GiveMN is an online resource that is working to change the way Minnesotans give to nonprofits. When we last reported on them, GiveMN offered nonprofits free online fundraising tools, zero setup fees, no monthly subscription costs, and subsidized credit card transactions. They are still doing this today. The subsidy, however, which is provided by GiveMN’s philanthropic partners, ends October 1.
As that subsidy comes to an end, GiveMN’s technology platform provider Razoo has announced a partnership with Minneapolis-based U.S. Bank, enabling GiveMN to offer a 2.9 percent processing fee to all nonprofits. This rate is substantially lower than most existing online donation sites and is the result of a deal with U.S. Bank whereby some fees are waived for this cause.
As the practice of journalism through traditional media outlets continues to experience obstacles that could result in complete collapse, there are numerous entrepreneurial initiatives sprouting up across the nation to fill the void. Round Earth Media is a perfect example of how and where twenty-first century journalism can be effective during our transition from legacy to new media.
Round Earth Media was founded six years ago by two veteran journalists, Mary Stucky and Mary Losure. This is not your typical news source. While Stucky and the Board of Directors reside in Minnesota, they operate via completely virtual means. That means no office, no local news room and contributors spread across the globe.
In times when Non-profits are forced to do more with less, GiveMN.org delivers. GTK #17: Dana Nelson
Dana Nelson is the Executive Director of GiveMN.org, a 501(c)(3) supporting organization of the Minnesota Community Foundation,whose mission is to connect Minnesota donors with Minnesota Non-profits (and similar social causes) through a simple and straightforward online donations portal. Conceived last summer when discussions commenced around harnessing emerging trends in technology to create a service of benefit to all Minnesota Non-profits, GiveMN.org launched later that fall on November 2nd, 2009.
When researching the best approach to bringing e-philanthropy to Minnesota in a meaningful way, rather than re-invent, GiveMN.org opted to partner with DC-based Razoo who had already developed a scalable platform-complete with payment processing integration through Network for Good. The result is a privately labeled version, specifically targeted towards the Minnesota Non-profit and donor community, which offered brand visibility across both sites. Further exemplifying the collaborative spirit, Nelson and her colleagues then helped to form strategic relationships with the Minnesota philanthropy community (at large), acknowledging that “Others could have gone out and built their own means of raising money online directly for their specific purpose, but group buy-in was necessary for this to work on the larger level and thankfully this was widely understood.”
Click. Contribute. Change your world.
When you think of Best Buy, 3M and Capella, you may picture electronics, Post-it notes and homework.
Now, thanks to a partnership with Genesys Works, these three Minnesota technology companies (amongst other orgs) have a means of giving back to Twin Cities’ teens by providing real world technology skills.
Genesys Works helps inner-city high school students join the economic mainstream through technical training and meaningful internship with large companies. “We provide an unparalleled opportunity including a year-long work internship and eight-weeks of pre-job training,” explains Genesys Works Executive Director Jeff Tollefson. “It is not a job shadow.”
When comparing philosophy of competition between capitalistic/for profit business and the nonprofit sector, collaboration is a defining element. Rarely does there exist small businesses and corporations (within the same respective space) sharing trade secrets and other resources. On the other hand, nonprofits and social enterprises alike are flourishing with a new found capacity to conspire for good.
MAP TechWorks is a new Web tool — created by nonprofit catalyst MAP for Nonprofits — through which nonprofit practitioners can tell their technology stories and share tips and advice. It’s but one example of how the Minnesota nonprofit community has torn down the barriers of information transfer and begun to create a new trend of coming together for the bigger picture. “We can give a voice to organizations who are experts at what they do, and through those voices others are able to learn and make expedited progress for the causes that they’re dedicated to.” says MAP for Nonprofits IT Manager, Rick Birmingham.
Minnesota-based international electronics retailer Best Buy has recently announced the share of the $250,000 @15 Exchange fund that will be awarded to four youth-focused organizations. The fund was divided based on points awarded by @15 community members between the ages of 13 and 18. Members were able to earn points by participating on at15.com. The nonprofits that were chosen for this round were DoSomething.org, Students Today Leaders Forever, National Youth Leadership Council, and Youth Serve America. Do Something received the majority of the points with 8,520,930, equaling a 48-percent total share of the $250,000 fund.
Do Something focuses on providing adolescent leaders with the tools need to enact change in their communities. $500 Do Something Seed Grants are awarded weekly to jump-start program ideas. $500 Do Something Growth Grants are also awarded weekly and are open to youth who have created a sustainable community action project, program or organization and want to grow it. One of the latest Seed Grant winners was James Coenen for his plan to supply his 400-student school with organic vegetables and herbs, home-grown in the school’s very own garden. Do Something also provides a database of scholarships, grants and awards that are open for applications.
At the end of the fourth round of giving, the @15 Exchange fund has now donated $1 million in community-appropriated funding to youth-empowering nonprofits through its online networking and voting system. Other top point-earners in the competition include Genesys Works and Project Girl in round one, Ashoka’s Youth Venture in round two, and DonorsChoose.org in round three. The next four organizations that will be considered for member voting are the Boys & Girls Club, Dollars for Scholars, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Make sure the youth in your life don’t miss out on the action.
Hello! Guten Tag! Or, in my Scottish ancestors’ native tongue, Hallo agus fàilte! I’m Tristan and I’ll be covering Minnesota’s highly active social enterprise and nonprofit community as TECHdotMN’s social correspondent. My goal is to keep a close eye on web-based technologies and high tech innovations that have been created specifically to help people in need.
A social past
I became involved in the field of social enterprise and entrepreneurship about two years ago and have only looked back to realize how much happier I am. As volunteerism and civic engagement flourishes in Minnesota, there are more not-for-profit organizations and for-profit social ventures than ever before. We are also beginning to see how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plays an increasing role of respecting community stakeholders. Social entrepreneurs are rising-both within Minnesota and across the country. Partnerships like Ashoka’s Youth Venture and Best Buy’s @15 are getting more young people involved. It seems the snowball effect is building momentum, creating positive change and real impact.
Yesterday, an estimated 700 people from across the Minnesota Nonprofit spectrum gathered at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Minneapolis for the 4th annual Nonprofit Technology & Communications Conference, presented by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) & MAP for Nonprofits. This years theme, Remix*Refresh*Reload, was an experience full of technical programming, including: 28 breakout sessions spread ocross three phases of the day, a keynote by Katya Andresen, various vendor exhibits and focused “learning labs”. The result was an abundance of relevant, high value content and instruction available from various industry practitioners whom either operate exclusively in in the nonprofit sector or alongside various social organizations. While much of the emphasis was on website design/content strategy, social communications, (virtual) community development and fundraising - some of the more niche topics covered mobile, cloud, GIS/mapping, and open data.
Honored at this event were seven groups using technology and communications in inspiring, effective and creative ways. The 2010 Dot.org winners are:
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via Nerdery,
“From 9 a.m. Saturday until 9 a.m. Sunday, 159 volunteer web developers will donate more than 3,800 hours of professional services to 16 Minnesota nonprofit organizations selected for The Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge.
“For the third year in a row we openly challenged the entire Twin Cities web development community to force us into choosing only the 12 most qualified teams; after careful consideration we chose 16,” said Luke Bucklin, president of Nerdery Interactive Labs, a division of Twin Cities-based Sierra Bravo. “We at The Nerdery have never been more proud to be part of this awesome interactive community.”
These 16 web development teams will spend most of this weekend creating free websites for these nonprofits.”
“What: Prior to the March 20-21 Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge, representatives from the 16 selected nonprofits and teams of volunteer web developers will gather Thursday, Feb 25 to prep for their 24-hour experience. http://www.overnightwebsitechallenge.com/
When: Thursday, Feb. 25, 6-9 p.m.: 6-7 – Group Q&A and brief advisory remarks from volunteers and nonprofits with previous Challenge experience; 7-8:20 – Speed-dating; needy meets nerdy as volunteers make the rounds to visit reps from each nonprofit for five minutes; 8:20-9 – Social time
Who: http://www.overnightwebsitechallenge.com/nonprofits
http://www.overnightwebsitechallenge.com/teamsWhere: Benchmark Learning (event sponsors) 510 West 77th St. in Edina, MN”
Thanks to our community sponsors:
Tristan Pollock / social
Writer and interactive do-gooder spreading the word of social enterprise and entrepreneurship. Tristan also works for Ashoka, SocialEarth and BestBuy.com.
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Upcoming Events
- SMBMSP 29 - State Fair Social (Media)
Friday, September 3, 2010
8:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Coworking for startups
Saturday, September 4, 2010
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM - TCLUG: Twin Cities Linux Users Group
Saturday, September 4, 2010
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
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- Last day to vote for homegrown ‘Jackalope’ in Node Knockout competition: http://bit.ly/c1fmWd #
- GiveMN.org announces 2010 Give to the Max Day: Nov 16 (via News Release): http://bit.ly/cV9Q2b #
- TC Lispers Meetup - Added to Calendar of Events (Sept.14): http://bit.ly/4wRdHy #
- Target to offer Facebook Credits gift cards (via Businessweek): http://bit.ly/duOZym #