Tools, Thoughts and Things one can Do with a little Time and Hardly any Resources

Earlier this week we squeezed a stack of Scotland's leading agents of social change into a conference room at the new centre for social innovation on Rose St. in Edinburgh and we spent a couple of intensive hours exploring some of the basics of blogging, wikis and whatnot. Special thanks to Claire and Adam at the Melting Pot for their help getting this off the ground.

It is clear there is a strong desire to improve skills for connecting and collaborating using the web amongst Scottish social innovators. I am working with the leadership team at the Melting Pot to nail down some dates for 2008.

Stay tuned via RSS to get the fixtures as they are announced.

Afterwards some of the more advanced participants including the bloggers Osbert Lancaster and Myshele Goldberg convened at the nearby Abbotsford to discuss what they'd really like to work on in 2008 and we agreed that there was a need for a number of sessions under the following headings:

Technology, Techniques & Tactics for Newbies
• Why is Web 2.0 so Important Anyway?
• Organised Information = Being Able to Get Stuff Done
• Basic 'Get stuff done' tips and tricks including Good Stuff from Google
• Getting the word out and Getting the word out II

Technology, Techniques & Tactics - Masterclasses
• Volunteer and Supporter Engagement - Case Studies
• Understanding Users: Tools and Why
• Free and Open Source Options: OS and Apps
• e-Intelligence for Academics

Culture & Strategy
• Why is Web 2.0 so Important Anyway? and Towards a critique of web 2.0
• Village Green vs. Walled Garden
• Free and Open Source Options: OS and Apps

Now for those who can't wait till the new year to learn more about some of these, check out the articles above, or have a play with the video selection below:

Continue reading "Web 2.0 Workshop Video Jukebox" »

Posted by Michael at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Later this month I'll be running a pilot for a new workshop specificially for Scottish Social Entrepreneurs & Activists - an adaptation of the advanced version of the The São Paulo e-Intelligence Programme.

- It'll be at The Melting Pot, Edinburgh's superb new centre for social innovation which I have talked about briefly before. We have a great line-up of people attending who will help shape future delivery for maximum relevance and impact for a Scottish audience.

We've filled the seats but if you feel that you really could add something whilst rubbing shoulders with some of Scotland's leading lights on the social enterprise scene then we'll try and squeeze you in. Simply drop me a line - michael at ambjorn.com

- We kick off at 3pm on the 18th of December. Dates for workshops next year will be put here in due course so make sure you subscribe to the RSS feed to stay posted - or if you are e-mail driven, use the Feedburner powered sign-up box in the right hand margin.

If you want to learn more about The Melting Pot, check out this PDF which has the full lowdown.

Continue reading "e-Intelligence for Scottish Social Entrepreneurs & Activists" »

Posted by Michael at 09:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Just a quick link to the Young Achievers initiative - a great opportunity to recognise the hard work of any young people working hard for your organisation on a volunteering basis. It is, alas, England only - but I thought I'd mention it anyway. I certainly have a couple of nominations to make.

Do also see this previous article: A few Resources for Volunteer Managers

Posted by Michael at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Solid financial management is key for all NGOs in order to make funding sustain their efforts as effectively as possible - or put more simply, to get the biggest bang for the buck.

Good financial records are essential for good governance and funders, which many organizations rely on for their survival, obviously want to be assured that they're making a sound investment. That's not to mention the fact that fiscal discpline is essential for maintaining the integrity and reputation of the sector. It is difficult to forgive a private enterprise for waste - but almost impossible to forgive a charitable effort for the same.

Yet it can be a bewildering field to say the least. Both when sitting on, as well as when advising boards, I have found that the quality not to say quantity of reporting varies considerably.

Mango, a UK-registered charity that exists to help NGOs strengthen their financial management, has a guide. The Guide has five sections - Here's quoting from their website:

1. Introduction - key responsibilities for trustees, senior managers, finance staff and donors. Principles of financial management for NGOs.
2. Getting the Basics Right - the building blocks: keeping accounts, financial planning, financial monitoring and maintaining control. Also: working with beneficiaries, managing audits and legal requirements.
3. Advanced Issues - financial sustainability, working with donors, giving and receiving grants, accountability (including cost-effectiveness) and overseeing controls.
4. What NGOs Do - a short introduction to what NGOs do and what this means for managing their work. The important implications for managing NGOs are summed up as two golden rules.
5. Resources - practical resources available to download and use, including Mango's highly-rated training manual, a complete financial system and Mango's Health Check, available in seven different languages.

My favourite is their Health Check - available in seven languages - which alas, as I am writing from São Paulo, does not include Portuguese. Still, essential reading-for-action for Chairman and Treasurer.

I'll add it to my set of standard list of documents I suggest as essential first reading for new trustees. Here are the original three for reference, as outlined at the end of the 'Finding New Trustees' article from earlier this year:

• The Essential Trustee
  - http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/supportingcharities/efftrustintro.asp
• The role of the Charity Commission
  - http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/tcc/ccabout.asp
• Operational Guidance from the Charity Commission on charity accounts and reports
  - http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/supportingcharities/

And the essential websites for UK trustees/board members (in addition to the Charity Commission):

• The Governance Hub
  - http://www.governancehub.org.uk/
• Trustee Net
  - http://www.trusteenet.org.uk/
  

Posted by Michael at 06:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The Resource Alliance, a UK based organisation building fundraising capacity across the world, has just relaunched their website - it is significantly improved.

Check out their How to Guides, Recommended Reading etc. Useful stuff.

Now it'd be good if they'd get around to update 'The Worldwide Fundraiser's Handbook: A Resource Mobilisation Guide for NGOs and Community Organisations' which is due for a refresh as well.

Posted by Michael at 12:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The founders of Google aren't known for their modesty - but then again, neither are their results so maybe we shouldn't scoff too much when Sergey Brin & Larry Page ambitiously say this about the Google Foundation:

We hope that someday this institution will eclipse Google itself in overall world impact by ambitiously applying innovation and significant resources to the largest of the world's problems.

Now, how are they going to achieve that? Well, in the short term it seems that whilst they have supported a few organisations, there's still a lot to be worked out. In the meantime it is worthwhile looking at their "In-kind advertising for non-profit organizations" - which is currently in beta. As of writing it is available in: in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK – select your country link for details and to apply. Here's the blurb for the UK programme for your convenience:

"The Google Grants UK beta programme supports organisations sharing Google’s philosophy of community service to help the world in areas such as science and technology, education, global public health, the environment, youth advocacy, and the arts. Designed for registered charities, Google Grants provides free advertising on Google AdWords, to charities seeking to inform and engage their constituents online. Google Grants has given free AdWords advertising to hundreds of charitable groups whose missions range from animal welfare to literacy, from supporting homeless children to promoting HIV education. As a result of this free advertising many charities have experienced an increase in the recruitment of volunteers and sponsorship. Applications to the programme can be made at any time". - http://www.google.com/grants

Now, that's not all - Google also has a stack of useful resources that you won't have to fill out a grant application to use... Yet, they can yield cost savings and increased collaboration.

Continue reading "Good Stuff from Google" »

Posted by Michael at 04:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (2)

The Soros Foundation has an interesting grant opportunity:

"Traditional media offer limited opportunities for presenting documentary photographs in a way that fosters social change. The Open Society Institute's Documentary Photography Project supports photographers, working in collaboration with a partner organization, to present their work to specific audiences to stimulate positive social change." - Select Research --> Individual etc. on http://www.soros.org/grants

It is available for UK, South Africa and other countries but alas not Brazil where I currently am (otherwise you'd be competing with me for some of those funds).

On a separate note - I previously wrote about the UK Edge UpStarts Awards - They've just announced the winners: http://www.edgeupstarts.org/2007/eu07awardswinners.php

Posted by Michael at 06:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Fellowships are not just for academics - there is a host of opportunities out there from a variety of organisations that can be used to further your skills - or even an idea. Here's a quick gateway to a few of them.

Idealist.org's list of Fellowships
- "On this page you will find descriptions and contact information for a variety of nonprofit and public policy fellowships. At this point, most of these are in the United States.  

Leader's Quest Fellowship
- "The LQ Foundation Fellowship Programme awards financial grants to grassroots leaders from charities and other community organisations in the regions in which we operate our Quest programmes, thus increasing the reach of our learning programmes."

This last one is not a fellowship but it is a nice initiative from an interesting organisation: 

Step-Up Travel Grant
- $1000: "Identify a specific issue in a developing country that you believe needs greater international attention and advocacy for change" ... "Include in your proposal at least a 10 day travel itinerary that details how you plan to document the issue (photos, journals, video, etc) and a plan for how to increase awareness about the topic once you have returned."

Posted by Michael at 05:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When preparing a grant application for a town, city or county council one often needs local information to make good estimates of cost and possible impact.

That's of course because most projects are remarkably similar to a standard business plan for a small (or even large) business: where are the clients, what do they need and can you serve them without loss (meaning, for example, at a cost no greater than grant and volunteer resources available)?

One key difference is that small local organisations rely much more heavily on social networks - both from a delivery but also impact point of view. Hence this lunchtime seminar @ the Young Foundation might be of interest:

"Jeremy Hawkins from the Centre for Collaborative Excellence (CCE) will be giving a seminar about social network analysis. This is a research methodology which has been successfully used in a number of UK public sector projects to support improvements in collaboration and partnership working within and between public agencies. The Young Foundation’s Neighbourhoods and Local Innovations team has been working with CCE to develop innovative social network mapping projects in neighbourhoods."

For more information on Understanding Social Networks in Neighbourbourhoods

The seminar will take place Wednesday 9th May, 12.30pm in the Michael Young Room
- See the full Young Foundation calendar

Social networks are of course not everything - So where's the Business Link equivalent for understanding some of those tricky numbers affecting a local area? Well, the audit commission has an interesting tool called Area Profiles which can be found here: http://areaprofiles.audit-commission.gov.uk
- It promises to "provide a rich picture of the quality of life and public services in your local area."

One talk, one tool - and you're that step closer to completing your grant application. Best of luck. 

Posted by Michael at 01:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

This just in from the Social Enterprise Coalition:
 

Enterprising Solutions Awards
"Applications are already starting to come in for the 2007 Enterprising Solutions Awards, which offers social enterprises a chance to win over £10,000, free SEC membership and gain valuable publicity."
Social enterprises are encouraged to apply online no later than June 1 at: www.enterprisingsolutions.org

Centre for Social Justice
"THE CSJ awards are open to small social enterprise and VCS groups that tackle poverty in the UK. Winners of the awards will receive a cash prize of £5,000."
The awards ceremony will take place on 11 July 2007 hosted by JP Morgan Asset Management in London.
The deadline for applications is the 25 April 2007: 
www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/default.asp?pageRef=39 

New Media Awards
"The New Statesman, New Media awards 2007 highlight UK new media projects that benefit society, government or democracy. Nominations for the awards are now open in seven categories: Contribution to civic society, Modernising government, Elected representative, Education, Information and openness, Advocacy and Young Innovator."
www.newstatesman.com/nma/nma2007/

If you want to get useful stuff like this straight from the Social Enterprise Coalition - then sign up for their useful newsletter (that covers much more than the above) then simply register on their site.

Continue reading "SEC: Awards for Social Enterprises (etc)." »

Posted by Michael at 03:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)