Social Tools For Better Storytelling–More Insights from SXSW Interactive

Guest Post, Katherine Miller, Hattaway Communications

As Susan Herr pointed out in her recent post, at this year’s South By Southwest Interactive (SXSW), there was no shortage of ideas about how to make online experiences better and more engaging or how to make the world a more “social place.”  As I observed from searching among the thousands of panels, hundreds of side sessions and dozens of plenaries, many of the presentations and conversations at SWSX also offer important guidance to non-profits and foundations about how to effectively use social media to have the greatest impact.

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Making a Retreat From the Philanthropy Beat

Guest Post, Mitch Hurst

In a recent opinion piece in the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Pablo Eisenberg lamented the decision by The New York Times to eliminate its philanthropy/nonprofit beat:

What is surprising about this turn of events is that it comes at a time when nonprofits have been heralded as an increasingly important force that can offset the negative impact of dwindling government funds, both federal and state. The number of nonprofit organizations has grown enormously in the past two decades, as has the number of foundations, which now tops 76,000. With its workers representing 11 percent of the work force and 5.4 percent of the economy, it seems like nonprofits warrant additional journalistic attention, not less.

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Communications Took Main Stage at SXSW

Guest Post: Susan Herr, PhilanthroMedia

Study the hundreds of panels convened this year at SXSW Interactive – the world’s largest annual gathering of tech enthusiasts — and you won’t find many specifically focused upon nonprofits and philanthropy.  But what you will find — from the manna that the more than 20,000 geeks who came to Austin to collectively nosh on — are communications trends worth noting because they are likely to eventually trickle down to foundations.

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Before a Crisis – Look Inside…

Guest Post: Dan Cohen, Full Court Press Communications.

I was recently on a series of panels for grantmakers and grantees. Among the topics were Funding Progressive Groups: Managing the Risk and Advocacy in the Digital Age. The conversations were part of a series of sessions presented by the Alliance for Justice.

The stated focus of the sessions was on what to do when the bright lights of the media, the social media, the public, political opponents, and even government are upon you or your grantees. However, at each session there was an appetite to discuss how to prepare an organization internally before these crises arise.

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