Grassroots.org

Oh, what a little press can do. Thanks to a featured article on Monster.com last week, we added over 50 new volunteers to our volunteer web design program. The increased volunteer interest is good news for us and great news for the organizations in need of a volunteer to help them build capacity with a new website!

The article, titled "Online Volunteering: A Win-Win for Techies, Nonprofits", outlines some of the reasons why people decide to volunteer their web design skills:

Techies often volunteer to further their careers and to contribute to a worthy cause. Virtual volunteering makes it possible to do both without the hassle of trying to fit an onsite volunteer position into an already-hectic schedule. Plus, volunteering online gives you access to:
*A broader set of opportunities, making it more likely you'll find a position that requires your skills and matches your goals
*A wider choice of groups, letting you find one that matches your interests

If you aren’t convinced that volunteering your web design skills virtually is worthwhile, read the Monster article! We hope you’ll be enticed to join the growing family of Grassroots.org volunteers.

Ready to sign up? Visit Volunteer.Grassroots.org today!

Grassroots.org is pleased to announce the launch of our live webinar program. To start we have 3 great webinars for our members and interested guests to participate in.

This month's webinars include:

Doodlekit Webinar, 10/17/2008 2pm-2:30pm EST Members Only

Learn how to use our web builder tool to help you get online fast, easy and free. DoodleKit is a cutting edge website building tool that has an interface that even the most un-tech savvy person could use. Check out what some members have already done with it here or go straight to DoodleKit.com to see what all the buzz is about.

Sign Up Now!

Grassroots.org Toolbox Webinar, 10/21/2008 3pm-3:45pm EST Open To Public and Members

Learn about the Grassroots.org Toolbox and preview the free services you can access as a nonprofit! This webinar will be an instructional overview of the Grassroots.org Toolbox. We will start with the sign-up process and then move into each tool and the value it can add to your organization.

Sign Up Now!

Virtual Office, 10/23/08 1pm-1:30pm EST Members Only

Grassroots.org's free virtual office includes free phone service with options to help organize your nonprofit's communication. This webinar, hosted by Jennifer Dempsey from Phone.com, will answer all your questions about the free Virtual Office package that is available to you as a Grassroots.org member. Going over everything from receiving faxes to voicemail management, you will leave a Virtual Office Pro!

Sign Up Now!

The Hope for Henry Foundation works to ensure quality of life care for children with serious illnesses in hospitals in Washington, DC, Minneapolis, New Jersey, Philadelphia and St. Louis.

A diagnosis of leukemia, lymphoma or neuroblastoma significantly disrupts a child's quality of life. Instead of spending time in school, camp or sports activities, these children spend much of their time in the hospital seeking life-saving treatment and just waiting to get better. Hope for Henry provides children with high quality gifts like iPods, digital cameras, portable DVD players and XM satellite radios to provide hours of entertainment and break the monotony of the hospital stay.

Hope for Henry needs a volunteer's help in implementing an online gift registry for their organization's website. If you have the knowledge or expertise to setup a gift registry, please contact Allen and Laura.

Thanks for your help!

Grassroots.org is pleased to announce the following organizations have been accepted into the Fall 2008 Project Consulting Program through Maryland's Smith School of Business. 

Aumazo, Incorporated

The Aumazo project aims to provide high school education for underprivileged rural Cameroonian girls with a curriculum that integrates critical thinking development and native languages (Fefe, Baham, Bagante) alongside instruction in English and French.

Aumazo will work with Amil, Daphene, and Nitin to develop an engaging multimedia presentation and produce a compelling social media marketing plan that will increase awareness about their mission.

Global Youth Connect

In an effort to create a world where the human rights of all people are equally respected, fully protected and universally realized, Global Youth Connect empowers youth of all cultural backgrounds to take action on human rights issues by providing skills workshops and organizing leadership events.

Lauren and Chisom will be helping Global Youth Connect with their fiscal management, which includes evaluation of the their current budget and programs and the establishment of internal financial policies for GYC staff.

Kids For Tomorrow

Kids for Tomorrow is dedicated to providing financial and organizational support to community-based nonprofits that are committed to promoting the values of global citizenry through education. The organization currently supports two schools in Kenya and one in Brazil.

John, Sirish, and Jeanette will help Kids for Tomorrow with a 3-year strategic plan that aligns with the organization’s overall vision and addresses the financial, marketing and operational areas of their program.

Looking for My Sister

Looking for My Sister’s program supports women in the Detroit area who are victims of domestic abuse and seeking resources or shelter; their shelter is the only emergency one for domestic violence victims in the city.

The organization will work with Kathryn and Scott to develop an effective fundraising strategy that increases individual donations and diversifies their current funding sources. This will help them expand their shelter and services.

The National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship

NFTE is championing a new policy initiative; The Youth Entrepreneurship Strategy Group (YES Group) will consist of national leaders and experts who will help develop youth entrepreneurship education in low-income communities nationwide.

The NFTE will be working with Danielle and Laura to produce a communications-campaign strategy for their YES Group initiative with specific focus on public relations, digital communications, and database development.

The Woman's Heart

The Woman's Heart has a vision to create a healing environment in which the miracle of transformation
from addiction to recovery can happen and to provide innovative recovery support services and healthcare resources for
all women in recovery from addiction anywhere, anytime. Their primary goals are to reduce child abuse and neglect, fetal alcohol syndrome and the need
for placement of children into foster care.

Siddhartha and Vivek will help The Woman’s Heart develop a strategic revenue plan for their site’s existing online social network.

Learn More about Grassroots.org's Social Ventures Consulting Program. 

With the fall semester just beginning, I'm sure many students are seeking internships to accompany their studies. Grassroots.org has several fall internships built for those who either want experience in nonprofit work or would like to learn about technology, new media, or outreach and development. I know many of our nonprofit members know someone who would benefit from this opportunity, so help pass it along!

Grassroots.org is a creative and fast-paced environment, with plenty of opportunities for hands-on work. Read below to find out what opportunities are being offered this term.

To apply, please send an email with your resume and cover letter to jobs@grassroots.org. Place the internship you're applying for in the subject line.

Development Intern

Grassroots.org is seeking a dynamic and energetic intern to assist with fundraising and development.

Approximately 5-10 hours per week.
We are flexible on start and end dates.

Location: New York, New York

Internship Description:

He or she will provide support for the development department of Grassroots.org. Everyday tasks include foundation and grant research, donor outreach, updating the member and donor databases, assist with setup and execution of fundraising initiatives. The applicant should be in school and have a commitment to grassroots organizations. The position is open until filled. Please note that this is an unpaid position.

Requirements:

• Comfortable with Microsoft and Adobe programs (Word, Excel, Photoshop)
• Attention to detail
• Ability to troubleshoot ones own work
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Prefer to have own laptop computer

Outreach Intern

Grassroots.org is seeking a dynamic and energetic intern to assist with outreach.

Approximately 5-10 hours per week.
We are flexible on start and end dates.

Location: New York, New York

Internship Description:

He or she will provide support for the Program Manager and the Outreach Coordinator. Everyday tasks include client request management, volunteer-client coordination, Update member and volunteer databases, assist with setup and execution of outreach initiatives. The applicant should be in school and have a commitment to grassroots organizations. The position is open until filled. Please note that this is an unpaid position.

Requirements:

• Basic knowledge of HTML and/or Web Design fundamentals
• Comfortable with Microsoft and Adobe programs (Word, Excel, Photoshop)
• Attention to detail and the ability to troubleshoot ones own work
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Prefer to have own laptop computer

New Media Intern

Grassroots.org is seeking a dynamic and energetic intern to assist with new media development.

Approximately 5-10 hours per week.
We are flexible on start and end dates.

Location: New York, New York

Internship Description:

He or she will provide support for the New Media Coordinator. Everyday tasks include designing graphic materials, writing blogs and other articles or comments, monitoring and updating social networking sites, assisting with setup and execution of online-outreach initiatives, creating/editing content on Grassroots.org sites. The applicant should be in school and have a commitment to grassroots organizations. The position is open until filled. Please note that this is an unpaid position.

Requirements:

• Basic knowledge of HTML and/or Web Design fundamentals
• Comfortable with Microsoft and Adobe programs (Word, Excel, Photoshop)
• Attention to detail and the ability to troubleshoot ones own work
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Prefer to have own laptop computer

*Please be ready to show your portfolio

Technology Projects Intern

Location: New York, NY

This internship provides an opportunity to develop valuable technical skills and professional experience while working for positive social change. We are looking for someone with strong computer skills, a very strong interest and a passion to learn.
This internship will involve challenging opportunities, real technical projects, and interaction with staff. This is a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the computer field.

Interns work a total of 5-10 hours per week. Grassroots.org is a fast-paced, supportive and creative work environment.

We are flexible on Start and End Dates

Projects may include, but will not be limited to:

• Assist with development of new online technology tools.
• Develop online content and support guides.
• Provide assistance with current nonprofit service

outreach.

• Assist in organizing and maintaining IT resources.
• Support current programs and resources.

Hi Everybody,

I wanted to share a great opportunity I found out about a little while ago on the Young Nonprofit Professional Network Chicago website.  Check it out.

What is it?

DePaul University in Chicago, IL is offering a course for the fall quarter (September to December) in nonprofit web design and it needs nonprofit organizations who need a redesign. They are looking for nonprofit organizations in the United States with a focus on organizations in the Chicagoland area.

Who is this for?

Nonprofit organizations that need a site redesign. It doesn't matter whether the organization has a website already or not.

What will students be doing?

Each student will contribute about 35 hours to the design and implementation of the site by the end of the quarter. Students will work individually and each nonprofit will have several students competing to have their design be chosen. The students will begin by creating a new look for the homepage, receive feedback from the nonprofit, then create a new look for the homepage and at least one subpage, receive more feedback, then convert their compositions (created in Photoshop) into working websites using HTML and CSS for the final phase of the competition. The important thing is that the organization should only expect students to create a new look for their site and implement that design by developing a small working site (as in seven pages or less).

What's the next step?

For more information on the course organization, please contact course instructor Daniel Stanford <dstanfo2@depaul.edu>.  If you would like to apply to be one of the nonprofit organizations who participate in the redesign process, then please fill out the client questionnaire and send it along with your email.

It has been 9 terrific weeks as a communications intern at Grassroots.org and so far it’s been an amazing learning process! I am still intrigued by the concept of free technology and Grassroots.org’s efforts to spread it. I have also realized the potential of “collective thinking” here at Grassroots.org, especially with the recent launch of our Toolbox. I like to think of the Toolbox as something similar to our new logo. Rooted in ideas that began a year ago, the Toolbox has branched out and now bears free gifts for all nonprofits. Hopefully it will soon become a favorite hotspot!

Developing the Toolbox has been exciting for all of us at Grassroots.org. The teamwork between staff members and with our partners yielded an effective resource for nonprofits of any size. The Toolbox includes everything you need to get started: free domain name registration, hosting, web design, virtual office, and other more advanced tools. We have revamped existing services, automated several of our processes, incorporated existing open source tools that are in high demand, and even built our own tools from scratch. So the experienced will also be pleased to hear about supported features like Drupal CMS, blogging tools, and mailing list managers. We also have business tools in there to help you expand your goals. The Toolbox is your “one-stop shop” for web-building and business tools.

With all of our hard work, Grassroots.org’s Toolbox is one small step for Grassroots; one giant leap for non-profits! To get started and sign-up, fill out an online application!

I come bringing good news for Grassroots.org's nonprofit members: we have a new tool!

The new tool is a web builder, powered by Doodle Kit. I am pleased to say that it is very easy-to-use, and produces professional-looking content in no time. Like all our tools, the web builder is free to all Grassroots members.

Our web builder tool is a great option for members who would like to:

• create their own website
• get a website up immediately
• edit their own content

Being a newbie at Grassroots.org, I was asked to test out Doodle Kit's web builder simple plan a few weeks back. When asked if I had experience with a website builder, I cringed and reluctantly said yes, flashing back to a bad experience I had with another web builder a few years ago.

At the time, my ISP offered free personal website space with a "simple and helpful website builder", which turned out to be pretty simple, but extremely unhelpful. I spent a boatload of time attempting to figure out what each tool was for and how to tweak content boxes. There were no templates to work with (just background colors), limited text box locations that weren't design-friendly, limited fonts, colors and photos, and no Web 2.0 features (forums, widgets, blogs, RSS). The result? After hours of work, a pretty darn ugly site.

And so, as you might imagine, I was rather dubious of this new "great" web builder when Katie and Sura asked me to check it out. But as it turns out, this web builder is great! It's awesome! It makes me feel like I know how to design a website...which is no small feat for an English major.

The control panel is intuitive enough for intermediate users to learn some basic design or HTML skills and for advanced users to experiment with some technical editing. Being an intermediate user myself, I almost got carried away playing with the background and layout templates on my test site and picked up a few HTML tips too.

We are grateful and excited to have the opportunity to offer Doodle Kit's $14/mo simple plan to our members free of charge. The features in the plan certainly address the modern user's needs and interests. Effective technology minimizes the gap between new and experienced users without sacrificing quality. And personally, I don't like to get frustrated when I'm trying to do something creative; it messes up my flow! So check out the tool by signing up now!

David Scoville, who volunteered for Grassroots.org in April, is now a proud member of the SEO.com team. He discovered SEO.com through Grassroots.org when he began listening to Adam's SEO Webinars, not knowing that he lived just a few miles from SEO.com's headquarters. After receiving the nudge from Sura Hart, Scoville contacted Adam and was privileged with a job interview by CEO Dave Bascom.

Scoville now works as an SEO Specialist for many of SEO.com's clients, including Dialageek.com and Software.com. He loves to work along-side a team of bright SEO gurus and learn the latest online marketing techniques. Grassroots.org is proud to have assisted Scoville in opening a new door to an exciting career potential. Congratulations to David and SEO.com!

After returning from a pretty intense Pre-Service Orientation (PSO) in preparation for my year of Americorps VISTA service, I am glad to say that I had really interesting conversations with most everyone. Usually, introductions at these events can be brief or too formal. But it was a relief to hear personal stories from everyone in Boston; I even had a chance to meet Laura, my fellow VISTA for the year! While at the orientation, I realized what interesting and diverse backgrounds we all come from, and how different our motivations to join non-profits were. So even though I have already introduced myself so many times in the past week, I shall do this one last time!

I always find that introductions sometimes takes a bit of self-reflection. As someone with a science background growing up, I never knew that I would become interested in non-profit work. But there were little hints looking back on my life that clued me in on what I was supposed to be doing. I was always reading or writing and enjoyed words and the arts much more than those in more technical fields. Becoming an English major was a huge risk but involved re-visiting my goals. My interest in web publishing came after I realized I could use the many hours I use reading Wikipedia and blogging in a more practical way. More often than not, you realize that much of what you have been doing all along is more applicable than what you are doing now! Who knew being a Googlemeister or an advocate for mental health would help me realize how much I love technology and non-profit work.

So as I begin my year-long relationship with Grassroots.org and my fellow VISTAs, I encourage a re-evaluation of your goals. It helps shift your focus if you need to, or renew old objectives. Whether you are considering how to create your organization's mission or thinking of how to maximize your capacity with our web tools, don't forget the things that have defined your purpose all along; you may have more ideas and options than you think!