Grassroots.org

Launched by Grassroots.org, Faces of Change is a series of videos that highlight how individuals are contributing to change in their communities. Our latest video is from:

Jill founded Create Now in 1996 after teaching two screenwriting Workshops to incarcerated youth and seeing their amazing transformations. She has matched dozens of mentors with hundreds of vulnerable children in Southern California and given seminars about the benefits of mentoring at-risk youth at the 2007 Friends for Youth Mentoring Conference in San Francisco, the 2008 Western Regional Council on Educating Black Children and the Youth Mentoring Symposium in Los Angeles in September 2009.

She was featured on “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams,” CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360°,” locally on NBC-TV, Fox11 News and ABC-TV, as well as in the Los Angeles Times. In addition, Jill was one of eight people in the country honored by the Simon Wiesenthal Center to be part of an exhibit at the Museum of Tolerance called “Everyday Heroes.”

Jill was one of 26 community youth leaders selected by the British Council to participate in a six-week international exchange program in Belfast (Ireland) and Durban (South Africa) taking place in January and March 2010, with activists from six different countries.

She is a member of the Association of Mentoring Professionals, Arts for L.A., Americans for the Arts, and the Violence Prevention Coalition – ReEntry Action Group. Jill has just completed writing "Mentor Youth Now: A Guidebook for Transforming Young Lives."

Jill would like to show appreciation to the late writer/producer Leslie Stevens, who donated crucial seed money in 1996 so that Create Now could become a reality.

Check out Create Now's site for more information!

Making a Difference for Good USA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization working with MaD for Good! Cambodia on humanitarian projects in Siem Reap, Cambodia. MaD USA and MaD Cambodia share a dedication to working in partnership with impoverished rural communities to help them gain access to the essentials in life such as clean water, healthcare and education. Some of our recent projects include: installing and repairing water pumps, building homes, teaching kids English and providing foster care for eight children.

We registered with Grassroots in 2009, hoping to polish our website and marketing materials. After submitting an application for a Graphic Designer, we heard back from Jacee. Before even contacting us, she had thoroughly investigated our website and had come up with a proposal on where to begin the work. We now have an amazing logo and brochures in the making that convey thoughtfulness and professionalism. These will be used to attract future donors and volunteers and to expand our nonprofits reach. We hope to continue working on expanding our marketing platform, as well as utilizing the other tools that Grassroots has to offer.

To learn more about our organization, visit our website at www.madcambodia.org or contact ash@madcambodia.org.

-Ashkon Jafari
Making a Difference for Good USA
ash@madcambodia.org

Launched by Grassroots.org, Faces of Change is a series of videos that highlight how individuals are contributing to change in their communities. Our latest video is from:

Jon Garrou at SOS Outreach

Jon Garrou is SOS Outreach's Global Program Director. He joined the SOS team in July of 2006. Jon grew up in Peoria, Illinois, and after completing his degree from Oklahoma State University, Jon moved to Colorado where he worked for a nonprofit summer camp serving children and adults with disabilities as the Program Director. Jon looks to combine his love for the outdoors with his passion for serving those in need.

Check out the SOS Outreach site for more on their outdoor adventures!

A few weeks ago, I came across a new company at the forefront of the mobile web movement that I believe nonprofits should know about: ur mobile. This innovative group is revolutionizing the way that donors give to nonprofits. Over the last few years, we have all witnessed the booming prevalence of the smartphone: "the Swiss Army knives of the Digital Age" (New York Times). The ur mobile team knows that this trend will undoubtedly continue and believes nonprofits should do all they can to take advantage of the mobile revolution.

Ur mobile optimizes nonprofit websites for mobile devices, making it easier for supporters to learn more and donate to nonprofits via their smartphones. Often, the experience of viewing a website on a mobile browser leaves something to be desired. Cluttered pages and too much information can overwhelm visitors that might otherwise engage with your organization. If the information mobile visitors seek is easily accessible, they are more likely to become donors.

Text-to-give is a popular way to donate to causes via mobile phones. However, there are many limitations with this method of giving. Namely, this method does not allow nonprofits to capture donor information, making recurring donations near impossible. Mobile browser giving allows you to translate online giving best practices to smartphones. To see for yourself how the Mobile Engagement Process works, check out the site urcause.org on both your desktop/laptop and mobile browser and observe the difference.

To learn more about ur mobile or mobile giving, visit urmobile.com.

We're answering your questions on the Toolbox, web tools and nonprofit resources in our new Nonprofit Q&A section. Check out this month's member questions for tips you can apply to your site! If you have a question or need advice, email question@grassroots.org

Q: I just finished creating and designing my site. how do I publish my site, and "go live"?

Congrats! Now that you've completed, make sure your hard work will be displayed properly to visitors. Login to your webhost (where your site files are stored) and domain registrar (where you purchased your URL) to link these two accounts. Your site is only live when and if your webhost and domain registrar are linked properly. If you're a Doodlekit user, check the URL of your homepage. If you see "doodlekit.com' in there, you're probably missing a step. If it's been a while since your site's launch, perform regular checks to verify that all pages have updated info and that your domain and webhost accounts are still active.

Q: My website is up and running, but how can I increase visibility? We are a local community organization, and it's difficult to reach new audiences on the web.

It's great that your site is a popular destination for current supporters but even small organizations can attract new supporters! Remember, search engines are usually where the curious start, so focus on your Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, to boost traffic. Apply for a Google Adwords Grant, which will help you . Just because a visitor clicks to view your site doesn't mean he;she will stay, so create compelling content, ensure that international visitors can read your site and make sure your site is user-friendly.

Launched by Grassroots.org, Faces of Change is a series of videos that highlight how individuals are contributing to change in their communities. Our latest video is from:

Raphael Louis grew up within a philanthropic environment in Haiti with a familial tradition in public service. Aspired to make government more transparent, Raphael Louis' socio-humanitarian achievements and experiences are notable throughout the creation of the Federal Association for the Advancement of Visible Minorities (FAAVM)--a national and international civil rights and human rights organization working locally and globally.

Braulio Vilar
New Media Intern

My name is Braulio Villar. I am currently a Studio Arts senior student at the City College of New York. I moved to New York City from the Dominican Republic about six years ago. My interest in the nonprofit sector was not evident until today, when I learned about the tremendous role and the impact that nonprofit organizations can have in our society. I have never worked for an organization that is willing to help the nonprofit sector, but I feel very fortunate for my passion for the arts has led me directly into that path with Grassroots.org. I truly believe that in times of economic recession and financial crisis is when we most need an organization like Grassroots.org that provides access, free of charge, to the technology and resources needed to help the nonprofit sector establish a presence in a world currently exposed to a financial crisis and/or economic recession.

While still studying at the City College of New York, I am able to work in a Computer Lab where I have to ensure that students can get access to computers and communication resources. I aid them in the use of software applications and many aspects of the Internet, in support of their curriculum needs. As a result, I am a student constantly exposed to these technologies and have noticed that the digital age has generally influenced our lives and means of communication and information sharing. For instance, we have become constantly exposed to new technologies, software and ideas and skills that are only made possible with the help of the Internet. The Internet has allowed us to incorporate share and or borrow ideas, while at the same time we have become more dependable upon it. The development in growth of the visual communication has been highly influenced by the increase of information sharing and networking, brought about by the digital age.

In a Digital Era, where the Internet is the norm of the day and where social networking sites have revolutionized social networking, I strongly support and believe in the mission of Grassroots.org, to ensure that nonprofit organizations can get access, free of charge, to the technologies and resources needed to establish a virtual presence in a world currently exposed to an economic recession.

I am very excited to work for Grassroots.org, a nonprofit organization that is willing to help the nonprofit sector!

As we open the toolbox to all African countries, one Grassroots.org nonprofit already stands out for its dedication to African-based principles, art and culture.

For 12 years, Cleveland-based African Soul International has used everything from drum circles to West African Dance performances to expose youth to African culture and professional development opportunities. Ultimately, the organization seeks solutions to educational and societal problems in inner city communities, said Founder and President Jewel Jackson.

African Soul was one of the first members to receive free web design, and Jackson said that online presence allows the nonprofit to touch diverse audiences.

“We now get calls from all over the country,” Jackson said. “We are able to connect ourselves to people that otherwise we would not have had access to without that electronic presence.”

In the end, it’s all about the kids.

“It’s a great level of exposure and professionalism to have a great website that is worth more than what we have to pay at this time,” Jackson said. “It has given us the time to really focus on quality and the development of young people in a professional way”

Welcome to this week's edition of "Grassroots.org Tool of the Week": our growing list of tech tool reviews from Mike Mann's Web Development Best Practices. Check the archives for our previous reviews, and come back next week for more insight on the web’s best tools for nonprofits.

What kind of service is Animoto?

Anyone can easily create a simple slideshow on the web using their own photos. Animoto takes this a step further by creating professional video out of your photos complete with text, music and even your own video clips! The seamless transitions and professional quality of Animoto-created videos truly make it seem like you're watching a video, not just a slideshow. The high quality videos do not require a high level of tech-savviness, either. A user-friendly interface guides you through three simple steps: choose your images, choose your music, finalize your video and you're ready to share it!

How does Grassroots.org use Animoto?

Visit our YouTube channel and you'll notice our Animoto-created video presentations. Using slides that were previously part of other presentations, Animoto helped us find a new way to show prospective members, supporters and volunteers what Grassroots.org does. These presentations now serve as an introduction to anyone interested in learning about Grassroots.org.

How should my nonprofit use Animoto?

While having a YouTube channel may be great, you also need to create content for the channel in order to keep subscribers interested. Animoto can help you share and display your organization's latest work on your site, YouTube or anywhere video can be embedded. Users have complete creative control over your content; if you've ever tried to arrange your digital photo collection in a slideshow, you have the basics needed to use Animoto!

How can I signup for Animoto?

Animoto offers nonprofits free access to their professional package through their program, Animoto for a Cause. Check out other nonprofit uses of Animoto on their website, and fill out a short form to apply for free access!

Carbon County Friends of Animals is a nonprofit organization which advocates the elimination of animal suffering through sheltering and finding homes for unwanted pets. We also promote low-cost spaying and neutering, and provide educational outreach concerning the welfare of pets. We are a privately run organization, founded in 1998 from a direct need to shelter unwanted cats within our county. Although “Carbon County” is part of our organization name, we do NOT receive any funding from the county or any other government agency. All of our operations, maintenance, and care expenses are paid for by monies raised by fund-raising and donations. Our goal is to try to shelter as many cats as possible without having to look towards euthanasia as a means of control. We continuously rely and greatly appreciate the donations that we receive from our generous contributors.

On a more personal level, I have a dream that in another land, there is no such thing as a homeless or suffering animal. We all live in peace and prosperity and fill one another with love and hope for the future. However, reality is slightly different, especially for an animal without a home and without love. Although we are a small organization, we base our goals on the ripple effect. Each change we make, each best friend we match, each small change has an effect; like ripples in a pond, that single life effects us all. One single life, so insignificant on its own, can change the future when in the right hands. Ah, you may be thinking, “How could a cat change the course of history?” Well, it’s been known to happen. Did you know that the first cat to explore outer space was named Felix, or that King Charles I had a cat named Lucky? Many believe that Lucky the cat single-handedly brought Democracy to England, by simply being a cat.

These incredible creatures do not even need to make such changes to the world. Simply, by being themselves, and loving a human being, they imprint themselves on that person for life. How significant that little insignificant creature becomes simply by loving someone. This is CCFOA’s goal. As the tagline reads, “We have been matching best friends since 1998”.

With the help of Grassroots.org, our little organization is now on the world-wide web. We were matched up with an extraordinary web designer named Ashley Hatt. Utilizing her skills, we have a wonderful interactive site, an updated logo, new business cards and a shelter store. She was even so kind as to donate our first batch of cards. We are also getting contributions online! Grassroots.org offers wonderful tools to assist with fundraising and locating volunteers. The Grassroot.org Toolbox has become an invaluable asset in sustaining our organization.

It wasn’t until last year that I discovered Grassroots.org. Before that day, it was insignificant to me. Amazing, how just like one of our kitties, Grassroots.org changed the course of our organization’s future. This tiny ripple that you made in our pond has helped keep us afloat. It’s for this, and for many other reasons, that I thank you.

With Sincerest Regards,

Christy Nothstein
CCFOA