A Month of Giving Thanks

	November 2014 A Month of Giving Thanks  There's always a lot of talk about how our culture has lost sight of the true meaning of the holidays. With one of our favorite, Thanksgiving, approaching fast, we wanted to take the opportunity to list some of the things we're thankful for. Of course that list includes all the donors and funders that pump life into the sector. But we know firsthand that nonprofit work can be hectic and tiring, and rarely glamorous. We get to spend our days helping nonprofits achieve their goals, reach their constituents, and make the world a better place--as a result, we get to see up close all the work that each of you does, and to be inspired by it.  So, to each of you who has chosen to work for a nonprofit, who has plugged names into a database, stayed late to post event photos to your organization's Facebook page, or spent hours crafting an email that perfectly encapsulated your mission, thank you. Thanks for all the work you do. And we're especially thankful for every chance we get to help you with that work... back to top Upcoming Trainings FREE! Five Data Don'ts for Nonprofits November 13, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Eastern.Program data can be very useful--from being able to prove the effectiveness of your programs to providing information to funders. However, there are a few missteps it is important to avoid. In this free class, we will go over five data don'ts that will help you make the most of your information while avoiding common pitfalls. Read more or register >> Visualizing Your Data Through Dashboards November 20, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Eastern. $40.00  Your senior staff and board of directors can benefit from the ability to view high level metrics for your organization, but it’s not obvious how to easily pull such a thing together. We'll outline what has worked for other organizations to define the metrics that should be tracked, strategies for compiling data from different systems, and then possibilities for putting it all together into a visual dashboard. Read more or register >> Digging Into Program DataWednesdays, December 3 - 17, 1:00 - 2:30pmEastern. $95.00 In our increasingly data-driven world, nonprofits need to be able to measure and monitor the effectiveness of their programs more than ever. It’s difficult to improve program services or reach without first understanding what's working and what isn't. Gathering the right data is key.  From how many meals served at your soup kitchen or the number of students in a mentoring program who graduate high school to the percent of your target population without access to affordable housing, being able to track such numbers can help you identify the improvement or impact of your programs or organization. Read more or register >> You received this email because you signed up for Idealware updates. If you are no longer interested in hearing from us, click here to unsubscribe. Idealware | One Pleasant Street, Suite 4E | Portland ME | 04101			SUBSCRIBE If you have received this email second-hand, you can subscribe on the Idealware website. Subscribe Now » DONATE TO IDEALWARE Have Idealware reports and articles saved you time? Money? Allowed you to make better decisions? If so, please donate what they are worth to you and help keep these resources coming. Donate Now » CONNECT WITH US Follow us on Facebook or Twitter to get more software resources, links, and news about Idealware.

Best of the Web : May 2014

	Best of the Web: May 2014 The Idealware “Best of the Web” is a monthly roundup of the top nonprofit resources from the Idealware blog, our Facebook page, and our Twitter feed to help you make the right technology decisions. Please forward it along to anyone you think might benefit from it.  Nonprofit Technology Staffing and Investments survey (NTEN)We know technology means something to your organization--our friends at NTEN and The NonProfit Times want to know what. This annual survey is a way to gather data from which the entire nonprofit community can learn. Not only will you greatly help your peers by taking this 15-minute survey, but you will be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card. How's that for a win-win? Top Five Instagram Best Practices for Nonprofits (Nonprofit Tech for Good)Instagram is one of the hottest social media tools, so it makes sense that nonprofits looking to reach a younger audience or who strive to be on the cutting edge of technology want to dive in. Before you send out your first #nofilter, it's best to take a look at some of these tips specificlly intended for organizations dipping their toe in the Instagram pool. The Complete Nonprofit's Guide to Heartbleed (Idealware)If one news story has dominated the tech section headlines this spring, it's the Heartbleed bug discovery. Many sites were affected. Kyle Andrei breaks down what you need to know about it (and what you need to do right now) to keep yourself and your data protected. Coming Soon: A Whole New You in Your Twitter Profile (Twitter)There's an uproar each time Facebook changes its layout, but Twitter has remained largely recognizable since its launch in 2006. That could change as the social media tool experiments with a new look for the profile of select users with a greater emphasis on multimedia. Why We’re Removing Comments on Copyblogger (Copyblogger)For many blogs, the comment section can provide a unique avenue for creating a community around your website. For others--such as content marketing blog Copyblogger--it can be a dangerous environment requiring moderation so severe, it's better to start from scratch. Find out why in this intriguing post. How to Make Google Drive Work Like a Desktop Suite (LifeHacker)Nonprofits, with limited budgets and technology staff, are often looking for inexpensive and easy-to-use alternatives to complex software packages. For many, Google Drive provides the necessary basic office software functionality without costing a dime. But just because you have more sophisticated needs doesn't mean you have a bigger budget. These tips and tricks can help you get a bit more functionality out of Google Drive. The Nine Steps of Planning a Successful Technology Project (TechSoup)In this blog post for TechSoup, our own Research Analyist Kyle Andrei breaks down nine essential steps for making your technology project a success. Whether you're implementing a new database or defining goals for your email service, planning is an important element of getting where you need to be--both on time and under budget. How To Create Eye-Catching Graphics For Your Nonprofit (Without Using Photoshop!) (J Campbell Social Marketing)Surely by now you've seen nonprofits succeed in extending their reach with viral images, but did you know that you don't need expensive software to do it? This slideshow from Julia Campbell goes over the best practices for creating future viral images with tools that won't break the bank. Wearable Technology Can Change Relationships With Donors & Clients (The NonProfit Times) Google Glass may still seem like a tool out of science fiction, but many are already considering how wearable technology can be used as a aide to nonprofits and fundraisers. You might not be collecting data from your glasses at your next donor meeting, but the possibility is not as far away as you might think. Would you like to suggest a link for Best of the Web? Email it toinfo@idealware.org. ____________ You received this email because you signed up for Idealware updates. If you are no longer interested in hearing from us, click here to unsubscribe. Idealware | 1 Pleasant St., Suite 4E | Portland ME | 04101

Best of the Web

	Best of the Web: May 2014 The Idealware “Best of the Web” is a monthly roundup of the top nonprofit resources from the Idealware blog, our Facebook page, and our Twitter feed to help you make the right technology decisions. Please forward it along to anyone you think might benefit from it.  Nonprofit Technology Staffing and Investments survey (NTEN)We know technology means something to your organization--our friends at NTEN and The NonProfit Times want to know what. This annual survey is a way to gather data from which the entire nonprofit community can learn. Not only will you greatly help your peers by taking this 15-minute survey, but you will be entered to win a $500 Amazon gift card. How's that for a win-win? Top Five Instagram Best Practices for Nonprofits (Nonprofit Tech for Good)Instagram is one of the hottest social media tools, so it makes sense that nonprofits looking to reach a younger audience or who strive to be on the cutting edge of technology want to dive in. Before you send out your first #nofilter, it's best to take a look at some of these tips specificlly intended for organizations dipping their toe in the Instagram pool. The Complete Nonprofit's Guide to Heartbleed (Idealware)If one news story has dominated the tech section headlines this spring, it's the Heartbleed bug discovery. Many sites were affected. Kyle Andrei breaks down what you need to know about it (and what you need to do right now) to keep yourself and your data protected. Coming Soon: A Whole New You in Your Twitter Profile (Twitter)There's an uproar each time Facebook changes its layout, but Twitter has remained largely recognizable since its launch in 2006. That could change as the social media tool experiments with a new look for the profile of select users with a greater emphasis on multimedia. Why We’re Removing Comments on Copyblogger (Copyblogger)For many blogs, the comment section can provide a unique avenue for creating a community around your website. For others--such as content marketing blog Copyblogger--it can be a dangerous environment requiring moderation so severe, it's better to start from scratch. Find out why in this intriguing post. How to Make Google Drive Work Like a Desktop Suite (LifeHacker)Nonprofits, with limited budgets and technology staff, are often looking for inexpensive and easy-to-use alternatives to complex software packages. For many, Google Drive provides the necessary basic office software functionality without costing a dime. But just because you have more sophisticated needs doesn't mean you have a bigger budget. These tips and tricks can help you get a bit more functionality out of Google Drive. The Nine Steps of Planning a Successful Technology Project (TechSoup)In this blog post for TechSoup, our own Research Analyist Kyle Andrei breaks down nine essential steps for making your technology project a success. Whether you're implementing a new database or defining goals for your email service, planning is an important element of getting where you need to be--both on time and under budget. How To Create Eye-Catching Graphics For Your Nonprofit (Without Using Photoshop!) (J Campbell Social Marketing)Surely by now you've seen nonprofits succeed in extending their reach with viral images, but did you know that you don't need expensive software to do it? This slideshow from Julia Campbell goes over the best practices for creating future viral images with tools that won't break the bank. Wearable Technology Can Change Relationships With Donors & Clients (The NonProfit Times) Google Glass may still seem like a tool out of science fiction, but many are already considering how wearable technology can be used as a aide to nonprofits and fundraisers. You might not be collecting data from your glasses at your next donor meeting, but the possibility is not as far away as you might think. Would you like to suggest a link for Best of the Web? Email it toinfo@idealware.org. ____________ You received this email because you signed up for Idealware updates. If you are no longer interested in hearing from us, click here to unsubscribe. Idealware | 1 Pleasant St., Suite 4E | Portland ME | 04101