#interview: Tom Ahern — Author, Award-Winning Journalist, and Communications Consultant
Tom Ahern is the author of four books on fundraising communications, with a fifth on the way. An award-winning magazine journalist, he has written case statements for numerous campaigns and is a popular communications trainer and consultant. The interview was conducted by Don Akchin, a principal of Nonprofit Marketing 360 and a frequent contributor to the MKCREATIVE blog.
MKC: You’ve written four books. You’ve trained hundreds, maybe thousands of communicators, and by now you’d expect everybody knows what to do. Yet you’re still in high demand! How do you explain this?
TOM: How fast can you actually change the characteristic habitual behavior of communications in an industry as big as the nonprofit industry? At one point there were 1.6 million charities in the United States alone, and we’re not the only mature philanthropic market.) Some of the models that are well entrenched are just, I think, wrong. Yet everybody borrows from each other, they copy each other. And so you’ve got widespread bad practices, not best practices.
Popularity: 2% | Category Communications, Community, Conference/Congress, Cross-Post, Design, Donor Acquisition, Fundraising, Grants, Grants and Funding, Graphic Design, How-to, Interview, Major Gifts, Marketing, Marketing Skills, Newsletter, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Perspectives, Perspectives, Publications, Publications Design, Social Media, Storytelling, Strategic Marketing, Writing | | 0 Comments
Written by: Don Akchin
#Tech: Cloud Computing Campaign Highlights Benefits To And Concerns For Nonprofits
In technology terms, ‘the cloud’ is the internet used as storage space (space traditionally taken up on a hard drive in a computer) and as software server (software traditionally installed on that hard drive to run applications). The internet is not new, but using it in this way is because storing gigabytes of information for millions of users was not practical before a majority of them had access to fast wireless connections (Wi-Fi).
In practical terms, the cloud offers great potentials for nonprofits. Costs can be reduced as files and spreadsheets are stored on a secured server online rather than within the office on a series of drives taking up space and eating up electricity. Moreover, any staff member of the nonprofit can gain access to those files and spreadsheets from any wi-fi device while at a meeting or on the way to a conference.
But so to are there concerns about security and reliability. To help navigate the pros and cons of cloud computing for the nonprofit community, TechSoup and TechSoup Global Partner Network are presenting their ‘Cloud Computing Campaign‘ through the month of October. It is an online forum, so you can still join the conversation and catch up with discussions over the last week.
Popularity: 3% | Category Advice, Blogs, Communications, Conference/Congress, Event, iPad Apps, iPad/Tablet, iPhone Apps, Marketing Skills, Measurement, Nonprofit, Public Relations, Resource, Site Administration, Social Media, Technology, Technology for Education, Technology for Nonprofits, Web and Print | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
#PublicPolicy: Net Neutrality Remains Hot, Unspoken, Political Issue
You might recall a great line from a little ditty from the 1780s. It is from a song we like to call The Constitution:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. (Amendment I)
The amendment contains no ‘Unless…’ clause. Nor, admittedly, does it expressly name freedom of the people to access the internet. So why does net neutrality continue to be such a hot political topic, even at it remains one of the unspoken issues in the lamestream media (yes, on this topic, I’ll tip my hat to Sarah P. for that moniker)?
Popularity: 6% | Category Civics, Communications, Community, Conference/Congress, Marketing, National/International, News and Current Affairs, Opinion, Politics, Public Media, Social Media, Technology, Web and Print | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
Sustainability: The Ultimate Guide To Green Conferences
Image via Wikipedia
Kerry Given, a writer with Green Marketing TV, has published a very useful list of conferences focusing on sustainability and green issues that will take place in 2011.
Kerry writes that, “with [the] many different green conferences to choose from, how can you decide which are most important for your business to attend? Choosing wisely will not only save your business time and money, it will also reflect your commitment to green principles.”
Check out the comprehensive listing here.
Popularity: 3% | Category Climate Change, Community, Conference/Congress, Environment, Events, Greening, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Research, Resource, Revitalization, Sustainability | | 0 Comments
Written by: Marco Kathuria
Aging: The Business & Strategy of Seniors Housing & Care (Classes)
The Erickson School, at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, is hosting an entrepreneurial seniors housing and care executive education course at the UMBC Technology Center, May 17-20.
Led by Mark Erickson, and featuring a diverse lineup of instructors, Business and Strategy provides 3 1/2 days of intensive education on strategy, positioning and trends, and the unique nature of the seniors housing and care sector.
Popularity: 3% | Category Adult Kids, Aging, Assisted Living, Community, Conference/Congress, Education: General, Grandparents, Independent Living, Nonprofit, Nursing Home, Resource, Retirement Living, Seminar, Seniors Life | | 0 Comments
Written by: Marco Kathuria
Event: Growing Season Kicks Off With GreenFest in Howard County
Though we are still being teased by a spring that has not quite broken the last of winter (at least not in the Chesapeake Bay region), we have entered the early days of the growing season and green festivals throughout the region. MKCREATIVE will be highlighting regional festivals through the spring, summer, and early fall of 2011, and we encourage our readers to contact us at events@mkcreative.net with information about such events in your area.
The season gets under way in Howard County – between Baltimore and Washington DC – with its free “GreenFest,” this Saturday, April 2nd from 10:00am to 4:00pm on the campus of Howard County Community College. Though the festival was launched by the county’s administration in 2007 as a hastily-developed local workshop to tie in with Earth Day, it has steadily grown under the care of co-chair Lindsay DeMarzo, Environmental Planner and Sustainability Projects Manager for the Howard County government, into a full-fledged festival in just four years. She took time away from the busy run-up to the festival to speak with us.
Popularity: 3% | Category Conference/Congress, Environment, Events, Greening, Interview, Local/Maryland, Measurement, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
Fundraising: Resources and Seminars
One of the services we periodically try to provide our readers is a timely compendium of resources about fundraising and the skills thereof. In this installment have some online resources to find and to apply for grants from the federal government and from private sources.
To start off your spring drive, get some tips and inspiration from a free webinar: this Wednesday, GrantSpace.org is sponsoring an online text/chat seminar entitled “Turning Your Volunteers Into Fundraisers.” It is free to register and the seminar runs 1:00pm to 2:00pm. The event is entirely text/chat based (no audio), so one could easily enjoy one’s lunch and participate as well!
Popularity: 4% | Category Banking & Finance, Communications, Conference/Congress, Development, Donor Acquisition, Events, Fundraising, Grants, Grants and Funding, Major Gifts, Nonprofit, Resource, Seminar, Web and Print | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
#Aging: Hearings On Fed Aid For Assisted Living
The passage of Health Care Reform last year hardly ended the debate about health care reform. Since the Republican takeover of the House in November, symbolic efforts have been made to repeal the law. Though repeal will go nowhere unless or until President Obama leaves the White House, hearings and committees have sprung up to find ways to de-fund or curtail the original statute. Indeed, Democrats seemed capable of explaining and defending the bill only after they gave the opposition a three-month head start on attacking it.
Today, two sets of hearings will focus on funding the Affordable Care Act, in particular its provisions concerning assisted-living services for older Americans.
Popularity: 4% | Category Aging, Assisted Living, Conference/Congress, Healthcare, National/International, News and Current Affairs, Nursing Home, Politics | | 0 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
2011 NIC Regional Symposium Dates
The playing field has changed for the seniors housing industry, and strategies must also change if organizations are to score future success. At the 2011 NIC Regional Symposium in March, attendees will gather with other private-pay operators and investors with locally—or regionally—focused portfolios to learn how they can adapt their playbook to position their organizations to take advantage of opportunities as they arise.
According to the organizers, these are the folks who should consider attending:
- Owners, Operators and Developers of seniors housing properties
- Lenders and Investors
- Institutional Investors
- Pension Fund Managers and Advisors
- Real Estate Managers and Advisors
- Commercial Finance Companies
- Venture Capitalists
- REITs
- Regional and Community Banks
- HUD/FHA Lenders
- Other Debt and Equity Financiers
- Financial Intermediaries
- Brokers
- Investment Banks
- Loan Servicers
- Securities Analysts and Research Professionals
- Association/Industry Groups
Click here to download the full 2011 program.
Registration information can be found here.
Popularity: 3% | Category Adult Kids, Assisted Living, Conference/Congress, Independent Living, Nursing Home, Retirement Living, Seniors Life | | 0 Comments
Written by: Marco Kathuria
Abigail Disney Can Help Your Organization Attract Big-Name Donors
She is the daughter of Roy O. Disney, the brother and business partner of Walt Disney. She was born to wealth, and her name opened doors most people have to try for years to break through. And she is using those resources not only to strengthen the Daphne Foundation in New York City, but also to bring peace to Liberia in West Africa. She also wants to help your organization expand its philanthropic base by reaching out to the bigger fish on your donor list. So please join Abigail Disney for an online discussion group on Wednesday the 26th of January.
Popularity: 5% | Category Conference/Congress, Development, Donor Acquisition, Fundraising, Grants and Funding, Major Gifts, Marketing Skills, Nonprofit, Nonprofit, Sustainability | | 1 Comments
Written by: Christopher Gardner
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