Benton foundation

[Aki Namioka]

some great stuff from the Benton Foundation (again)....

- Aki
--------------------------------------------------

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I want to alert you to the newly expanded "Best Practices Toolkit" compiled
by the Benton Foundation's Communications Policy and Practice program.  This
area of Benton's web site is intended to provide you with tips and tools for
better using Internet technology to promote your nonprofit's goals.  The
toolkit is broken down into the following categories:

* Top Recommendations
* Web pages with great tools for nonprofits
* Nonprofit-related electronic newsletters
* Nonprofit-related discussions lists
* Technology Funding for Nonprofits
* Fundraising on the Internet
* Nonprofit Technical Assistance Providers
* Papers & Books

I include below a sampling of what's available on the site.  If you would
like to receive regular updates informing you about new items on the page
(subsequent updates will be much shorter than this first introduction),
please reply to this message.

I appreciate any feedback you have on the Best Practices Toolkit, and hope
you will find it helpful.

Sincerely,

Jillaine Smith
Senior Associate
Benton Foundation


The following is best read in a nonproportional font like Courier 10.

Best Practices Toolkit: A Sampling as of 12/29/97
   Please see (http://www.benton.org/Practice/Toolkit) for the complete=
 list.

Top Recommendations

*  20/20 Vision's Activist Toolkit (http://www.2020vision.org/tools)
includes a simple, "how to" course in letter writing or making a phone call
to a key policy maker; a guide for contacting and influencing the United
States Government Administration branch; a series focusing on writing Op-Ed
pieces and Letters to the Editor, and having a voice in Talk Radio; and
"Using Cyberspace: Activism Online."

*  Designing Effective Action Alerts for the Internet
   (http://weber.ucsd.edu/~pagre/alerts.html).
   Well-designed action alerts are a powerful way to invite
   people to participate in the processes of a democracy.
   UCSD Communication Department professor and long-time
   Internet-using activist Phil Agre provides these
   excellent guidelines.=20

*  While One Northwest's (http://www.onenw.org) focus is on
   helping environmental organizations in the northwest,
   they have compiled an impressive collection of tools
   (http://www.onenw.org/html/ea.shtml) to help nonprofit
   organizations make better use of communications
   technologies, including computer and modem
   recommendations, and what to consider when selecting an
   Internet provider.=20

--------------------------------------------------------------

Web sites with great nonprofit tools

* Coyote Communications Technology Tip Sheets
  (http://www.webcom.com/jac/tips.html) for nonprofit
  organizations, including "Basic Customer Database
  Principles," "The Internet Starter Kit for Nonprofits,"
  "How Nonprofits are REALLY Using Online Technologies,"
  and much more. Also check out their "How to promote your
  nonprofit organization online".

* Media / PR Advice Online. These three sites offer a
  variety of media advice: Media Relations Inc.
  (http://www.publicity.com) on handling interviews;
  Communications Skills Institute (http://www.csitucson.com/) on
  getting press by doing survey's; and Netrageous Inc.
  (http://www.netrageous.com/pr) offers useful case studies.

* Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse Electronic Publishing
  Guidelines (http://www.opc.on.ca/opc/pubguide.html), prepared
  for their internal use, but shared with the rest of the
  online world. A great checklist of activities to
  consider when involving your organization in electronic
  publishing.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Nonprofit-related electronic newsletters

* Philanthropy Journal Online has a wonderful technology
  section (http://www.philanthropy-journal.org/tech/tech.htm)
  housing its many articles on how nonprofits are making
  use of the Internet.

* Tech News: Enhancing Human Services through Technology
  (http://www.uwnyc.org/tech.htm), written for human service
  organizations, contains many wonderful articles that any
  nonprofit organization can use in their efforts to
  better apply computer technologies. Also available in
  print format.

* WebActive (http://www.webactive.com) can send you email updates
  to its excellent site that highlights nonprofits on the
  Internet. Send email to webactive at prognet.com, with sign
  me up! in the "Subject:" header.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Nonprofit-related electronic discussions lists

    Where ever you see "YourFirstName"
    and "YourLastName," replace your real first and
    last names, respectively.

* Communet-L is where community networking advocates
  discuss challenges, policy, and lessons learned. To
  subscribe, send email to LISTSERV at LIST.UVM.EDU that
  contains the following message: subscribe communet
  YourFirstName YourLastName.

* On NetAction Notes, you can discuss with other advocacy
  organizations how to use the Internet for effective
  organizing and coalition-building. To subscribe send
  email to majordomo at netaction.org with the following
  message: subscribe netaction.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Technology Funding for Nonprofits

* The Conservation Technology Support Program
  (http://www.desktop.org/ctsp) is an annual grant program
  providing in-kind assistance to conservation
  organizations making use of geographic information
  systems.  =20

* Environmental Support Center (http://www.envsc.org). If your
  organization devotes at least a portion of its resources
  to environmental concerns and is in need of training for
  staff or board, consider applying to the Environmental
  Support Center (ESC) for assistance. Local, regional and
  state organizations are eligible. ESC will partially
  subsidize the cost of training/technical support up to
  $2,000 per calendar year. Deadline to apply: 15th of
  each month. For more information, call (202) 966-9834,
  or visit their website.=20
                      =20
* The Hitachi Foundation has a new funding initiative that
  is looking for projects using information technologies
  to improve and advance teaching and learning. Open to
  educational and community-based organizations. Get the
  details by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to
  The Role of Information Technology in Education, Hitachi
  Foundation, 1509 22nd Street NW, Washington DC 20037.
  Faxed copies are available by calling (202) 457-0588, ex
  551.  =20

--------------------------------------------------------------

Fundraising on the Internet

* Jeff Hallett wrote a series of excellent articles that
  appeared in Philanthropy Journal about nonprofit use of
  the Internet for fundraising and other activities:
                      =20
   o Why the Web will Increase Giving - Eventually
     (http://www.philanthropy-journal.org/tech/hallett697.htm)
   o Build relationships; then raise money
     (http://www.philanthropy-journal.org/tech/hallett2797.htm)
   o Performance-driven Web Sites
     (http://www.philanthropy-journal.org/tech/hallett30997.htm)
   o Does the Web help-- or hurt-- fundraising for
     nonprofits
     (http://www.philanthropy-journal.org/tech/hallett40997.htm)

* Fundraising on the Internet (http://www.fundraising.igc.org), a
  print and electronic guide to using the Internet as a
  fundraising tool.

* The Internet Prospector (plains.uwyo.edu/~prospect) is a
  site for nonprofit fundraising efforts, focused on using
  the Internet to find money. For example, see their
  review of Corporate Giving web sites
  (plains.uwyo.edu/~prospect/corp-giv.html).

--------------------------------------------------------------

Papers & Books

* A Greater Voice: Nonprofit Organizations, Communications
  Technology, and Advocacy
  (http://www.ncna.org/communications/publications.html), a
  survey report of attitudes toward, experiences with, and
  expectations of communications technology in the
  nonprofit sector, published by the National Council of
  Nonprofit Associations.  $10.

* Making the Net Work: Online Strategies for
  Community-Based Organizations is an excellent book
  written NCExchange's Terry Grunwald, a long-time
  advocate for online networking. Written completely for
  the nonprofit audience, this book includes practical
  information about how to incorporate electronic
  networking into your organization, and an excellent
  (although lengthy) assessment process that your
  organization can do without paying a high-priced firm or
  consultant. The cost is $20 for nonprofit organizations
  and can be ordered online at http://www.ncexchange.org/guideorder.html.

* NetActivism: How Citizens Use the Internet written by Ed
  Schwartz (an experienced net advocate) and published by
  O'Reilly & Associates, one of the best books on the
  market that easily and clearly explains the benefits and
  pitfalls of using the Internet as an organizing and
  advocacy tool. You can order this book at Amazon at:
  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=3D1565921607

------------------------------------------------------------

                         =A9 Benton Foundation
      ph:202-638-5770 fax:202-638-5771 email: benton at benton.org
                         WWW: www.benton.org

www.benton.org/Practice/Toolkit/
Last updated: 29 December 1997 jss


* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  From the Listowner  * * * * * * * * * * * *
.	To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to:
majordomo at scn.org		In the body of the message, type:
unsubscribe scn
END