NTEN: Change | December 2014

CHANGEA Quarterly Journal for Nonprofit Leaders · December 2014

FEATURING:Tech Forward Leadership: ExecutiveStaffing for the Digital AgeBy Miriam Barnard

Navigating the Mobile SecurityEcosystemInterview with Jeff Forristal

How to Prepare for the HeightenedScrutiny of Social MediaPrepared by Bonnie McEwan

BEHIND THE SCENES:· The Denver Foundation· Emerging Practitionersin Philanthropy (EPIP)

· InterAction· International LivingFuture Institute

PLUS:· Rethinking the PDF· 6 Tips for Online BoardEngagement

BEST OF 2014CULTIVATINGLEADERSHIP

2 NTEN CHANGE | DECEMBER 2014

You can't talk about technologyimplementation without discussingchange. Tending to technology needsin today's changing nonprofitlandscape requires ongoingcultivation and adaptability.

We launched the first issue of 2014 byplanting the seed: How can nonprofitsremain competitive, innovative, andresponsive to the changing externalenvironment? The inspiration, asreflected on the covers, came fromfarmers, a profession characterized bythe need to be responsive.

We've come full circle. In this issue,the articles reflect on 2014, and offerup some important perspectives totake into the New Year.

In Tech Forward Leadership, MiriamBarnard explains that 75% ofnonprofits will undergo an executivetransition in the next five years, andhow tech leadership should be acritical attribute when hiring. Securitytechnology expert Jeff Forristalexplains the steps that nonprofits cantake to ensure that sensitiveinformation, like donor data, remainssecure across all devices. In Dark Sideof the Force, Bonnie McEwaninterviews four nonprofit pros to ask:When campaigns go viral, how cannonprofits prepare for the heightenedscrutiny of social media?

We also go behind the scenes withThe Denver Foundation, InterAction,Emerging Practitioners inPhilanthropy, and the InternationalLiving Future Institute to learn howthey’re using technology for socialchange. Network for Good andVibrance Global explore differentdonor experiences, Jeanne Allenoffers six tips for online boardengagement, and James Murdockeloquently shares his experiences ona question we take to heart: How cannonprofits rethink the PDF?

We hope these articles prepare andinspire you to create change in yourorganization and through yourmission.

Roll up your sleeves and dig in.Thanks for reading!

Letter fromthe EditorJOLEEN ONGMarketing &Publications Director,NTEN

“ Tending totechnology needs intoday’s changingnonprofit landscaperequires ongoingcultivation andadaptability.”

ISSUE SIXTEENDECEMBER 2014

EditorJoleen OngMarketing & Publications Director, NTEN

DesignPhilip KraynaConifer Creativewww.conifercreative.com

Editorial Committee MembersJeanne AllenManager/Instructor, Duke University NonprofitManagement Program, and Consultant

Melanie BowerCredibility Manager, Green Electronics Council

Tobias EigenExecutive Director, Kabissa—Space forChange in Africa

Sophia GuevaraSocial Media Fellow, Emerging Practitionersin Philanthropy (EPIP)

WiebkeHerdingManaging Director,On:Subject Communications

JoshHirschDirector of Development andMarketing,The Weiss School

Nicole LampeDigital Strategy Director, Resource Media

BonnieMcEwanAssistant Professor and Consultant,Milano-The New School & BonnieMcEwan.com

Rebecca ReyesCommunications Manager,Everyday Democracy

Cover Art: Ashley Cecilwww.ashleycecil.com

Advertising: Learn more aboutsponsoring NTEN:Change at nten.org/advertising/reserve

Permissions& Inquiries: Pleasegive credit to allreferenced or re-published contentaccording to the Creative Commonlicense: Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0Unported. Example Attribution text:“First published in NTEN:Change(nten.org/NTENChange),December 2014, CC BY-SA 3.0(creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).” More informationabout the journal can be found atnten.org/NTENChange/Press

CHANGEA Quarterly Journal for Nonprofit Leaders

NTEN CHANGE | DECEMBER 2014 3

INSIDEFEATURES:PAGE 6 Tech ForwardLeadership: Executive Staffingfor the Digital Age byMiriamBarnard, MiriamBarnard.com

PAGE 8Navigating theMobileSecurity EcosystemInterview with Jeff Forristal, Bluebox

PAGE 12 Generosity, theSubscription Economy, and theFuture of Nonprofit Fundraisingby JamieMcDonald, Network for Good

PAGE 16 DesigningMeaningfulDonor Experiences to InspireGiving by Yasmin Nguyen, VibranceGlobal

PAGE 18 TheDark Side of theForce: How to Prepare for theHeightened Security of SocialMedia Prepared by Bonnie McEwan

BEHINDTHE SCENES:PAGE 22 Grantmaking in theDigital Age Interview with ChristianoSosa, The Denver Foundation

PAGE 24 Building the NextGeneration of LeadersInterview with Rahsaan Harris, EPIP

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT:PAGE 27NGOAidMap:MappingDisasters andDevelopmentby Julie Montgomery and Laia Griñó,InterAction

PAGE 30 Rethinking the PDF:Designing Publications for aMobileWorld by JamesMurdock,Carnegie Corporation of New York

TECHSUPPORT:PAGE 32 6 Tips for OnlineBoard Engagementby Jeanne Allen, Jeanne AllenConsulting and Duke UniversityNonprofit Management Program

PAGE 34Making Green Eventsthe NormInterview with Julie Tonroy, ILFI

EDITORIALCOMMITTEEPROFILE:

PAGE 36 Jeanne Allen

12

16DESIGNING MEANINGFUL

DONOR EXPERIENCES TO INSPIRE GIVING

18THE DARK SIDE OF THE FORCE

8NAVIGATING THE MOBILE SECURITY ECOSYSTEM

24

INTERVIEWWITH RAHSAANHARRIS, EPIP

GENEROSITY, THESUBSCRIPTION ECONOMY,AND THE FUTURE OFNONPROFIT FUNDRAISING


AT AGLANCENTEN: CHANGE JOURNALDECEMBER 2014

�Tech Forward Leadership: Executive Staffingfor the Digital Age – page 6By Miriam Barnard, Nonpro9t Organization Strategist andConsultant, MiriamBarnard.comResearch predicts that over the next five years, up to 75%of nonprofit Executive Directors (EDs) will leave their jobs.As the nonprofit sector braces itself for a massiveleadership transition, how can your organization ensurethat your next executive is a tech-forward leader? Learnwhy tech leadership is a critical attribute for the nextgeneration of nonprofit EDs, and how you can make sureyour organization is poised for success.

�Navigating the Mobile Security Ecosystempage 8Interview with Je7 Forristal, BlueboxEarly computer security looked a lot like physical security:put all your valuable assets in one place, and build afortress around it for protection. Today, firewalls andcentralization are a lost cause; mobile is everywhere soyou must protect data independent of location. Learn thesteps that nonprofits can take to ensure that sensitiveinformation like donor data remains secure across alldevices.

�Generosity, the Subscription Economy, and theFuture of Nonprofit Fundraising – page 12By Jamie McDonald, Network for GoodRecurring giving is revolutionizing the way nonprofitsfundraise. No longer do we have to ask the same donorfor a gift every year. With the rapid growth of fundraisingtechnology, nonprofits can not only get more dollars inthe door, but retain donors at a higher rate—withouthaving to bug them every December. Network for Goodgives you the scoop on how to start a recurring givingprogram and why you should right now.

�Designing Meaningful Donor Experiences toInspire Giving – page 16By Yasmin Nguyen, Vibrance GlobalWhether we are fundraising or in a sales role, asking forwhat we desire and need can often trigger fears,anxieties, and frustrations in many of us. When we shiftour mindset and perspective from asking to giving,we can instantly change our experience and results.Philanthropist and storytelling strategist, Yasmin Nguyen,outlines his approach and strategies to designingmeaningful experiences that inspire donors andcustomers to give and share our stories.

�Points of View | The Dark Side of the Force:How to Prepare for the Heightened Scrutiny ofSocial Media – page 18Prepared by Bonnie McEwan, Milano – The New Schooland BonnieMcEwan.comGiven the critical backlash to the recent ALS Ice BucketChallenge, we wondered how nonprofits handle thescrutiny that comes from extensive visibility in socialmedia. To find out, we talked with four nonprofitprofessionals to get their diverse points of view:Jereme Bivins, The Rockefeller Foundation; Mike Morey,SKD Knickerbocker; Amber Washington, PolicyLink;and Brooke Wiseman, Blessings in a Backpack.

CHANGEA Quarterly Journal for Nonprofit Leaders · December 2014

FEATURING:Tech Forward Leadership: ExecutiveStaffing for the Digital AgeBy Miriam Barnard

Navigating the Mobile SecurityEcosystemInterview with Jeff Forristal

How to Prepare for the HeightenedScrutiny of Social MediaPrepared by Bonnie McEwan

BEHIND THE SCENES:· The Denver Foundation· Emerging Practitionersin Philanthropy (EPIP)

· InterAction· International LivingFuture Institute

PLUS:· Rethinking the PDF· 6 Tips for Online BoardEngagement

BEST OF 2014CULTIVATINGLEADERSHIP


�Behind the Scenes: The Denver FoundationGrantmaking in the Digital Age – page 22Interview with Christiano Sosa, Director of Capacity Building,The Denver FoundationTechnology is a critical tool to help nonprofits gaintremendous efficiencies in their work – especially withfundraising applications. At the Denver Foundation, animpressive 76-100% of their grantees have demonstratedexactly that. In this interview, learn how this 90-year-oldFoundation tracks their outcomes, measures impact, andstrategically uses technology in their everyday work tocontinually reinvent themselves to be relevant to theircommunity.

�Behind the Scenes: Emerging Practitioners inPhilanthropy (EPIP)Building the Next Generation of Leaders – page 24Interview with Rahsaan Harris, Executive Director, EPIPWhat does it take to build the next generation of leaders?In this interview with Rahsaan Harris, we learn hisjourney to become the head of EPIP, his work on theMember Connect and Measure a Leader (MCMal)campaign to build leadership skills, tips for fundraising,and the importance of leveraging the power of networks.

�Project Spotlight: Mapping Disasters andDevelopment – page 27By Julie F. Montgomery and Laia Griñó, InterActionInformation “is as important as water, food, or shelter,”in a humanitarian crisis, or long-term development forthat matter. Drawing on the lessons learned from theinternational community’s response to the earthquake inHaiti, an alliance of U.S. NGOs is now using new onlinemapping and data visualization technologies to helpNGOs better share information, avoid duplication ofefforts, and make smarter decisions through data analysis.

�Rethinking the PDF: Designing Publicationsfor a Mobile World – page 30By James Murdock, Carnegie Corporation of New YorkAs more people use smartphones and tablets to accessdonor magazines, annual reports, and other web contentpublished by nonprofits, readers are seeking a betterreading experience than the PDF format can provide.Several tools and approaches, designed for every budget,allow organizations to enrich their digital publicationswith multimedia, social sharing, and other features thatmake the reading experience more engaging and bettersuited to the mobile computing world.

�Tech Support: 6 Tips for Online BoardEngagement – page 32By Jeanne Allen, Duke University Nonpro9t ManagementProgram and Jeanne Allen ConsultingSocial Media and other tech tools are embedded in thecommunications and fundraising strategies in manynonprofits. Yet, it is still a fledgling in the boardroom.Encouraging board members to use social media andother online platforms as part of their duties can set thetone for a culture of engagement, the magic that can bemissing from many boards. This article examines sixcommon responsibilities of boards, and how social mediaand other tools can be used to engage both your boardand your constituents.

�Making Green Events the NormInterview with Julie Tonroy, International LivingFuture Institute – page 34Prepared by Eileigh Doineau, NTENCan your organization’s events be environmentallysustainable? The International Living Future Institute’sConferences and Events Manager, Julie Tonroy, showsNTEN the ropes on creating zero waste events, and sharesher greatest obstacle to achieving a truly green event.

�Editorial Committee Profile: Jeanne Allenpage 36Jeanne Allen, Instructor at Duke University NonprofitManagement Program and Consultant, answers sixquestions about nonprofit technology.

GET THE TIPS,TOOLS, ANDINSPIRATIONTO MEET YOURNEW YEARSRESOLUTION.EACH ISSUE ISFILLED WITHESSENTIAL INFORMATION FORNONPROFIT LEADERS TO HELPTHEM KEEP INNOVATING.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY FOR FREE:NTEN.ORG/NTENCHANGE

CHANGEA Quarterly Journal for Nonprofit Leaders · September 2014

FEATURES:Seeing is Believing: The Powerof Visual CommunicationsBy Nicole Lampe

Nonprofit Photography: Ethicsand Approaches By Margot Duane

Win or Go Home: LessonsFrom the Campaign TrailBy Andrew RothmanVisual Media 101: New Tools forNonprofits By Jessica Williams

ADVOCACY & VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS:HOW TO RISEABOVE THE NOISE

Leadership change in the nonprofitsector is becoming the onlyconstant. Studies by the Annie E.

Casey Foundation, CompassPoint,and dozens of other researcherspredict that “between 60% and 75%of nonprofit Executive Directors andCEOs are planning to leave their jobswithin the next five years.”

A sector leadership transition ofthis scale may feel intimidating—some have called it a crisis—but italso presents a powerful opportunityto create a new kind of nonprofitsector with a new kind of leadership.And for many organizations, a leaderwith a strong tech vision could be thekey to achieving new mission heights.

Tech-Forward LeadershipDrives SuccessNTEN’s most recent NonprofitTechnology Sta8ng and InvestmentsReport (released July 2014) defines itshighest rating of tech adoption as onewhich “…allows an organization toperform not only skillfully andconfidently, but also nimbly andproactively…anticipating and evendriving sector trends.”

Organizations that have high techadoption rates and high techeffectiveness scores have generallyintegrated technology into theirstrategic plans, their annual budgets,and their staffing plans — all of whichfall squarely under the job umbrella of

the Executive Director (ED). A tech-forward ED will ensure that theorganization’s technology resourcesand plans are aligned with bestpractices and fully meet theorganization’s needs. Boards ofDirectors should expect their CEO toenvision and lead the organization’stech health just as they expect theCEO to lead the fiscal, fundraising,and programmatic health of theorganization.

It’s no secret that if the Decision-Maker-in-Chief refuses to prioritizeand value technology, then there’s animpenetrable silicon ceiling limitingthe capacity of technology to enhanceand accelerate your mission. At theNTEN Leading Change Summit inSan Francisco this fall, digitalstrategists and systems specialistsalike cited EDs at their organizationsas major barriers to technologyadoption and effectiveness.

Of course, there are exceptions tothese norms: EDs who understand thepower of technology as critical totheir mission. These exceptional EDswho effectively harness technologyhave access to one of the keys todrive their nonprofit to innovativenew heights. As the leadershiplandscape shifts, the organizationsthat know how to recruit theseexecutives will reap the benefits.

Recruiting for the FutureUnfortunately, many nonprofits thatare currently seeking executiveleadership are recruiting for the past,not the future. I reviewed fifty recentCEO/ED job announcements fromnonprofit organizations. Theorganizations from my samplespanned 28 states and had annualbudgets ranging from less than $100Kto over $5M. They representededucation, service, advocacy, and artsorganizations, as well as associationsand grantmaking foundations.

What I found is that nonpro9torganizations are overwhelminglyfailing to prioritize technologyleadership or experience in recruiting


TECH FORWARD LEADERSHIP:EXECUTIVE STAFFING FOR THEDIGITAL AGEBY MIRIAM BARNARD, NONPROFIT STRATEGY AND TRANSITION CONSULTANT,MIRIAMBARNARD.COM

their top executives: 70% of positionannouncements mentionedtechnology only briefly or as a“preferred, but not required” skillarea, and 48% of announcements didnot mention technology at all.

If your organization may be facingan executive transition, you’ll want toget ahead of the curve and recruit aleader who will bring a tech visionand verve to your mission and team.

Similarly, if you’re an ED oraspiring ED looking to help shape thenext generation of nonprofitleadership, making sure that yourtech chops shine could be whatmakes your candidacy stand out in acompetitive executive hiring process.

Tips to Hiring a Tech-Forward EDHiring an ED is one of the mostimportant and excitingresponsibilities of a nonprofit Boardof Directors. Including technologyconsiderations in your search processwill help you attract the rightcandidates, ask the right questions,and make the right hire for yourorganization’s future.1. Ask and you shall receive:You would never write the ED jobannouncement without mentioningfundraising, right? Or forget to

require that your future leader cometo the table with managementexperience or financial acumen?Include requirements for technologyleadership in your job announcementto show your candidates that it’simportant to your organization—you’llalso attract candidates for whom thiswill be an exciting skill to showcase.2. Consult your experts: Your org’stop technology staffers will not onlyknow what kind of support they need,but know where barriers have existedin the past. Their input is valuable andoften overlooked.3. Cultivate Curiosity: A great tech-forward ED does not need to be atech expert. However, technologychanges fast—and good leaders findthis exciting and are eager to learn. Ifyou’re hiring a ED who’s onlyinterested in what she or he knows atexpert levels, you may find thattranslates into resistance to innovativeor new ideas—and your organization’stech capacity can quickly fall fromearly adopter to flip-phone level.4. Interview for Innovation:The best way to learn about yourcandidates’ technology vision is toask about it. Include an open-endedinterview question that gives yourcandidates a chance to talk about

ways that they’ve used technologysuccessfully in the past, or lets themshare their vision for your nonprofit.5. Don’t Get Lost in the Details:When you’re hiring your topexecutive, an understanding of theimportance of technology and awillingness to learn is much moreimportant than experience with anyspecific program or application. Ifyou’re a MailChimp shop and your topcandidate is a Constant Contact whiz,you’re going to be fine. But if you askabout databases and they talk aboutrolodexes, you might want to revisityour resume pile.6. Knowing (What you Don’tKnow) is Half the Battle: It’s okfor your next ED to have someknowledge gaps in their techrepertoire. But hiring someone whounderstands where their ownknowledge ends and how to staff upor otherwise secure resources to keepthe organization technologicallystrong means your tech needs will bewell cared for.

Miriam Barnard(miriambarnard.com) providesorganizational development,consulting, and transition support fornonprofit organizations in Oregonand across the country. She has over

a decade of management, fundraising, and planningexperience. As an associate with the NonprofitAssociation of Oregon’s Executive Transition Services,Miriam works as an Interim Executive Director forOregon nonprofits, and also provides nonprofitExecutive Search services. Miriam lives in Portland,Oregon, and is on the NTEN Board of Directors.

About the Research: To learn more about theresearch that helped to inform the article, pleasecontact [email protected].


of nonpro�t ExecutiveDirectors and CEOs areplanning to leave theirjobs within the next

�ve years

%UP TO

1 CompassPoint. (2011). Daring to Lead: A National Study of Nonpro�t Leadership. Bell,Jeanne; Cornelius, Marla; Moyers, Rick. Retrieved from http://www.compasspoint.org/.

1

MY REVIEW OF RECENT CEO/EDJOB ANNOUNCEMENTS FROMNONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONSFOUND THAT 70% OF POSITIONANNOUNCEMENTS MENTIONEDTECH ONLY BRIEFLY AND 48%OF ANNOUNCEMENTS DIDN’TMENTION TECH AT ALL.

NAVIGATINGTHE MOBILESECURITYECOSYSTEMAN INTERVIEW WITH JEFF FORRISTAL,CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER, BLUEBOX


Q:You’ve been part of theonline security sector since

the early days in the 90s. How hasthe sector evolved? Early computersecurity looked a lot like physicalsecurity: put all your valuable assetsin one place, and build a fortressaround it for protection. ITdepartments took care of centralizedfleets of desktops and servers.Firewalls delineated an explicitperimeter, and a person was either100% fully trusted or 100% fullyuntrusted depending upon which sideof the firewall they were on. All thingsof value stayed inside the firewallperimeter. Eventually network DMZs(demilitarized zones) became statusquo as an intermediary layer topublicly expose limited computingservices to un-trusted or semi-trustedparties on the Internet.

Fast-forward to today, we seeoperational notions like cloudcomputing, SaaS (Software as aService), and mobility havefundamentally decentralized ourfortress and scattered our digitalassets all over. No longer can we pointat a clear perimeter to defend. Theblossoming of mobile computingmeans work is now done fromanywhere a person may be located.You no longer backhaul the people tothe data, instead you bring the datato the people. This is very powerfulfor productivity, but operates contraryto the “centralize and fortify” securityphilosophy.


“FIREWALLS ANDCENTRALIZATION AREA LOST CAUSE; MOBILEIS EVERYWHERESO YOU MUST PROTECTDATA INDEPENDENTOF LOCATION.”


But it is not just about keeping(outbound) distributed organizationaldata secure – the way people interactwith computing services hasfundamentally changed due tomobility. Mobile applications bringnew compelling ways to engage withpeople, including the (inbound) datathey offer. Whether it’s salestransaction information, donorinformation, or other PII data, yourorganization may now be party to theresponsibility of keeping that datasecure at the point of entry, i.e. on themobile device. No longer is it just astateless web browser operating on abackend service; real computing ishappening localized to the userthrough mobile applications, and withthat comes the implications of datasecurity and user trust of offering asafe computing experience.

Q:Why should nonprofits beconcerned about mobile

security? How much are they atrisk? If your current data securityprocedures revolve around usingfirewalls to create a perimeter,installing anti-virus on all computingsystems, and having an IT departmentresponsible for facilitating systempatches and updates, you will findthis approach is woefully inadequatefor mobile devices. Mobile securityrequires a new playbook that istailored to the dynamics of howmobile ecosystems operate. Firewallsand centralization are a lost cause;mobile is everywhere so you mustprotect data independent of location.The security sandboxes that keepmobile applications safe ironicallyalso prevent third-party anti-virusapplications from thoroughlyanalyzing the other applications on adevice, undermining theeffectiveness. Mobile device patchesand system updates are directlyissued by the device manufacturer incooperation of a cellular carrier –assuming any updates will be issued

at all. Thus organizations need to stopthinking in terms of device-levelsecurity since it’s often out of theircontrol, and instead turn theirattention to what actually matters:the data.

Offering a mobile application thatfacilitates the collection of datanecessitates the need to ensure themobile application is followingsecurity best practices such askeeping that data secure while at reston the device, securely transmitting itover the network only to authorizedparties, and proactively identifyingwhen security is being activelyimpacted by an attacker or malware.

Q:Bluebox’s websitediscusses “BYOD” and

“BYOA” – can you elaborate a biton what this means, and why thisis especially relevant fornonprofits? BYOD stands for “bringyour own device”, referring to whenemployees use their personal mobiledevices for work purposes. Similarly,BYOA stands for “bring your ownapplication(s)”. BYOD and BYOA arepart of a large movement whereemployees are now in charge of theirown productivity. The tools to makework life easier and more productiveare now within reach for everyone.

The added benefit for nonprofits

embracing BYOD and BYOA isincreased productivity and reducedoverhead. Allowing employees to usetheir own devices and applications forwork and personal use enablesemployees to be more productive onthe go. Eliminating devicemanagement from the mobilesecurity equation also savesorganizations a great deal of time andmoney.

BYOD and BYOA do, however, raiseserious concerns about the security ofcorporate and/or sensitive data. Thecommon response to this concern hasbeen to increase restrictions and lockdown employee-owned mobiledevices. However, Ovum found intheir 2013 multi-market bring-your-own-anything survey, thatnearly 70%of employees use theirtablets or phones to access corporatedata, 15.4% of them are doing sowithout IT’s knowledge, and nearly21% in spite of established policy. Thisgoes to show that no matter howstrict security controls may be at anygiven organization, data may still beleaking without us ever knowing.

Q:In your opinion, whatorganizations are doing a

good job with mobile datasecurity and why? Mobile hasenabled a major shift in almost everyorganization, from the largest

Mobile Security Resources:• Download the Trustable by Bluebox app from the Google Play Store

here: play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bluebox.trust• Learn more about Trustable by Bluebox via our blog here:

bluebox.com/blog/technical/measuring-mobile-security-trust-introducing-trustable-by-bluebox/

• Android User Security Guide: bluebox.com/android-user-security-guide/

• iOS User Security Guide: bluebox.com/ios-user-security-guide/• OWASP’s top 10 mobile risks:

www.owasp.org/index.php/OWASP_Mobile_Security_Project


enterprise to the smallest startup andeverything in between. Mobile hasprovided employees the ability tochoose their own devices andapplications, and control how theyuse them. As a result, mobile hasfundamentally changed the way thatorganizations manage risk.

Organizations that take a holisticview of mobile risk and take userneeds and concerns intoconsideration have the mostsuccessful mobile security programs.In the past year we’ve seen morereports about incidents of mobiledata breach. According to the,“Impact of Mobile Devices onInformation Security: A Survey of ITProfessionals,” 79% of companiesreported a mobile data breach, withthe cost of data loss ranging from lessthan $10K to over $500K per incident.It’s no wonder organizations havemoved from managing devices to thereal issue, protecting the data.

So in today’s fast paced mobileenvironment, how do organizationsmanage the risk of mobile data losswhile supporting productivity? Byutilizing next generation mobiletechnologies to fortify applications,organizations can trust theapplications their employees areusing are secure and that data won’tbe lost in the name of productivity.Organizations that do this will bemost successful.

Q:What steps can nonprofitorganizations take to

protect the privacy of themselves,their clients, their employees, andsupporters? The most important steporganizations can take to protectthemselves, their clients, employeesand supporters, is to identify risk. Beaware of what apps your organizationis using and/or developing, and whatrisk those applications pose. Inaddition, knowing your users andunderstanding their behavior iscritical. Organizations must

understand what applicationsemployees are using and what risksthose applications pose to yourorganization.

Applications like Trustable byBluebox can help organizationidentify risk and take the necessarysteps to mitigate it. This app will notonly help organizations identify theirown risk, it will also help individualusers identify risks to their personaldata.

Another step to take is tounderstand what external risks yourorganization faces. The OWASP’s top10 mobile risks is a great place to startand covers everything from dataencryption to preventing man-in-the-middle attacks to client side injection.

Q:Is there anything else thatyou’d like to share?

Security, or the state of being secure,

is a point-in-time statement. Devicesecurity comes and goes, dependingon the state of known vulnerabilitiesin the ecosystem and whether yourdevice has been updated to protectagainst these vulnerabilities. Whatthis means in terms of practical riskmanagement is that any device willgo through periods of temporaryinsecurity until the problems getfixed. This is where the concept ofmobile trust comes in.

Most users trust that their devicewill, in the long term, serve theirsecurity interests and keep their datasafe overall despite the fact that thedevice may have temporary momentsof insecurity and vulnerability. Thus“trust” is a holistic view of the wholelife of the device and incorporatesnotions on whether the vendor isknown to proactively issue deviceupdates or patches in a timelyfashion, and whether the vendor ismaking good long-term securitychoices, etc.

Bluebox Labs has recently releaseda free application, Trustable byBluebox (see image above), thatanalyzes all Android devices (phonesand tablets) and provides a securitytrust score illustrating how trustablethe device is for security andprotection of data. No longer do weneed to guess, hope, and speculatewhich devices may be more“trustable” than others – we canmeasure and compare on equalgrounds. This allows everyone tomove away from devices that arenotorious for making below-averagesecurity decisions, and instead favorvendors/devices that make above-average security decisions.

Jeff Forristal has been a securitytechnology professional in theindustry for 15 years. His professionalbackground includes all thingssecurity, spanning across software,hardware, operations/IT, and physical

access control. He has written multiple articles forNetwork Computing and Secure Enterprise magazines,and is a contributing author to multiple books.

Is your mobile device safe? Download the Trustableby Bluebox app from the Google Play Store to findout: bit.ly/TrustableApp


Inspire them once, get themgiving foreverThe most important supporters of anynonprofit are the committed donorswho give each year. Today, mostrepeat donors are acquired throughan expensive process of online andoffline stewardship, involving periodiccommunications and cultivationfollowed by an annual ask. And everyyear, 40-50% of these past donors fallaway.

Technology is enabling nonprofitsto reverse this dynamic withsubscription giving.

To receive multiple one-timedonations from a single donor, anonprofit must present a persuasivereason to give every time, which mayor may not work. But withsubscription—or recurring—donors,you only have to inspire them todonate once. After that, they mustactively take steps to stop beinggenerous—which goes against ourbasic instincts. This results in thelong-term retention of subscriptiongivers who will end up giving moreover their lifetime than they would asone-off donors.

The rise in the subscriptioneconomyIt’s not surprising that recurringgiving is on the rise. Its growthmirrors one of the hottest trends inthe economy: subscription buying.

You may be familiar withsubscription startups like Dollar ShaveClub, Birchbox, Love with Food, PactCoffee, and even big companies likeMicrosoft and Adobe that now sellsoftware through low-cost monthlysubscriptions as an alternative to one-time purchases. These companiesrecognize the value of subscriptionbuyers in terms of recurring revenue,loyalty, ongoing marketing, andhigher lifetime value.

Growing momentum in nonprofitsNonprofits are now getting in on theaction. Subscription giving is thefastest growing segment of onlinegiving,

GENEROSITY, THE SUBSCRIPTIONECONOMY, AND THE FUTURE OFNONPROFIT FUNDRAISINGBY JAMIE MCDONALD, CHIEF GIVING OFFICER, NETWORK FOR GOOD


up 27% in 2012 across all nonprofits in Blackbaud’s study,and up 73% in Higher Education, one of the largestphilanthropy sectors.

Rapid growth will continue into 2015, although adedicated recurring giving program is still a smallsegment of overall nonprofit fundraising. The good newsis that the increasing prevalence of subscriptionpurchasing, combined with a growing number ofsuccessful nonprofit programs and a proliferation oftechnology options, makes it a realistic strategy for eventhe smallest nonprofits.

Why focus on recurring givers now?The infographic, compiled with data processed throughour platform, summarizes our experience with recurringgiving across the Network for Good community. Here arethe most important reasons to focus on recurring givingnow:• It drives increased revenue. The average recurring

donor gives 42% more than one-time donors. In arecent Stanford Social Innovation Review article, theaverage annual donation from recurring givers totaled$625.

• It provides a stable flow of funds. Organizations cancount on the funds month after month.

• It builds deeper relationships. Each month there’s anopportunity to inspire, cultivate, and celebrate donorswhen they are thanked for their gifts.

• Recurring givers are highly qualified potential prospectsfor major and planned giving because of their sustainedcommitment to the organization.

• Recurring givers stay with you. According to theNonprofit Times, retention among donors giving one-time gifts ranges from 41-50%, while recurring donorsare retained 70-80% of the time.

• It appeals to younger donors. According to theMillennial Impact Report 2013, 52% of millennialsare interested in giving monthly. Young people like thelow monthly cost, and big annual impact, of a recurringgift.

What makes a recurring giving program work?There are five fundamentals we see across all successfulcampaigns.

1Focus on attracting recurring givers. It’s notenough to have a message on your checkout page to

“make this gift recurring.” A strong recurring givingcampaign focuses on inspiring donors to be sustainers ofyour organization through their monthly commitment.

2Make the commitment so small that donors feelthey can’t say “no.” A classic example of this

approach is the famous quote from an international aidTo view the original infographic, visit http://bit.ly/N4GInfographic

organization: “For less than a cup ofcoffee, you can provide food for ahungry child.” The image belowshows an example from UNICEF.

3Make sure your online givingpage mirrors the campaign

message. When a supporter is readyto make a gift, the online giving pageshould reinforce the campaignmessaging and have suggestedamounts that demonstrate the impacttheir gift could have.

4Recognize subscription givers asspecial. All points of contact with

subscription givers should acknowledgethem as a special group that powersand sustains the organization. Identifythem as members of a cohort, with aunique identity or brand. Here are afew examples of branded recurringgiving groups:• The 1000 Women Campaign

of the Women’s Fund of CentralOhio

• Pipeline of Charity: Water• Humane Heroes of the National

Humane Society• Red Cross Champions

5Talk about impact. Whenrecurring givers are thanked for

their monthly donation, reinforce theimpact of their contribution and keepfeeding their “helper’s high.” Sharestories and images of those affectedby their donations. Put a face on theirinvestment in the organization.

A strong recurring giving programtakes planning.Whether your staff is large or small,here's a checklist to get you started:

�Build the organization’scommitment to launch the

program.

�Create a name and brand foryour monthly giving program.

�Test and measure. Try severalcampaign themes with

segments of your donor base todetermine which campaign motivatesthe most donors.

�Simplify the best theme downto a compelling message, like

‘$25 a month provides meals for onechild,’ and a branded image that canbe used everywhere, like the ASPCAimage above.

�Make donating easy andmobile-ready. Technology that

makes recurring giving simple andeasy, from any device, is critical.

�Develop a target list ofpotential donors. Start with

existing annual givers; they are strongprospects for increasing theirdonations with a monthly program.

�Plan a starting “ask” of amonthly donation that is 15-20%

of your average annual gift. So if youraverage annual gift is $200, plan anaverage target monthly donation of$30-$40.

�Market your monthly givingprogram in all channels.

�Write a welcome seriesacknowledging the donors’

special status as a sustainer of theorganization.

�Communicate with monthlygivers about the impact of their

gift when each monthly payment isreceived.

�Make a plan to handle creditcard decline notifications.

�Celebrate your growing baseof supporters!

About the research: To learn more about theresearch that informed this article, please contactElizabeth Ragland, Content and Nonprofit MarketingAssociate at Network for Good [email protected].

Jamie McDonald is the Chief GivingOfficer of Network for Good, thenation’s largest online charitablegiving platform. Jamie’s professionalmission is to spur people to give, actand innovate on behalf of

communities and causes. She writes and speaksabout online engagement and giving, nextgeneration philanthropy, and the rise of themillennial generation as a force for changingcommunities. Jamie serves as an advisor tononprofits, cities, and state associations around thecountry on giving movements like #GivingTuesday.


Fundraising “ask” examples (from top): UNICEF explains the impact of donations, no matter how small;ASPCA’s branded image to ask for monthly gifts.


Earlier this year, I spoke at the 2014Nonprofit Technology Conference.While in Washington DC, I stayed

with my friends Heather and Neal.Each morning as we were enjoyingbreakfast together, their 10 year olddaughter, Kendall, was a radiant ballof energy, sunshine, and curiosity.

However on my last morning withthem, Kendall was strangely quiet,reserved and melancholy. I asked her,“Kendall, what’s going on? Why doyou seem different today? Why are

you not your cheerful self?” With asad look she responded, “Well I am inscouts and I have to go sell cookiestoday. I don’t like doing it because Iget rejected most of the time. Peopletell me they are watching their weightor they already have some, or someother excuse.” I responded, “Wow, Itotally understand. Being rejecteddoesn’t feel good at all.”

I paused for a moment and askedher, “Hey, how much are a boxcookies?” She replied, “They are $4 a

box.” I reached for my wallet andpulled out a $20 bill, handed it to her,and said “I’ll take 5 boxes!” With asurprised look, she asked “Really?” Isaid “Yes, however I don’t eat cookies,so what I would like for you to do is totake each box and give them to 5different people you’ve never metbefore.” Kendall immediately leapedout of her chair and ran to her momto share her excitement,” Mom, we getto give cookies away!” Thetransformation in her was amazing.

As her excitement settled down, Isaid “So Kendall, here is why I wantyou to give the cookies away. I wantyou to know what it’s like togenerously give, to see the joy inpeople’s eye, to feel their genuineappreciation, and to hear that youhave made a difference for them. Iwant you do this five times so thatyou truly know the joys of giving.

DESIGNING MEANINGFULDONOR EXPERIENCES TOINSPIRE GIVINGBY YASMIN NGUYEN, FOUNDER, VIBRANCE GLOBAL


Then once you do, instead of askingpeople if they would like to buy somecookies, I’d like you to ask them: “Isthere someone in your life you reallycare about? If so, I’d like to help youmake their day by giving them a boxof cookies. Are there others youwould like to give this gift as well?”Her eyes lit up with excitement, againready to try out this new approach.

Ask Less, Give MoreWhether it be donations, sales,referrals, or just help, many of usstruggle with asking for what we needand desire. The challenge is thatsubconsciously, we often putourselves in a scarcity mindset wherewe feel inferior, needy, or less thanwhich impacts our confidence. By“asking less and giving more” we shiftthe dynamics of our situation toempower ourselves to offer peoplean opportunity to experience a

special moment. In return, they areinspired and reward us with thatwhich we originally desired.

A few months ago, I was meeting afriend at a local coffee shop. Likemany service establishments, there isa tip jar with a couple of dollars andsome change at the counter. Whatwas different about this situation wasthat there were 2 jars filled with cashinstead. One was labeled “Boys” andthe other “Girls.” The sign above itread, “Some people say girls tip betterthan guys! Take our survey below!”

Essentially, they shifted thesituation from “asking for a tip” togiving their patrons a fun experienceto play a game and share memorablemoments. The end result was moretips and goodwill.

Designing Your Giving Experience1. Before we even start, we need to

identify what it is that we actuallydesire. Is it that sale, tip, donation,referral, or advocate? By knowing thatobjective, we have clarity to measureour success, and a foundation todesign our giving experience.

2. Next, we need to understandour audience’s intrinsic desires. Lifecoach Tony Robbins shares theconcept of the 6 basic human needs(certainty, variety, significance,connection, growth, andcontribution): “Understanding theseneeds, and which ones you are tryingto meet in any given moment, canhelp you create new patterns thatlead to lasting fulfillment.” When ourdonors, customers, and audiencesexperience that fulfillment, theybecome inspired to give. We mustidentify what those needs are tofocus on.

3. When we design the givingexperiences, how can we be moreexperiential and less transactional inour approach? We must shift themindset and put on our “giving” lens.Start with giving to open our doorsfor receiving. Allow them to

experience the journey where theyare the hero and are transformed toa better version of themselves in theprocess. We are the facilitators and aconduit for them to experience thatjoy of giving. It’s really about how wecan become stewards of philanthropy.

To facilitate these positive givingexperiences, below are some ideas:• Stories of the impact they have

made• Genuine personal appreciation• Valuable insights and information

for them to share• A fun memorable experience• A moment of positive self-esteem

and meaningful recognition• A platform and audience for their

message and passion• A cherished personal or business

relationshipNext time you find yourself in a

position where you are anxious to askfor something, think about how youcan help the other person give.

I owe much of my perspectivesand inspiration for giving to thefollowing thought leaders who sharemore in-depth insights and valuablestrategies in their books.• Donor Centered-Fundraising by

Penelope Burk• RelationShift by Michael Bassoff

& Steve Chandlers• Giving 2.0 by Laura Arrillaga-

Andreessen• The Go-Giver by Bob Burg & John

David Mann

Yasmin Nguyen is a speaker,philanthropist, social innovator, andstorytelling strategist helpingbusiness, and nonprofits emotionallyconnect with their audiences throughstories, videos, and marketing

partnerships to generate sales and raise money. He isthe founder of Vibrance Global and PhilanthropyTalk, and brings business, community and nonprofitleaders together to share ideas, insights, andfeedback. With over 18 years in entrepreneurship,communications strategy, online marketing, mediaproduction, and relationship building, Yasmin’smission is to facilitate more giving in our lives,community, and world. Follow him on Twitter at@vibranceglobal.

“We must shift themindset... Allow[donors] to experiencethe journey where theyare the hero and aretransformed to a betterversion of themselvesin the process.”


POINTS OF VIEW: HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY OF SOCIAL MEDIA

JEREME BIVINS

THE DARK SIDEOF THE FORCE:HOW TO PREPARE FORTHE HEIGHTENED SCRUTINYOF SOCIAL MEDIA

MIKE MOREY AMBER WASHINGTON BROOKE WISEMAN

PREPARED BY BONNIE MCEWAN, ASSISTANTPROFESSOR AND CONSULTANT, MILANO – THE NEWSCHOOL AND BONNIEMCEWAN.COM


Q:What’s the first piece ofadvice you would give to

a colleague about managingcomplaints and negativecomments in social media?

Jereme: First, have all therelevant information at hand, sothat if someone has a legitimatequestion or complaint, you havesupporting materials to answerthem. Don’t go radio silent(particularly on Facebook wherecomments can linger). Second,take the conversation offline.If someone leaves a negativecomment, acknowledge theirconcern and apologize where andwhen appropriate, but mostimportantly offer to help addresstheir issue off of social media anddirect them to get in touch overemail or phone.

Mike: Just because socialmedia communication is easy todeliver doesn’t mean it shouldn’tbe reviewed and crafted with care,just like any other outwardcommunication. Don’t be casualabout it. If the organization usessocial media with the ExecutiveDirector’s (ED) handle, it shouldbe managed by communicationsstaff, not the ED’s office. Thiskeeps messages consistent.

Brooke: Be cautious aboutwhat you’re putting out. Have acore structure in place to actively

manage social media so that itshowcases the values of yourorganization. Plan with the bigpicture in mind and be prepared tooffer useful facts and stories thatfocus on your mission.

Amber: Avoid the back andforth. Often, people will not besatisfied with the response theyget. You’ve failed to meet theirexpectations, reasonable or not,and there’s no way you are going tobe able to, so there is no point inengaging in a social media battle.

Q:What if yourorganization really is in

the wrong?Jereme:Own up to the failure,

apologize, acknowledge that you’rehuman, and release a correction. Ifyour organization can survive thedose of humility, share publiclywhat the mistake taught you.Write a blog post about it orTweet to infuse a little humor(depending on the mistake). It’s okto fail and then celebrate or pokefun at it if you’re going to use it asa learning opportunity.

Mike: In responding tocriticism, you’ll hear everyone sayyou have to be transparent, and toan extent you do, but there arelevels of what should be public,what should be responded to via aprivate message, and what shouldbe addressed in a statement as part

of a larger strategy.

Q:Do you use differenttechniques for differentplatforms?

Mike: Yes. On Facebook, youshould respond as you would toany other type of customer serv-ice issue. Things hang around on aFacebook page. On Twitter, whichlends itself to snarky comments,you can often just let things pass.

Amber: The PolicyLinkaudience on Twitter is dynamic socomments move through thestream rapidly. Many of the tweetsdon’t require a response. Facebookpages are different. The info onthem stays up for quite a while.You have to consider the source ofeach complaint or problem andgive priority to the ones that havethe greatest reach.

Q:Do you use differenttechniques if thechallenger is from the newsmedia?

Amber: If it’s a mediarepresentative, they have a largerplatform, so you need to be promptabout getting back to them. Sendthem a direct message and invitethem to have an offline discussion.

Jereme: Yes, because whateverthat blogger or journalist decidesto share could become a muchlarger story. It’s important that theperson responsible for socialmedia is informed enough to helpwith rapid response and canclearly and correctly articulate theorganization’s positions. Have asystem to easily share and accessinformation like Yammer or Slack,or even a messenger tool likeWhatsApp so you cancommunicate quickly and easily.Ideally, your organization has anaccessible crisis communications

Given the critical backlash to the recent ALS Ice BucketChallenge, we wondered how nonprofits handle the scrutinythat comes from extensive visibility in social media. To findout, we talked with four nonprofit professionals: JeremeBivins,Digital MediaManager at The Rockefeller Foundation;MikeMorey, Senior Vice President of the public affairsfirm, SKDKnickerbocker;AmberWashington,Manager ofSocial Media for PolicyLink, a research and action institute;and BrookeWiseman, CEO of Blessings in a Backpack.

plan in place, but internalcommunication is always critical.

Q:How do you prepare formanaging negative

content?Jereme: Think about different

scenarios when releasing contentor press releases. Consider thosethings that some people want totear apart. What’s useful or worthcelebrating? What’s controversialor could be misunderstood?Whatare the valid counterpoints andwho might challenge us on it? Beprepared to back up yourorganization’s point of viewwithout becoming confrontational.Not everyone has to agree withyou, but you always want to keepthe dialogue civil and respectful.

Brooke:Don’t jump to respondto every untruth. You don’t alwayshave to answer a challenge, butyou do need to have the clarity toknow who you are and what reallymatters. Then, you can engagethoughtfully.

Amber:When I note criticism,I will respond in a neutral way toindicate that we acknowledge theperson but don’t necessarily agreeor endorse their viewpoint. I amalways respectful and doappreciate their interest in ourorganization.

Q:Any other tips?Jereme: Be prepared!Hope for the best, but always beready for the worst. Use socialmedia as a platform to buildrelationships with people thatunderstand and support whatyou do. They can be powerfuladvocates for your organizationand can even engage withnaysayers without you having tostep into the fray – saving youtime and face.

Mike: Beware that false senseof perspective that assumeseveryone “out there” is hanging onevery negative word just becauseyou and your colleagues are. Youwork there. It takes up most ofyour attention. But to externalobservers, chances are good thatthey won’t notice.

Brooke: For us, the challenge isless about managing criticism andmore about handling volume. In2012, our organization was chosenby People Magazine as its “Charityof the Year.” Similar to whathappened to ALS with the IceBucket Challenge, interest in usexploded. Everyone wanted tohelp, which was wonderful, buthaving just six staff members maderesponding a huge concern. Ouroffice looked like the Merc (thetrading pit at the Chicago

Mercantile Exchange), with all ofus pitching in to do anything andeverything!That experience showed us the

importance of facilitating people’sengagement with us over socialmedia. Now we try to offerdifferent options and techniquesthat makes it easier for people tovolunteer, donate to a particularschool, or designate their gift for aspecific purpose. Bottom line: Bethoughtful. Be prepared. And,

above all, just keepmoving forward.A member of theNTEN: ChangeEditorial Committee, BonnieMcEwan is a consultant, college

professor and writer. She is profiled in the book,“Thriving in 24/7: Six Strategies for Taming theNewWorld of Work,” by Sally Helgesen, andauthor of “501(c)(3) Nonprofits and Earned-Income Generation” in the textbook, “SocialEntrepreneurship,” edited by Thomas Lyons.Earlier in her career Bonnie directed the nationalcommunications divisions of Girl Scouts USAand the Planned Parenthood Federation. Findher on Google+ and Twitter.


POINTS OF VIEW: HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE HEIGHTENED SCRUTINY OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Failure is a humbling way to learn a really good lesson.Read NTEN’s story of failure: bit.ly/NTENfail13


Q:Tell us about yourself.I have been with theFoundation for nine years andcame here after having served asExecutive Director of theNorthern Colorado AIDS Project.I currently have the tremendouspleasure to serve as the VicePresident of the Mi Casa ResourceCenter Board of Directors,advancing economic success ofLatino families in Denver,Colorado. For eight years, I havetaught courses in “Wealth andPhilanthropy” and “ResourceDevelopment” in the Masters ofNonprofit Management Programat Regis University.

Q:In your everyday work,what are the three ways

that you use technology?The Denver Foundation collectsTechnical Assistance reports todiscern qualitative andquantitative data through anonline system. Numbers withoutstories and stories withoutnumbers have limited effect. Weuse both the data and stories tomake connections between ourgrantees and qualified consultants,and to track the outcomes of ourtechnical assistance grantmaking.The impact (data sets) and peer-advice (stories) can be explored onour technical assistance blog.Additionally, we fund

technology through our TechnicalAssistance program. We believethat technology can help in eightkey dimensions of effective and

healthy nonprofit organizationsincluding: governance, staffing,planning, programs, finances,fundraising, evaluation, andinclusiveness. 76% to 100% of ourgrantees have gained tremendousefficiencies in fundraisingapplications through technology.

Q:As the DenverFoundation raises fundsand distributes them tograntees, how does the use oftechnology differ between thesetwo efforts?The Denver Foundation hashundreds of donors, many ofwhomwish to share their favoritenonprofits with each other andmotivate more contributions; atthe same time, nonprofits seek tocommunicate with donors. Toaddress the challenge (ubiquitousin the community foundationsector), in 2015 the Foundationwill elevate an online platform toconnect dynamic stories createdand shared by nonprofit sector andcommunity leaders directly withdonors who have funds with theFoundation. The platform is calledFloodlight. While the platformwill remain open to the generalpublic, it will be targeted to meetdonor needs, and will allow donorsa set of expanded capabilities forsharing stories, voting for, orgiving “seals of approval” to, theirfavorite organizations, andrecommending grants to theorganizations from their funds.In a networked nonprofit

world, the Foundation does notwant to be a bottleneck orotherwise impede the flow of greatopportunities for both donors andnonprofits. In our role as aphilanthropic catalyst, thecapabilities and scalability ofFloodlight is one step in what we

Grantmaking in theDigital AgeInterview with Christiano Sosa, Director of CapacityBuilding, The Denver Foundation

BEHIND THE SCENES: THE DENVER FOUNDATION

The winner of the 2014 Annual Report Cover Shot Photo Contest,one of the many fun ways that The Denver Foundation engaged withtheir community through social media.


believe aligns with the incrediblesavvy and generosity of our Denvernonprofit and donor communities.On the grantee side, we have

had an online application availablefor our resident grantmakingprogram for some time, and we arecurrently working to create bothan online grantmaking system forall discretionary grants and anonline scholarship applicationsystem.

Q:Howhas technology beenused to demonstrate

the impact of the organizationand how has this contributed toincreased funding?In addition to the excitingpotential benefits of the Floodlighttool, the Foundation offers otheravenues to demonstrate impact.We highlight stories of ourgrantees through “Good News” e-blasts, online newsletters, “GiveMagazine,” and annual reports.Anecdotally, we see an increasedcall volume from donors inquiringafter complex communityproblems and exceptionalnonprofits are emphasized.

Q:Donors may havediffering preferences in

making use of technology tomake their gifts. How has theFoundation balanced stayingahead of the curve whileensuring that the right kinds oftools are utilized to simplify thedonation process?When The Denver Foundation wasfounded 90 years ago, the bulk ofour grantmaking went to purchasewooden prosthetic legs forreturning soldiers. True to ourhistory, our job is to ensure donorshave real-time tools to harnesstheir philanthropy to meet currentneeds and future needs. We have avariety of options for donors tocontribute, in many different ways,

including web-based grantrecommendations. These toolshave particularly come in handywhen natural disasters (such aswildfires) have threatened ourregion and we have stewardedfunds to take action, or whenfamilies create memorial funds.However, the reality is that the

vast majority of our donordemographic aligns with theBoomer and Veteran generations.Consistent with our peers we havecatered our communications tothese demographics. However, thisyear we have taken a deep diveinto the changing preferences ofMillennial giving (personalconnections, global view/localaction, time, talent, and dollars) byoffering specialized, targeted issuebriefings and opportunitiesthrough relationships reinforcedby social media outlets.

Q:Can you share someinnovative ways that the

Foundation has used socialmedia?During the 2014 Super Bowl week,the Seattle Foundation and TheDenver Foundation squared off ina unique partnership thatchallenged our communities togive big. Through a viral campaign,United in Orange to FightChildhood Hunger, The DenverFoundation raised money to helpfeed hungry kids through the FoodBank of the Rockies, a flagshipcommunity partner of the Broncos.Both The Denver Foundation andFood Bank of the Rockies waivedall administrative charges so thatevery dollar raised went directly tobuy food for children in need. 118local donors contributed $26,703in just one week; but moreimportantly, the donors learnedabout our leadership activities inending childhood hunger in a funand unique way. While Denver

ultimately lost the actual SuperBowl, our staff, donors, andcommunities had a great deal tocelebrate!Another innovative approach

was our Annual Report Cover ShotPhoto Shot Contest. The contestsolicited great images from ourgrantees, donors, and communitypartners by utilizing social mediaas a vehicle to expand ourFacebook, Twitter, and websitecommunication channels. Throughthese digital avenues, we seizedthe opportunity to communicate ashift in our grantmaking andembraced gamification theory. Thewinning selections weredetermined by the number ofFacebook votes (30%), creativityand originality

Q:What else would you liketo add?

Though donors and their familiesare dispersing more globally, weknow that people have anincreasing hunger for localconnection. It is critical tostrengthen the tether of donor-centric information as it intersectswith emerging needs in our localcommunities. While tools such asFloodlight and social mediaplatforms will be a prominentcornerstone in our efforts, TheDenver Foundation will need todouble down on innovativetechniques such as the onesmentioned here and many moreyet to be discovered.

Christiano Sosa is the Directorof Capacity Building at TheDenver Foundation. Hepreviously served as a ProgramOfficer for the Gill Foundationand The Denver Foundation.

Christiano is a Colorado Trust Fellow and for thelast eight years, he has taught courses in “Wealthand Philanthropy” and “Resource Development”in the Masters of Nonprofit ManagementProgram at Regis University. He currently servesas the Vice Chair of Mi Casa Resource CenterBoard of Directors, advancing successes ofLatino families in Denver.


Interview withRAHSAAN HARRIS,

Executive Director,Emerging Practitionersin Philanthropy (EPIP)

BUILDINGTHE NEXT

GENERATIONOF LEADERS


BEHIND THE SCENES: EMERGING PRACTITIONERS IN PHILANTHROPY (EPIP)

Q:Tell us about yourselfand what you do?I am Rahsaan Harris, theEmerging Practitioners inPhilanthropy (EPIP), what we dois provide leadership developmentfor changemakers that arecommitted to changing organizedphilanthropy to make the world amore just, equitable, andsustainable place through theirgrantmaking in how they moveresources. We’re also committed tomaking sure that changemakers,no matter where they go, share thesame values to make the kind ofworld that we want to make.

Q:What drew you to yourcurrent work?

I got drawn to my current workbecause I was working at theAtlantic Philanthropies, agrantmaking foundation that isactually going out of businessbecause they believe in givingwhile living. While I was there,working as special assistant to thePresident and also as a programofficer, I really was able to buildmy experience and figure out howto leverage power throughnetworks.EPIP was one of the places that

helped me to develop my nationalnetwork of people who work infoundations across the country.When I left the AtlanticPhilanthropies to get my PhD andwas looking for a job [after], EPIPwas a logical place for me to work.

Q:What is theMCMalcampaign, and how do

you think it will help the nextgeneration of leaders?I’m using social networking andsocial media at EPIP to implementour program called MCMal.MCMal is “member connect and

measure a leader.” Measure aleader is about helping ourmembers develop their leadershipskills to help them have more of animpact. We see social media as animportant way of connecting ourmembers to one another,aggregating knowledge, and givingthem a chance to actually have aplatform to share their ideas withthe rest of the field. A lot of times,people who are emerging and newto philanthropy don’t necessarilyhave many platforms to shareideas, and provide thoughtleadership, but we see social mediaas a place where they can.

Q:What technology andstrategies are you using

to promote these new ideas?In particular, the technology thatwe try to use is Twitter, Facebook,we’re also looking at a newplatform called NationBuilder thatwas used by a lot of politicalcampaigns to really reach out topeople that were like minded toget them to vote. We also useSalesforce for our database, and weuse Google Apps for our mailsystem.

Q:As a nonprofit leader,you are also responsiblefor raising funds for yourorganization. What strategieshave you found to be themostbeneficial?In regards to trying to raise money,I think it’s important to be able totell a good narrative. Being able tohave people that understand whatyou’re about and getting to knowyou and creating relationships iswhat makes raising moneypossible. Doing great research andunderstanding who you’re askingis really important, but once you’veidentified who you want to ask, it’s

about relationship building, sowe’re really trying to get better atarticulating what our vision is,what our mission is, who we are,and why we’re valuable so peoplewant to invest in us.

Q:Are you using technologyin fundraising and if so,what tools seem to be themosteffective?In regards to technology,technology can be really importantto fundraising because it helps tomaintain relationships and keeppeople up to date. So doing thingslike reaching out to peopleperiodically with email, socialmedia, creating videos, allows usto connect with our potentialfunders and help them see whatwe’re doing on a regular basis.

Q:Is there anything thatwe didn’t ask that you’dlike to share?Anybody can use technologyand social media. It’s not difficult,but it takes risk taking anddetermination that allowssomeone to unleash its power. Youdon’t lose much by taking risks andinnovating in ways that are notnecessarily very cost intensive, so Ireally encourage people to step outthere, get feedback, and see whatworks because that’s when successcomes and that’s how innovationhappens.This interview was transcribed from thevideo recording created by Rahsaan Harris.To view this video, please visit:youtu.be/IhvbPWHCveE.

RahsaanHarris, Ph.D. hasover 15 years of experienceworking in philanthropy andnonprofits. His experience alsoincludes teaching high school andserving as a volunteer in the

Peace Corps. Dr. Harris’ expertise is inorganizational assessment, diversity andteaching. He is the executive director of EPIP,Avery’s dad, and a Spanish speaker.

CALL FORNONPROFITSParticipate in M+R and NTEN’s2015 Benchmarks Study to helpdetermine this year’s industrystandards for online fundraising,advocacy, and list building.

Now in its ninth year, the studycollects data from 50+ organizationsto capture the metrics and trendsthat nonprofits can use to gaugetheir current work, and help informhow to move forward with theirdigital strategies.

If you’d like toparticipate, fill outthis quick survey:mrbenchmarks.com/participate.html.


Whether it’s from seasonedpractitioners or those new tointernational development orhumanitarian relief, we hear it allthe time. An NGOworking on aproject later learns that anotherorganization is doing similar worknearby, or even in the samelocation. The government of acountry receiving aid has troubleplanning its budget because itdoesn’t know howmuch funding isbeing provided when, or whichNGOs are working in theircountry. One community receivesan over-abundance of assistancewhile another with greater needsis ignored.For the past six years,

InterAction has been working onthe development of an interactive,user-friendly visualization tool

called NGO AidMap that is basedon the premise that access totimely, high quality, andcomprehensive information iscritical to making aid work better.In part, the tool is meant to help

InterAction tell the story of ourmembers, a collective communityof more than 180 NGOs working toadvance human dignity and fightpoverty around the world. Butwhat we’re really trying to do ishelp address some of the commonchallenges faced by organizationsworking to eliminate poverty orrespond to humanitarian crises:duplication of efforts, lack ofcoordination, and inappropriately(or sub-optimally) targeted aid. Bymaking it easy to find informationon who is doing what and where,NGO AidMap aims to help

organizations make smarterdecisions about where to directtheir resources, identify gaps andavoid duplication, and findopportunities to collaborate andcooperate with potential partners.So far, we’ve collected

information on more than 9,000projects from over 130organizations in more than 150countries, amounting to over $10.6billion in programs. Along the way,we’ve learned a lot about how tomake data matter.

CHARTING A NEW COURSE INTHE WAKE OF DISASTERNGO AidMap began in Haiti.Though we had been working withour members for some time onways to help capture and visualizetheir work, it was not until thedevastating 2010 earthquake thatthe mapping initiative really tookoff.The scale of the earthquake,

intensity of media coverage, anddepth of the public responsecreated a sense of urgency andmade organizations realize theimportance of sharing informationon their activities. It was clear thatNGOs had to demonstrate to theirdonors and the general public thatthey were willing to be heldaccountable. By June 2010, we hadcreated a map that allowed ourmembers to see not only wherework in Haiti was taking place, butthe nature of the work being done.Knowing that it would take

time before our members wereready to contribute data on all oftheir work – and before we wouldhave the capacity to handle all thatdata – we decided to expand thesite slowly, one map at a time. Thisyear, at our annual conference inJune 2014, we finally reached amajor milestone in the initiative,launching a global map covering

MappingDisasters andDevelopmentBy JulieMontgomery and Laia Griñó, InterAction

Screenshot of NGO Aid Map's project list in Haiti, where thisinitiative began. Check it out: haiti.ngoaidmap.org.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: NGO AID MAP

our members’ work in all countriesand all sectors.

MAKING A MAP THAT WORKSGathering up-to-date, standardizeddata from over 100 NGOs is nosmall feat. Getting here hasrequired us to continuously focuson two things: understanding ourmembers’ motivations for sharingdata, and ensuring the quality ofthe data on the site so it is trustedand used.Building political buy-in was the

very first step. From the beginning,we’ve made it a point to workclosely with our members, whowe’ve consulted on everythingfrom data standards to thefunctionality of the tool. We knewfrom previous experience that justdemanding information wouldn’twork; members had to feelcomfortable if we were going to getdata with the level of detail wewere asking for. We had to buildtheir trust and help themunderstand the risks and benefitsfor sharing information. Theyneeded to know that the time andeffort spent providing this data wasworthwhile. We’ve learned thatmost NGOs are willing to sharedata for three main reasons:1) To raise the visibility of their

work, both as individualorganizations and as part of thelarger NGO community2) To demonstrate their

commitment to transparency3) To save time, by giving

organizations a resource to whichthey can direct their keyconstituents and donors.In addition to understanding

motivations, we also spend a lot oftime thinking about what we cando to improve the site’s data

quality. An online visualization toolis only as good as the data, andgood intentions must be marriedwith good data collectionprotocols.

TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE,MEASURE IMPACTIn the end, NGO AidMap’smeasure of success is not howmuch data is gathered, but whetherthat data is used to improve howdevelopment is done. Like so manyworthwhile things, that is a veryhard thing to measure. We do knowa few things, though. From Google

Analytics, we know that peoplefrom countries all over the worldare visiting the site, and inNovember alone, we received morethan 10,000 visits.From surveys, we also know a

little bit about who those peopleare: most are from NGOs, followedby universities or think tanks, theprivate sector, and donor agencies.User feedback suggests that NGOAidMap is a powerful tool and“discussion starter,” helping NGOsand their funders demystify thecomplex web of international aid.


Commit toTransparenProvide up-to-date detailed project dincluding donor information, budgetand more.

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Photo: Gert Steenss

Images on right: Screenshots from the NGO Aid Mapsite. To learn more, visit NGOAidMap.org.


In the case of Haiti, for example,one of our members reported thatNGO AidMap helped them “findout more about the ‘spread’ andallocation of aid throughout Haiti,”and better understand the“obstacles and issues faced by other

organizations.”

Others have reported using NGOAidMap to inform proposals, toshare information about their workwith governments and funders, orto find out who might beresponding to a disaster orsupporting certain groups (such aspeople living with disabilities).

These anecdotes have provedinvaluable as we look for ways toimprove NGO AidMap as a tool fororganizations to do more and dobetter work in the field.

BUILDING FOR THE FUTUREWe still have a long way to gobefore we have information on allof our members’ projects. And werealize that, even if we did havethis, information alone is notenough to make developmentbetter, but it is a necessary step forlong-term success.The NGO community is stronger

when it works together. By workingwith NGOs to help them collectivelyharness the benefits of newmappingand other data visualizationtechnologies, we can help build thetools today that will help addressthe humanitarian emergencies and

aid efforts of tomorrow.JulieMontgomery is thedirector of innovation and learningand leads InterAction’s mappingefforts.

Laia Griñó is a senior managerfor transparency, accountabilityand results and leads InterAction’stransparency work.

3030

30cydata,data

Save TimeDirect your constituencies and donorsto a one-stop shop for project data.

Embed maps on yourwebsite, add pictures andvideos to projects, and usethe map to promote yourwork via social media.

RaiseVisibility

FindNew Partnersor DonorsUse the map to connect and coordinate withlocal civil society and potential internationalpartners and donors.

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Photo: Diana Tonea

Photo: Jeremie Lusseau Photo: Geor

5 CORE PRINCIPLESOF NGO AID MAP1. Make it as easy as possible to share data.

If it’s not easy, organizations won’t keepproviding information, and there is little value to a map that never getsupdated.

2.Present the data in a way that makes it simple to understand and use.NGO Aid Map is designed to make it easy to find the information people arelooking for, to help them make the decisions they need to make.

3.Make the data open and accessible. We know there are many ways to sliceand dice data. That’s why we’ve made it possible to download the data onevery page of the site.

4. Do no harm. While we are strong advocates of openness, we realize therecan be negative consequences to sharing data. We let organizations knowthat they should only share information if it is safe to do so, and review datathat has been submitted to make sure that there isn’t anything that could putsomeone in harm’s way.

5.Collaborate with like-minded organizations also working to make moreinformation available. NGO Aid Map is just one piece of the puzzle. Byworking with organizations who also see the value in open data, we hope tocreate a more complete picture of what is happening with international aid.



The use of smartphones and tabletcomputers reached new heights in2014, according to the analyticsservice comScore Inc., accountingfor 60% of all online traffic—a 10%jump over the previous year.Foundations and other

nonprofits are seeing similargrowth. Carnegie Corporation ofNew York (CCNY), for instance,saw the percentage of its websitevisitors using smartphones doublein 2014 and, when combined withthe number of tablet users, expandto one-fifth of total online traffic.With these numbers in mind,

nonprofits know the need forbuilding websites that seamlesslyadapt to smaller screens. NTENhas published plenty of resourcesduring the past few years on thebasics of responsive design: acoding method that enableswebsites to serve content andnavigation appropriately sized to auser’s device. CCNY, for its part, isin the midst of a major websiteoverhaul that will includeresponsive design.Beyond responsive design,

though, often overlooked are theexciting opportunities that mobiledevices—with their touch screensand built-in multimediacapabilities—offer for rethinkinghow normally static content can beenriched and repackaged. This isespecially true for rethinking thedesign of magazines, annualreports, and other printpublications.Publications comprise the

largest portion of content onCCNY’s website: a library of morethan 470 periodicals, strategypapers, and other documentsavailable as PDFs. The PDF is greatbecause all devices can display theformat without needing extrasoftware. However, its usabilityexperience on a smartphone is lessthan ideal: swiping between pagesis difficult and documents oftenfail to size appropriately todifferent screens. CCNY’scommunications team saw thePDF’s limitations as anopportunity for innovation.Rethinking publication design

for the mobile world can be asdeluxe or as basic as time andmoney allow. At the “Cadillac” endof the spectrum, organizations canhire teams of coders and graphicdesigners to build a custommobileapp. Not only is this approachcostly—think six figures—it is time

consuming and, given therelatively small number ofeventual users, likely unwarranted.At the opposite end of the

spectrum, organizations can simplymake their PDFs do more. TheAdobe Creative Suite, for instance,allows designers to hyperlinkcontent and enrich it with audioand video in such a way that thePDF comes alive and feels moreapp-like. While much cheaperthan building an actual app, thisapproach does require thatsomeone be versed in using theCreative Suite’s extra features—and at the end of the day, of course,you’re still dealing with a PDF.In rethinking its own

publications, CCNY decided topurchase a service called MAZthat effectively combines bothapproaches. For its pilot project,the communications team tackledCarnegie Results, a periodical thatprovides an in-depth look at thefoundation’s grantees: in this case,the National Security Archive(NSA). The NSA is a clearinghousethat uses Freedom of InformationAct requests to declassify U.S.government documents, such astranscripts of Oval Officeconversations during the CubanMissile crisis, and makes thesematerials available online.The print version of Carnegie

Results could only accommodate afew images from the NSA’sarchives, but the e-publicationversion in MAZ holds more—anentire gallery, in fact. The MAZversion also includes streamingvideo files and, using a featureunique to MAZ, allows readers toview websites and other relatedcontent without leaving themagazine. MAZ also enablessophisticated social sharing ofcontent from the publication: theability to instantly capture a


Rethinking the PDF:Designing Publicationsfor aMobileWorldBy JamesMurdock, Carnegie Corporation of New York

“Oftenoverlooked are

the excitingopportunities

that mobiledevices offer for

rethinkinghow normally

static content canbe enriched and

repackaged.”

screenshot from within themagazine, for instance, and save itor share to social media sites.Creating a digital publication in

MAZ is as simple as uploading aPDF to the publishing platformand then adding a layer ofhyperlinks onto the PDF. MAZ’sreading app and content deliverysystem, though, turn the base-layerPDF into something far moreengaging. Readers can easilynavigate within a publication,whether swiping pages orzooming, and the experience feelsnatively designed for mobile.Publishing platforms such as

Zinio, qmags, and Calaméo offeranother, simpler approach tojazzing up the PDF. These are webbrowser-based document viewersthat replicate, in digital form, thethree-dimensional experience ofturning a magazine’s pages.Depending on the service,additional features can include:• hyperlinking• ability to bookmark pages• printer-friendly versions• basic social sharing capabilities• usage analyticsZinio, among the oldest and

most sophisticated of thedocument viewing platforms, alsooffers a mobile app. While readinga publication in Zinio’s app is amore elegant and feature-richexperience than reading a PDF ona mobile device, these documentviewers lack the full interactivityand multimedia capabilities ofMAZ. They are potentially easierfor publishers to set up, though,and they’re cheaper.Still another possibility is using

a platform-specific tool such asApple’s iBooks Author. As its nameimplies, this program creates e-publications for Apple devices.The free software is easy to use—no coding experience needed—and

it creates an attractive productthat’s especially well suited topresenting highly visual content.New York’s Museum of ModernArt, for instance, has publishedseveral gorgeous iBooks filled withimages from its collections.Readers can pinch and zoom intoimages as well as play embeddedaudio and video files. The downsideto iBooks, however, is obvious: it’sonly available to Apple users.However nonprofits decide to

do it, the advantage of movingbeyond the PDF is simple:rethinking publications for anincreasingly mobile world givesaudiences content in forms bettersuited to their reading habits. In a

world where everyone online iscompeting for attention, keepingreaders satisfied is crucial tokeeping them engaged.

As Carnegie Corporation ofNewYork’sDirector of DigitalStrategies, JamesMurdockoversees the development ofonline tools to disseminate thework of the foundation and its

grantees. He has also served as Director ofMultimedia Content for The New York PublicLibrary, where he designed mobile and videoproducts, such as the iPad app Biblion, topublicize special collections.


Screenshots from CCNY’s publications on MAZ.


Social media and other techtools are embedded in thecommunications and fundraisingstrategies of many nonprofits. Yetit is still a fledgling in theboardroom. Encouraging boardmembers to use social media andother online platforms as part oftheir duties can set the tone for aculture of engagement, the magicthat can be missing frommanyboards.Providing opportunities for a

board to practice, or to learn newskills, can help make a board amagnet for the “creatives” and theinnovative thinkers. This articleexamines six commonresponsibilities of boards, and howsocial media and other tools can beused to engage both your boardand your constituents.

1)Beyond the conference call -use tech tomake committeemeetings more engaging:Consider holding committeemeetings via Google Hangouts. It’sfree, members can meet fromhome or office, and documents can

be shared. Find 1-2 board memberswho are familiar with this orwilling to be your early adopters,and get them to take the lead. Thisallows board members a chance toexperiment, to learn a new skill, orto play a lead role in moving theboard forward.

2)Attend all boardmeetings &functions, such as special

events:While at the meeting orevent, have a “selfie” moment: Askall board members to take apicture and tag it/post it to theorganizational Facebook orInstagram account. Brainstorm funor provocative comments to postabout the meeting or the event-and do it live in the board meeting.If location is important to your

events (ex. museums, animalshelters) use a geosocial platform,such as FourSquare, and haveboard members check-in. This cancreate a sense of belongingness,and a culture of sharing."

3)Be informed about theorganization’s mission,

services, policies, and programs:

Consider posting your BoardOrientation PPT on Slideshareand asking new board members toreview the slides prior to themeeting. This follows theeducational model of “Flipping theTraining” by sending the materialout ahead of time for individualreview and then utilizing thegroup time for discussion. Askeach new and returning boardmember to bring three questions,concerns, or opportunities to thenext meeting as a result of viewingthe orientation. This allows boardmembers to spend the timetogether in conversation, andenables the new board member theopportunity to be proactive inlearning about the board.Additional benefits of using

Slideshare to share publicinformation about yourorganization: potential fundersand new board members canresearch your organization, andthe exposure could also helpoptimize your SEO.Search in Slideshare for

“nonprofit board orientations” tofind other good, and not-so-good,examples of board orientationsthat are visible for year-roundinformation sharing, branding, andimproving your own orientation.�Example #1: The boardorientation for theHighlandsRanch Community Associationis quite comprehensive at 93slides. It shows a range oforganization information that canbe shared ahead of time such aspolicies, programs, andorganization chart.�Example #2: Corner Health

Center in Ypsilanti, Michigan,posted their 12- slide boardorientation. The content is verysimple, and there appears to have

Tech Support:6 Tips for Online BoardEngagementByJeanne Allen, Jeanne Allen Consulting, Instructor/Manager, Duke University Nonprofit ManagementProgram, Editorial Board,NTEN: Change Journal


been an audio link at one point. Onthe last slide, there is a link toSurveyMonkey. Board memberscould be asked to list their 3questions, 3 concerns, and more,which are then compiled for themeeting.

4)Review agenda &materialsprior to boardmeetings:

Sharing your board agendapublicly, such as via Google Docs,could perhaps make the board feelmore accountable. In the examplelinked below, the informationshared is not private info, but it stillgives a way for your constituents tolearn more about your organizationas well as for board members toprepare for what is on the agenda.�Example: Life Academy’s

board agenda

5)Inform others about theorganization: Bring fun into

the board meeting. Here are threeways for Board Members to useYouTube, Pinterest, or Twitter totell the world about the great workof your nonprofit.• Create 30-second simple

videos with each board membertalking about why they are on yourboard and then post the videos onYouTube. Smart phones have allthe capability that you need. Keepit short and simple! Make it a groupproject and let Board membersbrainstorm various statements andthen do the taping right there inthe board room. Authenticity andpersonality can help the videosshine.�Example: American Red

Cross Cape Fear (NC) chapterposted a video of a board memberexplaining why he is on the board.• Many nonprofits are using

Pinterest to share info about theirnonprofit. Many of your board

members may be active onPinterest and ready to share storiesfor the public. Search “nonprofitboards” for pages with links toadditional information.�Example: Make-A-Wish

Foundation, Phoenix AZCreate a “board” on your

nonprofit’s Pinterest page that isspecific to your Board and yourBoard Development plan.• Consider hosting a Tweet chat

during your Board meeting.Announce to your members orconstituents what the topic will be.Ask for their input into thestrategic plan or trends that areimpacting your mission. For firsttime success, make sure that somemembers from outside theboardroomwill join theconversation. Have all the boardmembers participate together sothat they can learn together. Limitthe duration to a short period oftime, at first, perhaps only 30minutes during the meeting.Project the tweets so that all cansee. Make sure that all involvedknow that this is a first timeexperiment to set a tone oflearning.

6)Suggest possible nomineesto the board: Board members

are responsible for recruiting newboard members. Ask all boardmembers to update their LinkedIn

profiles with their affiliation withyour nonprofit. They could alsopost updates about theirinvolvement, or new directions, notjust ask for money via thesenetworks. Posting yourorganization’s name helps withboard recruitment, as potentialboard members might like to knowmore about the board membershipprior to joining.

Example: LinkedIn BoardConnect tells how to use LinkedInfor board recruitment. Go to thesite and click on "find boardmembers.”Want a more engaged board?

Lead a brainstorming session withthe board on how to use socialmedia to meet the ongoingresponsibilities of the board. Haveboard members select one or twoideas to begin. Try, fail, experiment,and learn what works in yournonprofit. Have fun with socialmedia and various platforms.Engage your board in creating anew culture of learning.

Jeanne Allen focuses her workin the intersection of boardgovernance, technology andnonprofit strategy. Her workincludes Instructor/Manager inthe Duke University Nonprofit

Management Certificate Program (NC) andleading her consultant practice with nonprofits(Jeanne Allen Consulting). Jeanne is aBoardSource Certified Governance Trainer and anewswire contributor for Nonprofit Quarterly.

“Providing opportunities for aboard to practice, or to learn newskills, can help make a board amagnet for the “creatives” and theinnovative thinkers.”

As the International Living FutureInstitute (the Institute) seeks totransform people’s relationshipwith the environment, moving ustoward a future that is sociallyjust, culturally rich, andecologically restorative – How isthis mission reflected internallywith your team?Our staff has internalized ourorganizational mission, and we are allpassionate about the issues we workon. Each one of us came on board atthe Institute with a background in anda commitment to, sustainability. Assuch, we have an environmentallyconscious staff that understands theneed to push the envelope anddevelop the critical path for buildingecologically restorative communities.

We’re committed to sweeping changeas opposed to incremental ones. It’samazing to be surrounded by peoplewho are excited and engaged by thework we do.

What are some social andenvironmental practices you haveadopted within your organization?How has technology played a role?As the body that oversees the Declareand Just label programs formanufactured products, we have aduty and obligation to walk the talk inour own purchasing habits. Therefore,we don’t purchase supplies andmaterials with toxins (or “red list”ingredients) in our workplaces. OurSeattle headquarters office isdesigned as a net zero building –

widely considered the greenest officebuilding on the planet, complete withcomposting toilets, on-site rainwaterharvesting, and complete onsite solarpower generation. In order to operateoptimally, these systems requireextensive technology reporting andbehavior modification in response tothe data.

The Institute organizes a lot ofevents – from 6-hour workshopsto multi-day conferences – all overthe country and the world. Howdoes your organization holdevents while staying true to yourmission and vision?We work hard to host events that arethoughtfully crafted from the outset.We work diligently with our venues toensure that our mission statementand principals are reflected in theevent design, including sourcing local,sustainable, and organic food for ourmeals, creating a swag-freeregistration experience for attendees,

SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS: INTERNATIONAL LIVING FUTURE INSTITUTE

Making Green Events the NormINTERVIEW WITH JULIE TONROY, INTERNATIONAL LIVING FUTURE INSTITUTE,BY EILEIGH DOINEAU, NTEN


Green events in action (clockwise from left):Using reusable native potted plants for stage

dressing, Maya Lin delivers keynote address at LF14; ILFIconnects their attendees with local Portland food trucks

for lunch, and uses sustainable GoBox lunch ware;Attendees explore green roofing materials at LF2014.

sourcing native plants for stage andtable decor, removing bottled water,as well as single-serve packaging,disposable cutlery, plate, anddrinkware, and we additionally writein our contracts the request that thevenue both recycles and compostswaste to divert our event waste fromlandfill. We also partner with externalorganizations to offset the carbonimpacts generated by ourconferences.

What is your advice to nonprofitson how to create sustainablechange in their office or at theirevents?We try to use carrots instead of sticks.For example, the Institute providesemployees with a monthly stipend fornon-automotive work commuteoptions – whether public transit,walking, or biking to the office.Financial incentives tied to positiveactions are a great way to break badhabits. I think the Institute uses thisapproach on a number of issuesrelated to our mission. Instead ofdwelling on the negatives, we ask“Why wouldn’t we want to createbuildings and communities that arebeautiful, highly efficient, and non-toxic?” Motivation is a greataccelerator, so working to find the keyto it is important.

As far as creating more sustainableevents, again, I believe focusing onupsides generates the most traction. Ibelieve the best tactic is to elaborateon the financial and social upsides ofcreating a more sustainable event—for example, convey the cost savings

to your organization and to attendeeswhen you don’t provide expensiveprint programs. And, illustrate forattendees that they are a part of thesolution through participating in anevent where sustainability is a primedirective. For internal conversations,ask your staff if your attendees reallyneed another conference bag, aprinted conference program, abranded squeeze ball, a plastic pen, orpaper flyers that are likely to betossed. Perhaps create a betterinteractive digital space for thesemessages.

For example, at the Institute, wehave largely eliminated printing atour events through the use of mobileapps, and we had a 90% adoptionrate with our mobile app rollout. Wedo still produce a print program on100% post-consumer paper usingsoy-based inks, but it is a minimalist,passport-sized piece on a sustainablelanyard that doubles as the attendeebadge. Our program is simple andwell designed, so it’s a benefit insteadof a drawback.

In terms of the onsite eventfootprint, encourage attendees topurchase offsets for their travel orseek partners or sponsors to help.Also, make sure to write insustainability criteria to your venueagreements and select those whohave already made efforts to reducethe impacts of events on waste,water, food, energy, and buildingmaterials.

As an event planner, what do youfind to be the greatest obstacle toachieving a truly green event?What do you propose as asolution?The largest sources of the eventcarbon footprint are typically theattendee travel and the food. I thinkthe biggest challenge for events byfar is food sourcing. We can alwayspartner with carbon offset entities to

minimize the impact of attendeetravel, but we are in a morechallenging position with regard tofood sourcing. The average plate offood in America travels 1,500 milesand is primarily sourced fromindustrial agricultural models becauseof the exclusive relationships atvenues. Many purveyors do notnecessarily consider regional,seasonal, sustainable food options asthe preferred model. It takes effortand resources to put sustainable foodon the event tables.

Events by their very nature arefraught with environmentalchallenges, and I hope that eventsmanagers heed the call forsustainable events. It’s when theconversation shifts from an irregularposition to a standard request thatfood and procurement will change,the cleaning agents will change, andthat we will all see healthier,sustainable plans in place whereverwe go with our events.

JULIE TONROY is the Conferencesand Events Manager at theInternational Living FutureInstitute, the creators of the LivingBuilding Challenge, the world’s mostrigorous building standard. She

produces events for more than 2,500 people a yearthat promote a socially just, culturally rich,ecologically restorative future. She holds a B.A. inurban studies and planning from San Francisco StateUniversity.

“FINANCIAL INCENTIVESTIED TO POSITIVEACTIONS ARE A GREATWAY TO BREAK BADHABITS.”

“INSTEAD OF DWELLINGON THE NEGATIVES,WE ASK ‘WHY WOULDN’TWE WANT TO CREATEBUILDINGS ANDCOMMUNITIES THATARE BEAUTIFUL, HIGHLYEFFICIENT, ANDNONTOXIC?’”



What is your connection with the“nptech” (nonprofit technology)community?My career has been in the nonprofitworld as a non-techie. About 5 yearsago, I attended the NCTech4Goodconference, which is a NTEN-affiliatedlocal group. I was completelytransformed by all the new ideas, andpossibilities for making strategicchanges. Afterwards, I attended themonthly meetups, getting regularexposure to all sorts of innovationand the challenges that accompanythat. I was hooked, and continue toplay a leadership role with our localgroup in planning our annualNCTech4Good conference. As a result,I developed and teach the course onSocial Media Strategy for Nonprofitsin the Duke University NonprofitManagement Certificate Program, andlead workshops for nonprofit boardson integrating technology and socialmedia into their work.

Why do you think it’s importantfor nonprofit leaders to thinkabout technology strategically?We need to strategically think not justabout the technology itself, but alsoabout how these changes will impactwork flow, relationships, outcomes,and the nature of the problems thatwe seek to impact. Every function and

every person involved in the nonprofitsector is impacted by technologychanges – and that deserves big-picture thinking.

What was your ‘ah-ha’ moment?NTEN partnered with NPower inCharlotte, North Carolina for aworkshop on “Becoming a Data-driven Organization” in June 2011.More than 150 nonprofit folks stuffedthe room. The day overflowed withamazing examples and stories ofnonprofits moving into usingtechnology, and tools, and givingmeaning to all the accumulating data.A group of colleagues drove fromDurham, a couple of hours away. Wetalked all the way home about theimplications and how we could usethe information.

How has nonprofit leadershipchanged as a result of technology,from your perspective?Technology is definitely moreintegrated into organizational culture,not just the database for capturingnames. Increasingly, I hearconversations about measuringimpact as it relates to social mediaefforts. Also, technology has mademanaging nonprofits a much morecomplex challenge, with more toolsand more possibilities.

Why are you serving on the NTENChange Editorial Committee –what makes you want tovolunteer?When I became a member of NTEN, Ilooked for ways to get more involvedand to increase my connections tothis community. I love talking tononprofit folks and uncovering theirstories and examples that can beshared in the journal. Whenever Ihear someone describing a projectthat they’re doing, or sharing whatthey just learned about technology intheir nonprofit, I ask them if they’dlike to contribute to the next journal.It’s great fun to give people a chanceto share their stories about theirnonprofit.

What’s the one technology toolthat you wouldn’t want to gowithout in your daily work?On a daily basis, I use my trustylaptop and smartphone. I remainamazed at the technology that isavailable to me via my smartphone. Itwill be so fun to see what evolvesnext as the generations who aregrowing up with smartphones pushthe limits and create new possibilities.

JeanneAllenConsultant, Jeanne AllenConsulting, & Instructor/Manager, Duke UniversityNonprofit ManagementProgram

“We need tostrategically think notjust about thetechnology itself, butalso about how thesechanges will impactwork flow, relationships,outcomes, and thenature of the problemsthat we seek toimpact.”

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE PROFILE

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