To follow more of the things I find online, you can follow @amysampleward on Twitter (which is just a blog and resource feed), or find me on Delicious (for all kinds of bookmarks).

• Shareable: The Open Source Guitar – So many good pieces to think on from this post (thanks for sharing it with me, Billy!) Here's just on that's got me thinking: "We're now beginning to experience a shift from a global-objective index of needs and providers to a personal-subjective one." Check it out and let me know which ideas get you thinking, what your reactions are, and what you want to do with this concept!
• Networks and Hierarchies: A Typology of Digital Activism Today | techPresident – "A few weeks ago, powerful corporations like Mastercard, Visa, and PayPal weren't very concerned with the hacktivists and pranksters on 4chan. Now, thanks to the tactical success of Operation Payback's DDoS attacks, they are. The U.S. government also has its own problems with networked activists. After massive leaks of documents on the Iraq and Afghan wars and diplomatic cables from around the world, Wikileaks has demonstrated that it is a formidable threat to American legitimacy and power. These are but two recent examples of how decentralized digital networks can have dramatic effects on centralized hierarchies. However, these two alternative structures of human organization can interact in a variety of ways, both mutually beneficial and destructive. Below is a typology of how networks affect hierarchies in the digital world. In their interactions with hierarchies, members of networks can act in the following roles."
• Facebook Privacy for Nonprofit Organizations | Idealware – "Facebook seems to generate a lot of discussion about the way it handles privacy and security, and not without reason—personal data protection is worth some scrutiny, and Facebook has a questionable track record in this area. However, these issues don’t apply in the same way to nonprofits who have an organizational presence on Facebook. Organizational data is, by definition, far less personal than the information an individual might trust to the site, so you’re much less likely to want to keep it private. But there are other privacy concerns for nonprofits that use Facebook—even if your own privacy isn’t a big concern, it’s important to think of your constituents’ privacy. What does that mean for you? We talked to a few experts and condensed their advice into this article. We’ll take a look at the issues you most need to be concerned about one at a time."
• Teach Parents Tech – I'm having so much fun playing with this new template from Google – it filters videos and other resources and pulls them together for the person you want to help get tailored tech support. And it's fun! Check it out – anyone you want to share it with?
• eCampaigning Ideas | Advocacy Online – "This year's edition of eCampaigning Ideas includes eight great case studies put forward by groups using our software in a number of countries worldwide. Each case study includes background information about the issue and the campaign, key learnings, benchmark numbers, and outcomes. We hope you will download the file, find some useful information, and be inspired!"

I’m so thankful!

I really am. I’m thankful for so many things especially at this time when we have just moved, and so many things seem to be changing and yet staying the same.  One thing I’m thankful for every day, beyond my family and friends, is the rich and open discussion we are cultivating on the web. Whether it’s on listservs, forums, blogs, facebook, twitter or anywhere else – there are so many people looking to foster open dialogue on issues important to and impacting the work of changemakers, activists and innovators around the world. I’m so thankful to be part of the community and hope I can continue to contribute in small ways every day. Thank you all for joining me!

Join EpicThanks

Participating in this Epic effort couldn’t be easier:

• Blog about that for which you are grateful and include a link back to EpicThanks.org.
• Tweet about that for which you are grateful using the hashtag #EpicThanks
• Create a personalized thank you note at http://www.EpicThanks.org by clicking “create a thank you note” in the upper right hand corner of the page.
• Dress up your avatar with some Epic Thanks love at http://twibbon.com/join/EpicThanks
• Follow and contribute to the in the EpicThanks interviews on Twitter via #EpicThanks

The event is founded by Epic Change, a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization I love that amplifies the voices and impact of grassroots changemakers who need to be heard. With this annual celebration of gratitude and all their work, Epic Change seeks to raise visibility and funds, and to cultivate a deep sense of global gratitude for these remarkable souls who create hope in our world.

I really hope you’ll join me in sharing your Epic Thanks!

Location: London, UK (via video)

Topic: Online Campaigning and Co-Creation

Description:  This Third Sector Foresight seminar, run in collaboration with Campaigning Effectiveness, will focus on how charities and community groups will be campaigning in the future. We will also consider how changing expectations of participation might affect how organisations campaign in the future, and explore how this trend links to social media use.

Related Links:

• NCVO
• Event information
• Future Focus guide: What will campaigning will be like in 5 years’ time?
• Online discussion forum
• Video interview: Role of co-creation

Debra discusses the various tools available but focuses in on “tribes” – a concept most attributed to Seth Godin – emphasizing that crowdfunding (“using the collective funds of a group of people to raise money for a venture, organizaiton, or cause”) is most successful when you have already discovered/identified and connected with the natural leaders within your community and supported them to campaign or fundraise on your behalf.  This is not something I disagree with completely, but when it comes to crowdfunding, I think it’s a “chicken or the egg” discussion.

The Chicken

We have many different platforms where individuals can create campaigns or fundraising appeals that benefit themselves, registered organizations/charities, or groups and clubs. And people are doing it – raising money, promoting campaigns, leveraging the power of online social networks to spread and distribute their message, appeal and influence.

The Egg

We also have organizations spending time finding the latest new tools and ensuring their organization is listed in the bucket of possible organizations to benefit.  Ensuring that regardless of which platform an inspired individual or group prefers to use, they will be able to find and select that organization to benefit.

The Debate

So, which comes first? Which is the one to follow? It’s the inevitable, enduring debate that they are so tied together we can argue til we are blue in the face without getting very far.

If your organization isn’t listed, then of course no one is going to be fundraising for you. But just because you’re listed on every possible platform, doesn’t mean you’ll get a single penny.

My response is always the “middle road” of sorts:

1. find the platforms that are most aligned with your work and activities and the places your community uses most
2. ensure that your organization is listed on those platforms for anyone that wants to find you
3. create a space on your website for people looking to create personal projects or campaigns in your benefit: give them the materials, logos, content/copy and all the appropriate links and instructions on how to select your organization and create a campaign on their preferred platform
4. remind your community that you’re there and highlight the stories of those that do use crowdfunding to benefit you (no better way to talk about yourself than by telling the story of those who did something for you!)

What do you think? Is it really a chicken or the egg debate? How has your organization tackled the issue?  If you have ever created a fundraising campaign yourself to benefit an organization, how did you choose who to benefit? Would love to hear your thoughts!

To follow more of the things I find online, you can follow @amysampleward on Twitter (which is just a blog and resource feed), or find me on Delicious (for all kinds of bookmarks).

• HOW TO: Turn Slacktivists into Activists with Social Media – "Throughout the non-profit world, organizations struggle with social media’s impact on the volunteer and donor cycle. The rise of “slacktivism” — doing good without having to do much at all — challenges organizations to rethink the way they cultivate their core volunteers and donors. There are some important social media strategies for transforming those one-click “slacktivists” into fully engaged activists. Here are five tips from some of the best in the non-profit business."
• In Effort to Boost Reliability, Wikipedia Looks to Experts – Digits – WSJ – "Wikipedia is teaming with universities in a bid to entice professors and their students to beef up its coverage of complicated public-policy topics — part of a move by the online encyclopedia to strengthen editing and fill in gaps in its articles. The Wikimedia Foundation, which finances and oversees the nonprofit site, received a $1.2 million grant from the Stanton Foundation to work with academic experts on Wikipedia articles related to public policy, which could include everything from political theory to legislative history and issues such as health reform and science. The goal is to get professors — and, in turn, their students — involved in producing more articles on public policy and improving the quality of the articles that already exist."
• The Next Generation of American Giving – Online Fundraising, Advocacy, and Social Media – frogloop – Here is a great guest post from Jocelyn Harmon on the Care2 Frogloop blog: "“Our donors are aging-out.” “We need to attract younger donors.” “We need to be on Facebook.” These are some of the common refrains I hear from nonprofits. It seems that everyone is trying to bring younger donors into the fold. But what does younger mean? Does it mean connecting with the Baby Boomers, creating a gateway to the Millenials, or both? And, how do you do it? Should you buy a list of 50 – 60 year olds, or should someone on your staff become savvier with email marketing and social media? A new study, by Convio, Edge Research and Sea Change Strategies, The Next Generation of American Giving: A study on the contrasting charitable habits of Generation Y, Generation X, Baby Boomers and Matures, answers these questions, and more. See an overview of the findings below."
• ChatRoulette : Web Ecology Project – "This paper represents an initial study of ChatRoulette.com, conducted between February 6th and 7th, 2010 by researchers in attendance at Web Ecology Camp III in Brooklyn, NY. We sampled 201 ChatRoulette sessions, noting characteristics such as group size and gender. We also conducted 30 brief interviews with users to inquire about their age, location, and frequency of ChatRoulette use."
• Twitter tactics – Louder.org.uk campaigning resources and info – "Twitter is growing at gigantic rate, experiencing 1,500% growth in the last year (for more stats see The State and Future of Twitter 2010). For those who are not converts it does seem to be the latest in a line of social media tools that everyone thinks you should be using. But what is in it for campaigners trying to bring about social change? Below sets out three main ways in which campaigners have already been using Twitter in their work to get you thinking and there are also three great examples to illustrate. Please add any experiences or thoughts of your own."

To follow more of the things I find online, you can follow @amysampleward on Twitter (which is just a blog and resource feed), or find me on Delicious (for all kinds of bookmarks).

• Social Media’s Changing Landscape to Make A Profit – Online Fundraising, Advocacy, and Social Media – frogloop – I'm really looking forward to this conversation – what do you think? "Admit it – you don’t like when things that you are quite comfortable with suddenly change. As social networks try and become profitable they are experimenting with new ad models and trying to drive more traffic to increase ad revenue. Twitter’s beta advertising model via "Promoted Tweets" and Facebook’s new Fan Page “Like” button (which is replacing the “Become a Fan” button) is buzzing with critics’ opinions. Are these changes good for nonprofits bottom line too? The jury is out."
• From Social Entrepreneurship to Social Interpreneurship — Social Edge – There's a great post and conversation starter from Peter Deitz up on the Social Edge blog talking from social interpreneurship. "What is social interpreneurship you ask? I’m not entirely sure, in light of its classified nature, but I would hazard a guess that it’s two parts Internet, five parts Interaction, and ten parts Interdependence. Flipping through the Skoll World Forum program and rerunning the highlights in my head, I see evidence of social interpreneurship at every turn." Join the converstaion!
• Chris Brogan Talks Nonprofits and Trust Agents – netwitsthinktank.com – One of the basic best practices I am always talking about with organizations starting out with social media is to be a real person – not an "organization" online. Have real pictures and have real conversations. Here's a great video with Chris Brogan and next steps for being "real" online.
• Advice & Resources for Your Online Organizing Career – Check out this great round up from the presenters at the "Online Organizing – Career Night event that includes lessons, insights, and even job opportunities!
• Grizzard Communications Group – Free social media tools & the ‘experts’ who can’t answer “How?” – Eric has a great list of free social media tools to help you find content, monitor trends and much more! "In the last week, I attended both the NTEN Nonprofit Technology Conference and the AFP 2010 Conference. One problem that I saw in many social media sessions at both – and a problem that I see far too often at social media conferences, seminars, and How To sessions – is that speakers and panelists rarely provide tangible How To advice to people struggling to get started. They tell you you should do something, “Start up a Facebook Fan Page and start posting content interesting to your fans,” but regardless of how hard they are pushed, they rarely can say how to go about figuring out what content your fans find interesting or maybe even how to gain new fans."
• 10 Take-Aways from SXSW for Nonprofits — Nonprofit Geekery – Happy that I came across Matt Koltermann's wrap up from SXSW. It was a few weeks late but better than never! My favorite take away from this list: 4. Make sure your website behaves like an approachable and likable person. "The annual SXSW Interactive conference in Austin, TX—which brings together tech geeks, social media peeps, and other online folk—wrapped-up yesterday after five intense and inspirational days. I attended a bunch of sessions focused on how nonprofits, in particular, can take advantage of technology to meet their mission—here’s a short-list of ten things that really stuck."

About the Topic

Campaigning can mean many different things and we want to keep the definition of the topic fairly open for this chat, in order to keep insights, resources and conversation in the Q/A format as open to valuable input as possible.  Here are some ways that campaigning can be framed for the purpose of this chat:

• moving canvassing door to door to online networks
• political action
• local community building
• tying communications, partners, and actions together via social media
• social change projects or programs locally or globally

The way we examine the use of social media in campaigning can be further framed in some of these ways:

1. change campaigns (internal vs external), also organization type variations
2. social media change campaigns (specific nuances)
3. change campaigns vs political campaigns (similarities vs differences)
4. educational campaigns (organizational / institutional / internet) riffing off of last month’s topic
5. building campaign coalitions & recruiting campaign champions

How to Participate

Share your ideas now:

You can share your ideas about the topic as well as any resources, case studies, examples, research etc. by leaving a comment on this blog post.  Or, you can tag your resources or posts using Delicious with the tag “4change” and we’ll pick it up for you.

Join the Twitter chat:

1. If you want to contribute to the conversation, you’ll need to have a twitter account (it’s free).
2. To follow the conversation (whether you are planning to contribute or not), use http://search.twitter.com or another application to search on Twitter for #4Change
3. Jump in to the conversation by adding #4Change to your Twitter message
4. Feeling brave? Check out TweetChat – it’s a great application that integrates with your Twitter account and makes chats more fun! You can turn it off after the chat.

Rules for #4Change Chat

1. #4Change will be structured around a series of questions which all participants can respond to. Send your questions to @memeshift to have them considered.
2. Introduce yourself in 1 tweet at the start or when you join.
3. Stay on topic!
4. Be cool.

Details

• Date: January, 14th 2010
• When: 2 – 4 pm US Pacific Time, 5 – 7 pm US Eastern Time, 10pm – 12am London, UK (Late!)
• Where: Twitter (search for #4Change)
• Topic: Campaigning: How is social/new media affecting the the way we build and conduct campaigns? and more!

We’ll update this post with specific questions to be asked during the chat and will capture resources and conversations from the chat, too.  Send us your ideas!

What’s LOUDER?

LOUDER will be the new online home for campaigners. The free and accessible site draws together a range of social media tools for people who want to change the world.

Through Louder you will be able to create a microsite for your campaign with the most used ‘change-tools’ the web has to offer. You will be able to connect to and manage profiles on other social media sites helping you coordinate supporter action.

To help make your campaign louder you will be able to connect up with other campaigns and those running them. Providing a much needed online space for campaigners, from international NGOs to grass roots activists, to link up collaborate and share experiences.

Why I like Louder:

I’ve been playing around with the new platform a bit and am quite excited about it.  I think it has a lot of potential to join with campaigning tools like Fairsay’s tool for Plone and collaborative tools like Zanby.

I like that Louder…

1. lets you create and distribute content all over the web
2. bring in content you create elsewhere
3. lets you work on a campaign without everything being “live”
4. uses a straightforward process to set up modules and then drag/drop to design your page
5. is being developed by folks IN the nonprofit and campaigning for change sector, so they “get it” already

Dive in!

LOUDER is in a “progressive beta” phase now and is working fast and furiously to built out more and more functionality for campaigners.  You can visit their roadmap to see what’s in the pipeline of development and share your ideas about what you’d like the platform to do for you.

Some things currently in the works include:

• Newslist and newsletter management
• Email MPs/MEPs/Councillors and other influential people
• Contact management tools
• Collaborative tools for planning campaigns
• The ability to connect to Facebook accounts

What do you think?

What are you waiting for? Go check out LOUDER now!

And let me know what you think, too