the impact each of purchase makes. I've got my eye on this Mai Rice Bowl Set from Vietnam.
CharityUSA.com's the Hunger Site Store also has a recommended Mother's Day gift guide with gifts that give back, including this Kisii Stone statue from Kenya.
For a gift that's beautiful and functional, consider this Basket of Strength from the Women's Peace Collection. Portions of the proceed go to support the work and livelihood of women in Africa and the Middle East.

Books and Magazines:

It's hard to go wrong with giving a book as a gift. Here are a few great and meaningful reads to buy, whether it's the actual book or for her Kindle or iPad:
- Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools by Greg Mortenson
- Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nickolas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
- Road of Lost Innocence: The True Story of a Cambodian Heroine by Somaly Mam
If she prefers magazines over books, consider sending her a subscription to GOOD Magazine and 100% of the fee goes directly to a social action project.

Gift Cards:

If none of the gifts above are what you're looking for, there's always the option of giving a gift card. Network for Good's Good Cards and GlobalGiving's Gift Cards allow you to give her a credited amount to donate to the cause of her choice.

Do you have any other suggestions for great Mother's Day gifts that give back?

World Malaria Day: Mosquito nets save lives, and now, so do tweets

sokuntheas — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 18:03:08 +0000

We've all heard the statistic: Every thirty seconds a child dies from malaria in Africa.

It's not just a statistic. It's very real. But, it does not have to be so, because malaria is a completely preventable and treatable disease. This is why the Case Foundation is excited to partner with Twitter and Malaria No More in honor of World Malaria Day, which is this Sunday April 25th, on the End Malaria campaign. Starting today, you can make a difference through this campaign, by going to Hope140.org/EndMalaria and:

Retweeting this message from @MalariaNoMore to make a $10 donation: RT: Malaria kills a child every 30 secs. Nets #endmalaria. So do RTs. RT2Give $10 http://rt2give.com/t/425
Texting ‘NET’ to 85944 to make a $10 donation to Malaria No More
Adding hashtag(s) #endmalaria, #malaria, #malariaday and/or #worldmalariaday to your tweets and the hashtags will trigger the addition of clickable mosquito icons

The Case Foundation is matching each $10 donation up to $25,000 through Tuesday, April 27th. More details are available in this press release, including this quote from Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter:

The difference between life and death can come down to a $10 bed net. The simple act of tweeting both donates to and promotes the important work of Malaria No More. By matching these donations, the Case Foundation transforms our tweets into a powerful force for good.

For the Case Foundation, this campaign makes so much sense, and combines two tenets we're passionate about: unleashing the power of citizen driven participation and leveraging technology and social media for social good. Here's what Kari has to say on Social Citizens:

We saw the recent power of texting to give to the tune of $30 million raised through a variety of campaigns related to the tragic earthquake in Haiti. These campaigns were a game changer for how we use mobile to respond to crises. Now together through the powerful combination of tweeting to give and texting to give - we can educate, raise awareness, and help eradicate Malaria for the world’s most vulnerable.

Let’s take a look at the numbers:

At present 200 million mosquito bed nets have been delivered across sub-Saharan Africa, affording protection to half of the world's population at risk of malaria.

100 million more bed nets are in the process of being produced and delivered, leaving a 50 million bed net gap to meet the United Nations Secretary-General's goal of universal coverage by year's end.

Every thirty seconds a child dies from malaria in Africa. However, malaria is a completely preventable and treatable disease.

There are approximately 50 million "tweets" sent across the twitterverse each day

You can play your part by going to http://www.hope140.org/endmalaria today!

Want to intern at the Case Foundation this summer?

sokuntheas — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:41:56 +0000

Conduct research and prepare reports or write posts for Foundation blog
Assist with grant administration tasks
Perform project-specific outreach to nonprofit and other external partners
Assist with special event planning and organization
Contribute and help maintain/enhance social media and networking presence
Assist in blogger outreach
Perform project-specific marketing and communications outreach
Help with online photo gallery, video gallery and image search needs
Support team administrative needs, when needed (including data entry, filing, mass mailings, schedule coordination and taking and preparing meeting notes)

Job Requirements:

Undergraduate and graduate college students
Ability to commit at least 15 hours per week (flexible structure, either broken out into 2 or 3 days per week)
Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills is a must, as successful candidate will work both internally with Foundation colleagues and externally with applicants and grantees from diverse populations and communities
Interest in and ability to work in both a team environment and alone with minimal direction
Demonstrated personal computer skills, including basic troubleshooting and use of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and the willingness to learn other software tools
Demonstrated use and comfort navigating Web 2.0 sites and tools, including blogs, social networks, video and photo sharing, etc.
Interest in building capacity in underserved communities and championing individuals, nonprofits and social enterprises that connect people, increase giving and catalyze civic action

Compensation:
This is an unpaid internship. The Foundation does offer transportation reimbursement.

To Apply:
Please email resume and cover letter to contactus [at] casefoundation [dot] org, using the subject line: “Summer Internship” by May 15th. We will only contact candidates who will be asked to come in for interviews.

CaseSoup Video Recap: The ins-and-outs of online challenges with GlobalGiving

sokuntheas — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:42:09 +0000

Did you miss Tuesday's live CaseSoup session with Donna Callejon of GlobalGiving?

Don't worry, we have the recorded video below! It was a great discussions between Donna, Michael, and ... the public. Donna was here to speak with us about online citizen-centered challenges. GlobalGiving has been one of the premiere experts on online challenges, having been a part of more than 7 of them, including America's Giving Challenge, the Pepsi Refresh Project, and their Open Challenge Program.

Watch the video below for answers to questions, including:

Free access to the Global Philanthropy Forum!

sokuntheas — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:47:29 +0000

Can't attend this year's Global Philanthropy Forum Conference in person? You're in luck! This year, you can participate virtually via livestreaming video below.

The Global Philanthropy Forum Conference is taking place April 19 - 21 in Redwood City, CA, but you can tune in to plenary sessions and select breakout sessions from your home or office. Between 2:30pm ET/11:30am PT on April 19th and 6:30pm ET/3:30pm PT on April 21st, you can watch and interact with what's going on in Redwood City below or go to www.livestream.com/gpf2010.

Watch live streaming video from gpf2010 at livestream.com

CaseSoup: Want to start an online challenge? Get the inside scoop from GlobalGiving on April 20.

sokuntheas — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:37:19 +0000

The Case Foundation has long been interested in experimenting with and championing strategies that put citizens at the center of decision-making, one of the forms of this being open online challenges. One of the partners that we have had the great pleasure of working with and learning from in this area is GlobalGiving!

Join us next Tuesday, April 20th at 1:30pm ET/10:30am PT for a live CaseSoup session with GlobalGiving's Chief Business Officer, Donna Callejon. Tune in by clicking on this link: http://www.casefoundation.org/case-soup on Thursday, and you can ask Donna your questions:

in real time via Chat on the screen or via Twitter using the hashtag #CaseSoup,
leave a question below in comments, or
email them to us beforehand to CaseSoup [at] casefoundation [dot] org.

GlobalGiving as a business is a transparent model of enabling individuals to choose how their personal giving can make an impact on a project and its community. They have also been involved in previous challenges, such as our first America's Giving Challenge, currently are a partner in the Pepsi Refresh Project, and have initiatives of their own, like the Open Challenge Program. Learn more about the Open Challenge Program here: http://www.globalgiving.org/leaderboards/global-open-challenge/.

So, make sure to mark your calendars and tune into this session with Donna to learn more about their experiences with these programs and get advice and tips on starting your own.

About Donna Callejon
As Chief Business Officer, Donna oversees activities designed to ensure that the GlobalGiving marketplace is valuable to players of all sizes, and that the website(s) they develop provide individual and institutional donors with a great experience. This includes development of corporate and other strategic partnerships, relationship management for major donors, and development of technology and infrastructure for globalgiving.org and over a dozen custom websites. Donna also serves on the Board of GlobalGiving UK, Women's Funding Network, and the Non-Profit Village in Montgomery County, Maryland. She previously served nine years on the Board of the Washington Area Women's Foundation (three years as Chair) and six years on the board of Business for Social Responsibility. In a prior life, Donna was a senior executive of Fannie Mae, having led the company's strategic planning, business development and international consulting efforts, and prior to 1996 ran the core business, including marketing, product development, customer technology and negotiated transactions. She holds a B.S. in Managerial Economics from UC Davis.

Why nonprofits can't ignore diversity

sokuntheas — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 16:21:36 +0000

Did you know that by 2042, the US will be a "minority-majority" society?

I learned this at a panel presented by Jocelyn Harmon, Allyson Kapin, Shireen Mitchell, and Ivan Boothe on Diversifying Your Tech and Online Communications Team at NTC. A couple of great recaps of the session are available on the Marketing for Nonprofits and Care2 FrogLoop blogs. I found this discussion amidst all of the social media, fundraising, community building discussions to be so invigorating that it kept me thinking all weekend about diversity and what it means for the nonprofit sector and how we do business.

You just don’t see this type of panel topic at a technology conference. But, as you can see from the session topic examples I gave earlier, the Nonprofit Technology Conference, isn’t all about technology anymore. Social media has changed the face of communications and the technology piece of it often is the means for communications and outreach. So, if social media has turned this conference into one that has a strong focus on communications and community building, well, then topics of diversity should be discussed and discussed more!

Diversity really affects all aspects of a business or organization – not only its internal workings and the quality of its outputs, but also how successful it is at reaching its goals, targets, and serving its stakeholders. A few key areas the panel brought up that are critical for nonprofits to factor diversity into are:

Leadership: Often, leaders recruit from their circles. How leadership thinks, feels and behaves affect all aspects of a company. If the leadership team (including board) is not diverse, how can you really relate to your stakeholders?
Staff & Innovation: These two go hand in hand. Having a diverse staff means there are more perspectives, voices and representatives at the table for developing innovative products and programs. A somewhat controversial example Allyson gave was the iPad. She believes if the female perspective was heard on this product's team, that their is no way it would have been named something mistakable for a feminine hygiene product.
The changing landscape of the US: As stated earlier, by 2042, the US will be a minority-majority society, meaning the population will be comprised of more than half of people considered as belonging to a minority group. How will nonprofits factor this in when building programs? How will they factor this in when building donor bases? What does this mean for the job pool?

It was great to be reminded by the panelists that diversity is very much driven by context and how one defines themselves, by race, gender, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic status, political views and the list goes on. With my communications and outreach hat on, I think we need to think just as much about how others (our stakeholders) define themselves. This is critical for understanding how to communicate with and reach our stakeholders effectively. But, as Ivan pointed out, sometimes nonprofits can attract donors with messages that may offend your service constituents. So, yes, make sure to think about each stakeholder separately, but then always make sure to piece everything together and examine your strategy as a whole.

It can't be ignored, diversity has to be built into all aspects of a nonprofit's plan now.

The top 4 nonprofit videos of 2009!

sokuntheas — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 23:54:29 +0000

The results are in! The anxiously awaited outcome of this year's DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards has been announced.

This past Saturday, See3 Communications revealed the winners at the Nonprofit Technology Conference in Atlanta. More than 17,000 votes were cast to determine the top four videos from an amazing pool of 17 finalists. Each of the winners received $2,500 from the Case Foundation, were featured on the YouTube homepage, took home a specially designed Flip Video Camera (featured above) and received free registration to next year's Nonprofit Technology Conference!

Without further ado, the winners in each category along with the winning videos are:

Best Small Organization Video: "Darius Goes West—A DVD in EVERY SCHOOL!" by Darius Goes West
Best Medium Organization Video: "I am the Wooden Floor" by The Wooden Floor
Best Large Organization Video: "Join the Fight" by Canadian Cancer Society
Best Innovation in Video: "What Kind of Planet Are We On?" by Rock for Equality

CaseSoup Video Recap: How to make award worthy nonprofit videos

sokuntheas — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 21:27:04 +0000

If you missed our CaseSoup session featuring Ramya Raghavan of YouTube and Basho Mosko of Flip Video, you can watch the recorded video below!

Ramya and Basho spent an hour with us offering advice and answering questions the public sent in (live via Twitter, chat and email) on what it takes to create a successful nonprofit video. Check out the video below for answers to the following questions and more.

Who has the best nonprofit videos of 2009?

sokuntheas — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 19:25:03 +0000

It's time to flex your voting muscles and help decide which of the DoGooder Nonprofit Awards finalists deserve the title of best videos of the year!

More than 450 nonprofit organizations submitted over 750 videos this year. Kari, Megan and I with a group of other judges, helped narrow the pool to 16 and now it's time for the public to determine the top four. I was amazed at all of the videos I viewed during the judging process and can't wait to see which ones win at this year's NTEN Nonprofit Technology Conference.

Although it's too late to submit a video now for the Awards, it's not too early to think about creating your video for next year's awards. Tune in tomorrow, April 1st at 1 PM ET/10 AM PT to CaseSoup, where Ramya Raghavan of Youtube and Basho Mosko of Flip Video will be available live to share tips for creating a DoGooder Award-worthy video and answer any questions you may have.

I won't bother explaining too much more and will let the video below do the talking! Make sure you go to www.youtube.com/nonprofitvideoawards and vote by April 7th.