Supporting foundations and nonprofits to improve lives through the power of smart communications.

Four Reasons New Orleans is the Place to Be This Fall

Four Reasons New Orleans is the Place to Be This Fall

Here are four reasons you might want to save the date for our New Orleans Conference, Oct. 2-4.

Branding: A Hot Topic

Branding: A Hot Topic

Posted by: on May 29, 2012 | 2 Comments

How would you answer this seemingly innocent question: “My organization is about to undertake a branding process. What do I need to know in advance to ensure the work flows smoothly, people stay engaged and we get it all done in a timely manner?”

As Traditional Media Decline, Do Opportunities for Philanthropic Organizations Rise? (VIDEO)

As Traditional Media Decline, Do Opportunities for Philanthropic Organizations Rise? (VIDEO)

Posted by: on May 21, 2012 | 2 Comments

When people from foundations get together to discuss the future of the news business, the conversation typically goes in two directions. The first is whether the deeply distressed ad-supported newspaper model can replaced by something more sustaining and what role — if any — can foundations play?

Just Seeing Is Not the Same As Engagement (VIDEO)

Just Seeing Is Not the Same As Engagement (VIDEO)

Posted by: on May 14, 2012 | No Comments

Guest Post: Susan Herr, PhilanthroMedia

One of the things that those of us who use social media most appreciate is its capacity to track how people are engaging with ideas and causes we are advancing.  But according to Lisa Witter, Chief Change Officer at Fenton, engaging with content goes beyond just seeing something that’s been posted or published online.

Making Sense (not dollars and cents) From Using Social Media

Making Sense (not dollars and cents) From Using Social Media

Posted by: on May 7, 2012 | 6 Comments

Guest Post: Jenn Whinnem, Connecticut Health Foundation

Just over a year ago, I switched from the corporate to the nonprofit sector to take a job as a communications officer of the Connecticut Health Foundation (CT Health).  Because we don’t sell products and compare revenue from quarter to quarter or year to year, we had to come up with another set of measures for tracking the return on the foundation’s investment investment in social media.  In our case, we want to know how the foundation’s use of social media — as part of our overall communications strategy — helps us achieve our mission to improve the health status of people in Connecticut.

Why Bad Video Happens to Good Causes (VIDEO)

Why Bad Video Happens to Good Causes (VIDEO)

Posted by: on Apr 30, 2012 | One Comment

Video is everywhere. Collectively, we upload 48 hours of video to YouTube every minute. Nonprofits and foundations upload hours of video to their websites, Twitter accounts and Facebook pages. It seems like every good cause in the world is either using video or panicking because they haven’t started yet and feel like they’re falling behind.