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News for December 1999

28 December 1999

Clinton's directive to U.S. government agencies to enhance access to public services throguh new IT
	Federal Computer Week reports on Clinton's directive to U.S. government agencies to enhance access to public services throguh new IT. In a related matter, the U.S. government will reorganize public information into a single portal, where information will be organized by subject, rather than department. Lots of other organizations could learn from this move. Posted: 12/28/99; 9:00:00 AM #

Topica bought several hundred mailing lists

The Privacy Forum covers a very disturbing occurance. (Scroll down for the article in question.) It seems that Topica bought several hundred mailing lists from a commercial email mailing list host. Organizations who were using the host may now have so-called "free" service, but Topica can insert advertising and can reuse the actual content of the discussions for their own purposes! Posted: 12/28/99; 9:00:00 AM #

Elementary E-Philanthropy
	The December 28, 1999 issue of NetAction Notes has a great Question and Answer article by Michael Stein on Elementary E-Philanthropy. Posted: 12/28/99; 9:00:00 AM #

22 December 1999

First Annual e-Politics Survey
	E-Advocates has released their First Annual e-Politics Survey. Note that the survey was conducted entirely online and so represents the views of Internet users. Posted: 12/22/99; 9:00:00 AM #

Nonprofit Lobbying Guide
	The Independent Sector has released the second edition of their Nonprofit Lobbying Guide. It is available in both PDF and in print format. Posted: 12/22/99; 9:00:00 AM #

PsychExps
	The Fund for the Improvement of Post Secondary Education and the University of Mississippi are supporting PsychExps, a site providing tools and information for online psychological research. Posted: 12/22/99; 9:00:00 AM #

Skills Training for Community & Non-Profit Organizations
	Skills Training for Community & Non-Profit Organizations provides some great resources for bicycle advoactes and nonprofits in general. Posted: 12/22/99; 9:00:00 AM #

20 December 1999

Charities online: E-giving makes donating easy and helps groups raise money at lower costs
	Christy True interviewed me a couple of weeks ago on the subject of online fundraising. In Charities online: E-giving makes donating easy and helps groups raise money at lower costs she shares her overview of the landscape. Posted: 12/20/99; 9:00:00 AM #

17 December 1999

story of the Spectrum Center for Educational and Behavioral Development
	Performance pay is not the rule in nonprofit organizations, but the story of the Spectrum Center for Educational and Behavioral Development is pretty interesting. Posted: 12/17/99; 9:00:00 AM #

How To Get Internet Savvy
	How To Get Internet Savvy is a good piece about the benefits of not being too controlling about your staff's Internet usage. Posted: 12/17/99; 9:00:00 AM #

15 December 1999

Digital Sunlight Awards and Reports
	The California Voter Foundation's Digital Sunlight Awards and Reports have been released, documenting progress in the United States on the disclosure of money in politics. Posted: 12/15/99; 9:00:00 AM #

Undisguised Blessings
	Jayne Cravens recommends this article -- Undisguised Blessings -- by Richard Chin, on the subject of virtual volunteering.. Posted: 12/15/99; 9:00:00 AM #

14 December 1999

Online Democracy By The Numbers
	Two surveys of online political activity have been released: Online Democracy By The Numbers and the First Annual e-Politics Survey. Posted: 12/14/99; 9:00:00 AM #

7 Steps to E-Business Launch
	Ralph Wilson offers his 7 Steps to E-Business Launch. Posted: 12/14/99; 9:00:00 AM #

United Way of Santa Clara County
	This is fascinating. The United Way of Santa Clara County is is negotiating a deal with Charitableway.com to use the latter's systems for workplace giving. At the same time, UWSCC will change its name to United Way of Silicon Valley. Posted: 12/14/99; 9:00:00 AM #

12 December 1999

Program Associates
	The Ford Foundation is accepting applications to its non-career-track Program Associates positions. These look like great starting points for people with professional degrees. Posted: 12/12/99; 9:00:00 AM #

9 December 1999

ecommerce sites hiring journalists
	You've probably noticed that Nonprofit Online News is presented separately from our spinoff company Social Ecology. The reason is partly explained by this piece from Online Journalism Review on ecommerce sites hiring journalists. We are trying to resist this trend. Posted: 12/9/99; 9:00:00 AM #

nonprofit use of the Internet
	Sandra Stewart has written a long piece for the Industry Standard on nonprofit use of the Internet. She quotes people who are probably familiar to many of you: Michael Stein, Ami Dar, Jeff Hallett, Nick Allen, Marci Lockwood, and others. Posted: 12/9/99; 9:00:00 AM #

8 December 1999

new poll of the online behavior of voters
	A George Washington University Press Release summarizes the results of a new poll of the online behavior of voters released by the Democracy Online Project. Posted: 12/8/99; 9:00:00 AM #

Internet gives elderly 'window to life,'
	The Internet gives elderly 'window to life,' say researchers who recommend that every nursing home or assisted living facility be equipped with communal email and Internet access. Posted: 12/8/99; 9:00:00 AM #

reconnecting with our passion
	Terry Axelrod opines on the subject of reconnecting with our passion for the good work to which we have committed ourselves. Posted: 12/8/99; 9:00:00 AM #

6 December 1999

Information Age Government Champions
	The Information Age Government Champions are empowered to bring the UK government and civil service a coordinated approach to new technology. Posted: 12/6/99; 9:00:00 AM #

Community Information Corps
	The Community Information Corps is an interdisciplinary group dedicated to applying new techniques in the service of public goals. They will have a Visiting Day on January 22, 2000. Posted: 12/6/99; 9:00:00 AM #

4 December 1999

Year 2000 volunteerism opportunity
	Susan Ellis describes the Year 2000 volunteerism opportunity. Posted: 12/4/99; 9:00:00 AM #

domain name basics
	Two very different stories on the art of naming in the age of the Internet: Shane Thacker explains domain name basics and Ruth Shalit rips into the silliness of online brand name creation. Posted: 12/4/99; 9:00:00 AM #

2 December 1999

Independent Media Center

I don't normally report on such matters, but the World Trade Organization meeting repercussions have hit pretty close to home. Please note that this is my personal experience and hardly reflective of the larger context of this issue. Our Seattle office was flooded with tear gas yesterday, as police moved into the neighborhood, forcing local residents and workers off their streets. I saw individual police officers chase foreign journalists so they could put pepper spray in their eyes. I saw mothers crying because their children were being gassed through the open windows. I heard officer after officer refuse to reveal their badge numbers. The nonprofit Independent Media Center has more, if you can get to their site. CNN is covering the WTO mess and KUOW has continuing coverage. Posted: 12/2/99; 9:00:00 AM #

OrgMail IT

Social Ecology, the company we spun off earlier this year from The Gilbert Center for the purpose of offering more cost effective technology services to the nonprofit sector, has announced a plug and play outsourced email service called OrgMail IT. Organizations can sign up for the service immediately. It is being offered free for small work groups to the first 100 organizations who sign up. I'm pretty excited about this one. Posted: 12/2/99; 9:00:00 AM #

1 December 1999

Nonprofit FAQ
	The single most commonly referenced question at the Nonprofit FAQ is about getting started. Stan Hutton has collected his links to such resources at his Starting A Nonprofit Organization page. Posted: 12/1/99; 9:00:00 AM #

Philanthropy's New Agenda: Creating Value
	In Philanthropy's New Agenda: Creating Value, Porter and Kramer argue that the giving practices of modern foundations are not strategic and present how they could become so. Posted: 12/1/99; 9:00:00 AM #

How the Internet Effects Social Change
	Common Ground is hosting a panel discussion in New York this evening, on the subject of How the Internet Effects Social Change. There are wonderful people on the panel. I hope they report out for us all to share. Posted: 12/1/99; 9:00:00 AM #