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Non-Profit Nexus

Comment on this project

The Idea:

What will change in the world because this Project happens?

Every non-profit needs a new website, database, logo, accounting system. But every non-profit seems to start from scratch on these projects.

Other non-profits have undoubtedly faced the same needs and challenges, so how can they share their experiences, technology and vendors?

The Nexus:

Aggregating information from sources like Guidestar and LinkedIn, a central location would enable non-profits and do-gooders to connect and collaborate.

Non-profits, volunteers and consultants will be able to find each other easily and share best practices, solving problems as a collective rather than individual entities struggling independently to overcome similar obstacles.

Benefit to non-profits: Easily find other non-profits in the same geographic area, cause area or of similar size. Find employees of other non-profits and see if they have any personal connections. Post technology/expertise needs and questions. Find detailed info on consultants/volunteers.

Benefit to volunteers/consultants: Easily find non-profits in the desired geographic and/or cause area. Easily find contact people in those non-profits. Find non-profits with technology/expertise needs that match their experience and interests.

A place to start: the Bay Area Progressive Directory (www.BAPD.org) is a good example of this kind of data. A Bay Area Nexus site built with this information would be a good demonstration that could then be scaled nationwide/worldwide.

What information will people interact with to make this change?

Non-Profit Map (google map mashup):
The central web site would have a map representing where the non-profit's office(s) are physically located. When the user hovers over the location, a pop-up would display general info such as:
- cause area
- size (in budget or # of employees)
- service area territory

Detailed Listing Page (web site):
- General contact information (physical address, website, phone, email)
- Achievements/Results
- Wishlist (see below)
- People (see below)

Wishlist (collaborative function):
The Detail Listing page would have a section called wishlist where the non-profit can request help in the areas of technology solutions and volunteer/consultant expertise. There would be a picklist with standard items like "website makeover". There would also be the ability pose specific questions, similar to LinkedIn "Answers".

People Link (LinkedIn Mashup):
Each Non-Profit Detail Listing would have a link to all people in LinkedIn who, according to their profile, currently work (or have worked) for the Non-Profit. Volunteers, consultants and people who work in other organizations can easily check if they have any personal connections to the listed non-profit.

What else have you done in this Cause Area?

I have worked in the design, online and marketing aspects of non-profits for over 10 years. I am currently a non-profit e-marketing consultant.

Cause Area:
- Public & Social Benefit
Supporting Organization:
Commonweal Institute
Supporting Organization URL:
http://www.commonwealinstitute.org
Financial support?:
No
City:
San Francisco
State/Region:
CA
Country:
USA

The Assessment

What kind of help or resources do you need to turn your project idea into a completed mashup?

Programmers with experience in creating Google Map mashups, using API's to pull data from various sources and publish it on dynamic web pages. Web designer/developer.

Mashup Data Sources

Bay Area Progressive Directory - www.bapd.org

Linked In - www.linkedin.com

Guidestar - www.guidestar.org

Progressive Exchange - www.progressiveexchange.org

The Team

Submitted by noahsloss on March 14, 2008 - 11:08am

Comments

NPO's also need....

Like the Bay Area website shows, NPO's are also in need of people that can show them how to effectively use the funds raised, stuff donated, etc after it's aquired. I'm talking about professional level financial management (the big guys already have this), project management, and assessments for communucations, I.T., etc. People (like me) are willing to do this pro-bono, but the social sector attitude toward ex-business folk is irrationally negative. I have personally encountered the following -

It seems that local non-profits have three main issues-
1. not invented here. We can solve ALL our own problems and don't need YOUR help, Evil One!
2. You're not one of us! No social work "union card".
3. FEAR! You are from the evil, greedy, capitalist world - we are noble
intellectuals who only mean and do good.
This is hard to take for a competent "evil corporate raider" to take from amatuers.

russell

Submitted by rwagner337 on August 6, 2008 - 4:07pm.