Happy Healthy Nonprofit – A Review

lisa — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 17:17:10 +0000

September 28, 2016

Lisa Colton

At this time of year, we take time to reflect on ourselves over the past year, and to set intentions for how we will be in the coming year. All of us have room for improvement (think about Carol Dweck's "growth mindset") to become our best selves. Our personal well-being -- physical, mental and spiritual health -- is key to unlocking the best of who we are, at the office, with our families and friends, with with ourselves. Beth Kanter's new book, The Happy Healthy Nonprofit, written with co-author Aliza Sherman, is a fantastic resource for leaders and managers in our community to reflect on both their own well-being and to consid

An Instagram is Worth...

lisa — Tue, 29 Mar 2016 20:22:06 +0000

March 29, 2016

Isti Bardos, Communications Director, Temple Israel of Memphis

Editors note: We often use this blog to highlight the wisdom and experience of those within our network. Isti Bardos is the Communications Director at Temple Israel in Memphis. On a recent webinar he was giving great advice to those getting started on Instagram, and we asked him to share some tips that make his Instagram efforts successful.

A picture is worth…Yup. We all know.

I would argue, however, that pictures – and videos – are worth much more than words, 1,000 or not. Imagery evokes feelings, creates empathy and fosters meaningful, lasting relationships. Isn’t that what our work in congregations is all about: building community and lasting relationships?

NTCjews: Join Us at the Nonprofit Technology Conference

lisa — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 18:03:42 +0000

January 27, 2016

Lisa Colton

Have you been to the Nonprofit Technology Conference? No? Oh boy, you've gotta come. It's a gathering of about 2000 of the country's most interesting do-gooders who use technology in any part of their work -- from marketing and communications, to fundraising, to data management, and innovative leadership for cutting edge organizations.

Each year, we gather the Jews at NTCjews -- many who work for Jewish organizations, and some who are Jewish and work for other organizations. We share knowledge and experience, learn together, eat together and strengthen our network for support and inspiration year around. We love bringing people from Jewish organizations here to learn about the best of what's happening across the nonprofit field.

The Power of an Invitation

lisa — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 18:25:09 +0000

November 05, 2015

Lisa Colton

Uber and AirBNB are proving the power and opportunity of a bottom-up model of organizing. Empowered with technology, their own creativity and initiative, people today are less reliant on institutions than ever to achieve their own needs. At the same time, smart platforms are critical for activating their curiosity and motivation.

So too in the Jewish community. We are beginning to see the shift in the market, and the emergence of new platforms to help people self-organize and build Jewish community and meaning. While this brave new world may feel scary to organizational leaders, in my book it's a very healthy sign. The question is, how are we as a field adapting to this new "economy"?

Words vs. Word of Mouth: The Difference Between Owned, Earned and Paid Media

lisa — Fri, 15 May 2015 18:37:31 +0000

May 15, 2015

Lisa Colton

“We need to be reaching more people.” The constant refrain we hear from organizations that believe they have something valuable that the world should be paying more attention to. It’s true. But we’re living in an attention economy, where everyone is so flooded with messages, content and noise that all we want to do is filter it out.

Yes, we need to be reaching more people. But to do that, we need strategies to break through the clutter and penetrate people’s eyes, ears, hearts and minds.

It’s important to understand three different approaches to get seen and heard, and then to determine what mix is going to help you achieve your goals. The trifecta: owned, earned, and paid media.

Organizational Transparency: An Introductory Guide for the Perplexed

lisa — Fri, 08 May 2015 23:32:27 +0000

May 08, 2015

Gina Schmeling

“Openness is the chief virtue of the digital age.”

- Virginia Heffernan, "Magic and Loss: The Pleasures of the Internet"

Transparency itself isn’t a new concept. In the US for example, nonprofits must publicly file 990s annually. This ensures accountability, and is a requisite for tax-exempt status. But transparency does not begin and end with financial information. There are new dimensions, new imperatives emerging from technology, and perhaps most profoundly, transparency is now a critical leadership skill. That feels pretty new to many of us.

Freedom From the Status Quo

lisa — Thu, 23 Apr 2015 16:28:13 +0000

April 23, 2015

Debbie Joseph

Of the many inspiring Passover messages that I read this year, the one that most caught my eye was by Rabbi Jill Jacobs,"Where Slavery Ends and Freedom Starts.", March 30, 2015. Rabbi Jacobs, Executive Director of T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, shares "it's not always so clear where slavery ends and freedom starts. Did the Israelites become Pharaoh’s slaves only after he set taskmasters over them? Or did we lose our freedom when we became dependent on Egypt’s largesse? Did we become free when we crossed the sea, or only when we established a homeland of our own? ...

What Do We Mean By "Capacity Building"?

lisa — Tue, 07 Apr 2015 18:55:11 +0000

April 07, 2015

Lisa Colton

We work on capacity building for organizations seeking to align their organization with the revolution in modern communications. In fact, we think this is so important that it has become a central part of all of our consulting work and this work on capacity gives the best long-term ROI of any activities we can do. But what do we actually mean by capacity building? What does capacity mean in the context of a nonprofit organization?

The Tsunami of Tactical Advice

Content That Travels: Engagement that Jumps From Online to Offline

lisa — Wed, 01 Apr 2015 01:12:34 +0000

March 31, 2015

Lisa Colton

As organizations invest in building online networks and deeper engagement with constituents, we constantly need to refocus on how that engagement leads to mission-centric action. It’s not just enough to have eyeballs, or even likes. What does it look like to design and implement an online strategy that has on the ground impact? Specifically, how can your content jump offline?

Two Facebook, or not two Facebook? That is the question…

lisa — Fri, 19 Sep 2014 05:24:02 +0000

September 19, 2014

Rabbi Danny Burkeman

When I started working as a Rabbi in 2009, there were a number of decisions that I had to make: Would I be Rabbi Danny or Rabbi Burkeman? Would I wear a suit every day? And would I set up a professional Facebook account?

According to Facebook guidelines, a person is only supposed to have one account; yet I was aware of a number of rabbinic colleagues who were maintaining a personal and professional account. After much deliberation, I decided that I would set up a second professional account. And so in the world of Facebook, I existed as two different people: Danny Burkeman and R Danny Burkeman.