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Poverty in Teaching
	Asher Bey took the topic of poverty on Blog Action Day a bit further than the material, as I would have expected him to do. In Poverty in Teaching he asks us to notice how we allocate the most precious resource we have: our attention. Posted: 10/20/08; 5:49:50 PM #

Poverty is Bad for your Health
	Sadly, sometimes you really need to state the obvious, which is what Burt Webb did last week in his short take on Blog Action Day: Poverty is Bad for your Health. Posted: 10/20/08; 5:47:13 PM #

Working Toward Evidence-Based Process: Evaluation That Matters

I recently read Ailish Byrne's article entitled Working Toward Evidence-Based Process: Evaluation That Matters. It was an eye-opening experience for me in a number of ways. First, I confess I was disturbed by the title. You mean we're admitting that we do evaluation that is based on something other than evidence? Second, I was impressed by the political sophistication of the analysis. This is astute and useful material that reflects the notion that, in the world of development at least, we are working our way toward good evaluation. For a taste of some of the conclusions, here are six needs identified in closing: (1) to strengthen and equalise relationships and foster trust, (2) to develop capacity for integral, expanded learning within institutions, (3) to make evaluation and learning integral to wider organisational development processes, (4) to broaden accountability, and (5) to foster appropriate donor support, both conceptual and financial. Posted: 10/20/08; 5:45:48 PM #

It's the Community, Stupid!

I've been involved in community building of one kind or another for decades. Thus I prefer to parse the phrase "online community building" as meaning community building that happens online, rather than some utterly unique entity that we primarily build through new technology. It's through that lens that I view the hundreds of tips and tricks people have published on this popular subject. Once every few months, a piece comes along that does more than just recycle a few vague ideas. Karine Joly's It's the Community, Stupid! does just that, with seven specific recommendations for online community building: (1) Don't think you know what your institution can do for your community members. Ask them what they want. (2) Ask yourself, what do we expect from this relationship? (3) Be unique (and irresistible) by providing exclusive content to your community. (4) Keep in mind that if you build it with them, they will come. (5) Identify and empower the most active and engaged members of your community. (6) Don't wait for their visit - call them back. (7) Meet your new bosses: Community members. Posted: 10/20/08; 5:36:32 PM #

Blogging Becomes Mainstream
	It's quite remarkable to me how many nonprofit leaders, particularly philanthropists, regard blogging as some sort of fringe medium, suitable for photos of kittens and either embarrassing or incomprehensible personal anecdotes. In Blogging Becomes Mainstream, Paul Verna runs a few numbers and, I hope, puts that notion to rest. Posted: 10/20/08; 5:28:40 PM #