The Next Step: Serving on a Nonprofit Board in Your 20's

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As college students, we have the world in our hands. If we push ourselves and take advantage of opportunities that come our way, we can excel greatly in our field of study.

Many students take internships, and some take more than one. Other students volunteer for organizations or get involved in professional student activities.

However, there is another type of professional development experience that college students may not know they are qualified for. That experience is serving on the executive board for a nonprofit organization.

At first, this idea seems strange and even impossible. As twenty-somethings, how would our generation be able to provide direction for a non-profit?

However, our young and creative minds are exactly what most organizations are looking for, and with new ideas (and knowledge that we learn from our studies), we can have a profound impact on an organization.

The experience itself will be a great resume booster, however, you will also get to network with many professionals and learn how the inside of a non-profit works.

You will also learn skills (such as finance or corporate law) that you wouldn’t have otherwise become exposed to.

If you are interested in joining a board, it is important to find a cause that you care about. Whether it is animal welfare, sustainability, or poverty resolution, be sure that you have a personal reason for taking on a position. If you join a board that you are not passionate about, you will not have a worthwhile experience.

Once you are on a board, be sure to seek out mentors who have served for a longer period of time. This way, they can catch you up on important items you need to understand. They can also provide guidance with future decisions you will have to opportunity to influence.

It may be a daunting responsibility, but serving on a non-profit board can give you a great boost on your resume. Also,  the connections you will make may help you down the line, and you may learn skills you won’t in a classroom setting.

How I Found My PR Way: Tree House Books

When I registered for my US Society Gen-Ed class, Education in the Global City, my last expectation of the class was to find the field of PR that I wanted to work in. As a requirement of our class, we needed 1 hour per week of fieldwork in an urban education setting and I decided to start tutoring at Tree House Books.

A non-profit, fully functional bookstore and tutoring center just a block off of Temple’s campus, Tree House Books opened my eyes to what I could be doing with my current studies and I quickly began thinking about everything in a public relations perspective! I was on a mission for Tree House to get the attention that it deserved and the money it needed.

As the secretary of Young Friends of Tree House Books, a student organization dedicated to keeping Tree House open, I quickly outlined the important PR tips that we needed, to make the correct contacts and get necessary donations.

Personalization- A donation request letter is not a cut and dry template used universally, rather, it is a personal letter to an organization so you can show why you truly need this donation and set yourself apart from others that may also need a donation. Address your letter “Dear friends at…” and make sure to include how their company’s donation will help not only you, but also how it will benefit the company. By working with local company’s and organizations, we are not only promoting Tree House but we are also promoting the company that made a donation, it is a mutually beneficial relationship that cannot start with a “to whom it may concern”.

Follow up, do not lose that relationship! People are busy, we all know this, so do not fret when a company does not get back to you, but follow up to make sure they have not forgotten. Be persistent, not annoying and make sure to re-iterate the importance of the donation as well as how the company will benefit, not just your non-profit. Also, if you do receive a donation, keep the company posted on how you are using it, whether it is money, gift cards, etc., by sending a hand written thank you card and if possible, include a photo that can show their donation in use. In the case of Tree House Books, many local companies made donations for a raffle basket, so in our thank you cards, we will include a photo of the basket as well as posting it via social media and linking it to the company’s sites. An extension of this is each year, we send out our annual report to all of our donors, to show them our year summed up in order to keep our relationship and our donors informed.

Social Media- Social media in non-profit public relations is pivotal, because not only is it a way to get information out to many publics, it is simple and FREE! Keeping up with social media sites are a great way to reach out to potential donors as well as keeping them updated and interested in everything going on. Reaching out is different then harassing companies on social media, so make sure you are including them in a conversational way and not just pushing your posts and events! Remember, they are helping you!

Have you ever worked with a non-profit? Any other tips that have worked? Let us know!

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Brianna Rooney.

Show Me The Money!

With non-profits and charities the most important question contributors ask is, “Where does the money go?” My most recent experience with charities deals with my internship at Comcast-Spectacor Charities. Since its inception in 1977, the organization has raised over 24 million dollars for local Philadelphia charities. Their motto: “If it matters in your community, it’s important to Comcast-Spectacor.” However, I have noted a lack of tangible efforts performed by the organization and as a result, a lack of contribution from repeat donors.  

Charities and non-profits raise an exuberant amount of money but if contributors physically cannot see where the money is going, you will lose repeat contributors, as I saw happen to Comcast-Spectacor.

In an effort to accumulate repeat contributors, Comcast-Spectacor proposed a new tactic to show contributors where the money physically goes. The Flyer’s wives participated in the renovation of a home on Camac Street in Philadelphia for a sick 7-year-old boy named Kahlil. As a result of their physical efforts, a jump in donation directly followed. The success of the project created a catalyst for an entire series of renovations, “Building Hope For Kids”. The series will focus on renovating chronically ill children’s bedrooms to brighten their future.

Charities and non-profits need to physically and tangibly show where contributors money goes. As seen with Comcast-Spectacor Charities, beneficiaries will be more inclined to contribute more frequently if they can physically see your organizations efforts.

Kony 2012 Director Bends Under Pressure

Last week I blogged about the Kony 2012 viral sensation, which you can access here. I mentioned that the filmmaker and co-founder of Invisible Children, Jason Russell, had been instrumental in the effort to spread the word about Joseph Kony to young people.

Russell was detained on Thursday morning, after police received several calls of a man who was undressed, and running hysterically through traffic. A spokeswoman for the police told reporters, "During the evaluation we learned we probably needed to take him to a medical facility because of statements he was saying."

The Kony director's wife addressed the incident in a statement, blaming extreme

exhaustion and dehydration, coupled with the pressure of the video's critics, as the reason for Russell's meltdown. Described by Invisible Children as, "our grand storyteller and dreamer," Russell has received a significant amount of flack for his Kony 2012 video. Critics say that he oversimplified the situation in Uganda, or that he had ulterior motives for instigating the movement.

Upon searching Kony 2012 on Google, the first thing that now comes up is Jason Russell's incident, significantly taking away from Invisible Children's efforts. Do you think that the organization can bounce back after this setback? Or will people keep reminding themselves of what happened behind the scenes? Let us know!

KONY 2012: Digital Media Sensation or Social Revolution?

If you are in anyway connected to the digital or print world, via social media, youtube, or the news, then you have heard of the viral sensation KONY 2012. Powered by Invisible Children, a non-profit organization that aims to bring awareness to the conflict in Central Africa. The organization's main concentration has been to stop long-time rebel leader Joseph Kony. Since the 1980s, Kony been abducting children to make them into child soldiers and sex slaves.

In response, filmmaker Jason Russell alongside Invisible Children created a 30 minute viral video documenting the terror Kony has brought to the children of Uganda. Released on March 1, the video has now reached 71 million hits. In the video, Russell urges young people to spread the word by reaching out to celebrities and political figureheads, buying the $30 press kit, and spreading posters and stickers around their communities.

While the main message of the KONY 2012 campaign has been admired worldwide, there are critics of the Invisible Children campaign. Some feel that the campaign will only be a temporary fix, and that the main concentration should be in efforts to rebuild Uganda. Others are more critical of the organization Invisible Children, rather than the campaign. According to Charity Navigator, which rates charitable organizations on a variety of platforms, Invisible Children ranks 3 out of 4, scoring especially low in Accountability and Transparency, earning a 45. In comparison, the Red Cross earned a 70, while the American Heart Association earned a 59. As with any non-profit, critics are concerned with whether donations are being spent wisely by Invisible Children, or whether the organization is pocketing substantial amounts.

If you have yet to see the video, feel free to watch below. Do you think KONY 2012 has Uganda's best interests at heart? Or do you think that the digital campaign is over-simplifying and abusing its power? Let us know!

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Museums Receive a Social Media Makeover

I have a confession to make: I am a museum geek. Ever since I visited the Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. for my third grade field trip, I've been hooked. Yesterday, I took a day trip to D.C., a museum-lover's paradise, and hit up a few of the free Smithsonian buildings. During my trip, I noticed a drastic shift in the way museums have started to embrace the use of technology and social media in their exhibits. It used to be you'd get your hand smacked for snapping a picture in a museum (sorry National Archives...I didn't realize twitpic-ing the Emancipation Proclamation wasn't allowed). Nowadays, many museums are adapting to the shift in society and embracing the technology and social media frontiers.

Yesterday I made a visit to the National Air and Space Museum. When walking through the exhibits, I noticed many visitors had their cellphones glued to their ears and I thought to myself - how rude...take your phone calls outside. It took me a few seconds to realize, nobody was talking on their phones - only listening. I walked up to a crowded artifact and on the plaque it provided a number for visitors to call and listen to a renowned astronomer give more information about the medieval telescope. It used to be one would have to pay a decent dollar to receive a private tour from an expert or a scholar, however the National Air and Space Museum has provided every visitor with a cellphone that same opportunity - for free.

The Natural History Museum has also provided guests with some fun new ways to be more interactive with the exhibits. QR-Codes were made present at a few of the exhibits, allowing guests to turn what was once stagnant and stationary into something fun, interactive and exciting. While looking at the caveman exhibit, I was able to follow a QR code to an App where a user could snap their picture and see what they would have looked like as a caveman or cavewoman. While I may not have been happy my Stone Age makeover - I thought it was a fantastic way to get guests more involved with the exhibit.

The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia has also done a fantastic job getting their visitors more engaged and interactive with their exhibits. When touring the Cleopatra exhibit with my grandparents, several signs and plaques were placed throughout, providing guests with suggestions to snap a picture and upload it to their social media sites. Twitter handles and hashtags were also provided on the signs, making it easier for the pictures and content to be shared and searched by others. Guests were also encouraged to tweet and post about their favorite parts of the exhibit - providing the Franklin with a slew of easily shareable third-party endorsements.

I believe this shift in museums' embrace of technology and social media is beneficial for both parties involved. Visitors are now able to enjoy a much more interactive and educational experience and can share their thoughts with their followers and friends. For museums, this is great news because many guests base their decision to visit on other visitors' reviews and comments. While this may leave some room for negativity as there always is with social media, the overwhelming majority of comments and reviews are positive and can get other guests excited about visiting a new exhibit.

What are your thoughts on museums and their new embrace of social media and technology in their exhibits? Let us know!

Nonprofit PR 101

There are many different career sectors in the world of public relations. As college PR students, it is important to understand which career path would be most suitable for us individually. Arguably the most rewarding path, and perhaps the easiest to break into, is nonprofit PR work. If you are interested in dedicating your skills and energy to social change, then working with a nonprofit organization may be the right line of work for you.

According to Liz Cies, a public relations coordinator at Association Headquarters, Inc., public relations professionals in the nonprofit field aim to fulfill the communication needs of their clients. These needs include promotion, media relations, crisis communications, social media management and membership communications.

Temple University Junior, Samantha Srolis, is currently employed by a nonprofit organization in the community relations department at The Rock School for Dance Education. During an interview, I asked Srolis to describe her typical duties. She agreed with Cies on many of the tasks and added, “It’s a day-to-day thing. Besides those things, I really don’t think there’s anything set in stone.” Srolis emphasized the need to be creative in this area of the industry because funding, among other resources, is limited. However, thinking creatively has allowed her to become an overall better PR person. “The things I’ve learned working for a nonprofit, like how to be resourceful and economical, will make me more successful in a corporate setting.”

Working in nonprofit public relations gives professionals a chance to further their experience in the field and let their skills flourish in a philanthropic environment. One of the most important skills in the nonprofit sector is the ability to cultivate long-term relationships. Nonprofit public relations rely heavily on the ability to build and mend relationships in order to raise awareness, obtain feedback, recognize support and more. According to PR pro Tiffany Gallicano, relationships are built with media professionals, clients, potential business sponsors, volunteers and donors, with special emphasis on the last two. I asked Srolis whom her most important relationships are with. Her most valuable relationship is with the director of the community relations department because, “aside from her years of experience, she also has a million contacts. If I need something or need to get in touch with someone, she knows who to go to and how to get it.” Working for a nonprofit organization in an entry-level position allows you to network with professionals who know all about the industry.

Aside from increasing your business card collection, when working with a nonprofit organization you also are presented with the opportunity to work with passionate volunteers aiming to make a beneficial impact on society. Srolis admits, “It’s really rewarding. Being a part of the Philadelphia community, forming relationships and knowing that you’re making a difference, even if it’s in the smallest way, is really rewarding when you’re working with a nonprofit.”

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Samantha Miller.

Don't be a Quitter on Twitter

You've probably heard about Ashton Kutcher's faux pas regarding the Penn State and Joe Paterno scandal. To recap, the "That 70's Show" actor tweeted his disdain at the coach's firing, without having known the scandal behind it. Almost immediately, he rescinded his tweet and apologized. However, the damage was done and Kutcher was embarrassed, so he announced his decision to allow his team to manage his Twitter for him. Unfortunately, his followers were not pleased; instead, they felt that it was better that he tweet himself and make the occasional misstep, then to allow a third-party to puppeteer his actions.

So, is it better to just all together quit Twitter, hire someone to manage your account, or to just stick with it, when a crisis arises? According to Ryan May of Minnesota Public Relations Blog, several celebrities who have quit Twitter due to privacy reasons, came back a short time later. With celebrities threatening to quit left and right, it is important to think strategically about social media. Celebrities are magnets for negativity and criticism, so how can your turn that negativity into positivity? Last year, for instance, Kim Kardashian, Justin Timberlake, and Lady Gaga vowed to close their Twitter accounts until they raised one million dollars for Keep a Child Alive. By doing so, they played the game and turned attention away from themselves to a greater cause.

Ashton was faced with the decision whether to stay or go, so was it better to stay and risk digging himself into a deeper hole? Or leave and accept that people were going to post negative statements about him without being able to defend himself'? In the long run, Ashton decided to stay with Twitter and keep his opinions on the DL.

Do you think quitting Twitter is an effective crisis management decision? Why or why not? Let us know!

Tips for Making Your Charitable Event a Success

This week during Temple's PRSSA meeting, Julie Cassidy, the Director of Special Events and Group Sales at the Wilma Theater (and my previous internship supervisor) came to speak with students about some of the challenges and tips for success in regards to organizing charitable events. After interning with a few nonprofits as a special events assistant, I have experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to throw an event thats unique and exciting while having limited resources to work with.

The website Fundraiser Ideas posted a great article with six simple and effective ways to create an outstanding charitable event:

1. Reservations, please. Especially when there is limited space available and food and beverage are being served, requiring reservations eliminates wasted food and prevents overflowing crowds. Additionally, reservations serve as a useful way to evaluate the methods you use to publicize these events and fine tune your PR strategy.

2. Know your audience. Depending upon the type of event you are throwing you should shape your donation level accordingly. For example, if you are hosting a tailgate party, smaller donations are more acceptable whereas if you are throwing an elegant gala, donations should be on the higher end. By accurately gauging the audience you are targeting, the more accurately you can gauge the financial results for the charity events.

3. Keep the ball rolling. Planning events well in advance allows time for changes to be made and can provide a sense of momentum to your fundraising activities.

4. Put it in print. It's one thing to organize a spectacular event but it all means nothing if nobody is hearing about it. Promote your event through press releases and local newspaper stories to increase public interest.

5. Utilize online networking tools. Use Facebook and Twitter to their fullest potential! It's easy and free advertising for your event and can reach large audiences. Use these forums as a way to announce your upcoming events and allow guests to respond to your invitations. This can allow your organization to open up a dialogue with potential donors and create relationships that can help your charity or nonprofit raise funds more efficiently.

6. Say thank you. Thanking donors and guests for their contributions is incredibly important and will increase your likelihood of donations in the future. By expressing gratitude to your donors, you are enhancing your public reputation and make sure your organization is regarded favorably by those who make its work possible.

What are some pieces of advice you would share for organizing a successful charitable event? Let us know!

Social Good Day

Happy Social Good Day everyone!

Today marks the second annual Social Good Summit hosted by Mashable,92Y, and the UN Foundation. As public relations practitioners, we can use this opportunity to give back to the community. By utilizing our experience with social media, we can relay our message to various outlets. Today, some of the top non-profit foundations, including UNICEF and PBS, will come together to brainstorm on how to better the world through the use of social media and technology. There will also be an impressive speaker line-up including Jose Andres, Chief/Owner of ThinkFoodGroups, and Lance Armstrong, seven -time Tour de France winner and founder of LIVESTRONG. Some of the summit's goals include:

• Bringing together a new dynamic community of leaders (and followers) — technologists, innovators, social entrepreneurs, bloggers, and more.
• Raising awareness for the global challenges to be addressed by the General Assembly during UN Week.
• Discovering, encouraging and showcasing new and innovative solutions to those global challenges.
• Igniting a conversation between a live audience and a world-wide audience via Livestream
• Connecting leaders already working in the social good space with technologists and other leaders who can collaborate and share best practices.
• Creating a sustainable thought-leadership forum that sparks important discussion and inspires new solutions.


So what social good can you do today? Can you find a way to feed a nation through Tweets? Or perhaps, better your non-profit organization. Listen here and be inspired to do something good through social media today!

Oops!: Social Media Mistakes by Nonprofits

Social media is an incredibly beneficial tool for nonprofits...when used correctly. With an incredible amount of channels available at your fingertips, it is important to understand how to properly use them in order to retain the highest level of ROI for your organization. As an intern for several nonprofits, I have seen organizations struggle with their social media due to several blunders and mistakes. The Nonprofit Tech 2.0 Blog outlines 10 common mistakes made by nonprofits using social media...how does your organization measure up?

1. Using a horizontal logo for your avatar

Your nonprofit’s avatar is your visual identity on social-networking sites, and with the exception of LinkedIn Groups, all social-networking sites require a square avatar. Unfortunately, many nonprofits upload horizontal logos to serve as their avatars, resulting in the obvious cropping of the images. Would your nonprofit ever put a cropped, completely wrecked logo in print materials or on its website? Absolutely not! Yet tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of nonprofits every day send messages to their communities on social-networking sites with completely wrecked logos.

2. Posting more than one status update a day on Facebook

Everyone seemingly has a different and passionate opinion on this, but in my research and experience posting more than one status update a day on average on Facebook has a negative effect. People either start ignoring your updates because you’re always in their news feed, or they “hide” you altogether. I am a big believer that less is more on Facebook.

5. Not creating Flickr slideshows to tell your nonprofit’s story

Quite often your nonprofit’s story can be much better told through images. On the Web where people are inundated all day long with lengthy text and messages, a visually compelling slideshow can be a welcome respite from information overload.

9. Posting only (boring) marketing content

Make a donation! Come to our annual gala! Sign our online petition! Make a donation! Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter! Oh yeah, PLEASE make a donation! Blah, blah, blah. Sorry, but it’s the truth. If all your nonprofit does on social-networking sites is marketing, then I guarantee no one is listening and your ROI is next to nil.

10. Not blogging

Blogging is the glue that holds your social-media strategy together. The social Web is driven by fresh content, and if your nonprofit doesn’t regularly publish new content to the Web, you’ll struggle with getting “shared” and “retweeted.” Nonprofits that don’t get shared or retweeted will not do well on the Social Web.

To check out the other five mistakes, read the rest of the blog post here.

What mistakes is your organization guilty of making? What other mistakes should nonprofits avoid?

Fundraising for Social Good

As the nonprofit cheerleader and advocate that I am, one of my favorite twitter feeds and blogs is @Nonprofitorgs (http://nonprofitorgs.wordpress.com). One of the most critical responsibilities tasked to nonprofits is raising sufficient funds for the organization. Thanks to social media, nontraditional approaches are allowing nonprofits to reach wider audiences, gain more awareness and visibility and therefore increase overall funds raised. The blog Nonprofit Tech 2.0 posted a great article on 6 online fundraising tools that many may have never heard of:

1. Swipegood: This resource enables donors to round up all of their debit and credit card purchases to the nearest dollar and allows them to donate the difference to the charity of their choice. It's an easy and effective way for people all around the world to put good use to their spare change.

2. Philanthroper: Just like Living Social or Groupon, Philanthroper is a daily deal site, although instead of selling you pizza for half price, the website shares a different nonprofit's mission and story daily. If you like what you read, you have the choice to donate $1 to the organization.

3. GiveBack: GiveBack allows donors to create their own foundations (giving portfolios) where they can follow their favorite nonprofits, donate directly, and allocate dollars raised through their online shopping portal.

4. Give A Tweet: Give a Tweet was founded to leverage the real-time power of Twitter to make it easy to donate to non-profits. Donors can either give directly to nonprofits, or match another donor’s gift. It’s a creative way for business brands on Twitter to get recognized for their philanthropy.

5. Cauzoom: Cauzoom allows nonprofits to create projects/cauzs that can then be crowdfunded or endorsed by individuals and businesses.

6. BroadCause: BroadCause is a social good platform where individuals can join cause communities and nonprofits can create wish lists, events, and fundraise. Integrated with Twitter, there is also a corporate giving component where brands can sponsor your nonprofit’s cause.

Social media is revolutionizing the way nonprofits conduct their fundraising campaigns and it provides these organizations with brand new tools that will enable them to continually increase their donor base and overall funds. Nonprofits have always had to struggle with having their message heard, however with the development of social media, their messages are not only heard but easily spread around the world.

What other fundraising tools do you use when supporting nonprofits or raising funds for your own organization? Share with us!

Fundraising for a Cause

One of the main reasons a business exists is to make money. Charitable non-profit organizations often face the challenge of making enough money to provide their services, but the basic goal of non-profit organizations is still to make money. My entrepreneurial marketing class this semester challenged students to raise money on behalf of a cause for social good.

This semester I began working with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), a personal cause for me since I lost a close friend last summer. I have spent the semester raising money, which will be donated to the Philadelphia chapter of the AFSP in May. My hope is to raise awareness of the resources available by the local chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention by providing the organization with the monetary funds to increase its awareness efforts.

One of the the things I have noticed through my work for the AFSP this semester is people do not like to be reminded of difficult times or "depressing" circumstances. It is important to remind your audience of the positive aspects of your cause. My fellow group members and I often reminded people of the difference they could make in one life by simply donating a few dollars to our cause.

There are so many causes out there, that you have to make your cause stand out. Using a personal story often improves the success of your cause. Each of our group members had been personally affected by suicide, so relaying our own personal stories allowed people to identify with our cause.

Have you ever raised money for a charitable cause? What are some difficulties you encountered? Are there any tips you can share for our readers to increase the success of their fundraising efforts?

Digital Donating

The holidays have gone digital!

The Salvation Army has been collecting money in its red kettles during the holiday season since 1891. This year, the Salvation Army is running an Online Red Kettle campaign.

Individuals, teams or companies can host their own online red kettles. People can go online and donate to the kettles, watch as the kettles get "filled," and keep track of progress toward fundraising goals. The site helps users build a profile and send e-mails to their friends and family to invite them to donate this holiday season.

In setting up the Online Kettle Program, the Salvation Army has found a way to merge tradition with modern technology and to leverage the power of new media to raise both awareness and funds. The campaign has also allowed the organization to personalize the fundraising process and generate buzz about their cause.

It will be interesting to see how much the Salvation Army raises this year and to see if other organizations adopt similar digital fundraising concepts.

Be sure to check out the Online Red Kettle campaign, and let us know what you think.

Jumo-- The New Network for Charities

Through reading my previous entries on the blog, it's obvious that I have a passion and an interest for nonprofit and charity work, which is why I was incredibly excited when I read an article in The New York Times about the new online tool for charities-- Jumo.

The new network, created by Chris Hughes, one of the facebook founders and the chief digital organizer for the Barack Obama campaign, is aimed at connecting people with nonprofit and charitable organizations.

The site, designed similarly to Yelp, will index various charities as a search and evaluation tool. News articles, YouTube videos and Tweets will also be added to each organization's page where users will be able to leave feedback and comments about current projects and issues.

Although similar to the Facebook application, Causes and the Web site Global Giving, Jumo's inital primary goal will not be soliciting donations but rather connecting people across the world with their favorite organizations on a deeper and more meaningful level.

The site started with more than 3,000 groups and issues, however pages can be added by anyone with a social issue, allowing "smaller charities to have a simple way of establishing a social media presence."

As outlined in the article, there are also several potential issues that may arise with the new Web site. One of the concerns is the possibility of social network burnout and that Facebook users may not be willing to add an additional site to their current lineup.

However, Hughes is confident that the new network will "become a ubiquitous backbone for the social Web." If successful, the impact of Jumo could be incredible. As reported in the article, in 2009, of the $300 billion that was donated to charities, only 6% was submitted online, leaving room for a potentially large increase.

From my personal experience with nonprofit and charitable organizations throughout my internships, a strong social media presence is becoming increasingly more vital to the growth and success of these organizations. By being able to connect with a large and diverse audience through sharing relevant news and progress on projects and by obtaining feedback from supporters, nonprofits and charities will have a more open and transparent mode of communication that will allow for the cultivation of new donors and volunteers. I think Jumo is a great new tool for these organizations that will lead to raised awareness and increased support.

What are your thoughts on Jumo and other similar networking sites? Let us know!