Learn How TechSoup Can Help Your Organization

TechSoup is such a great place to get anything as far as technical software for your organization. Software is so expensive so if you are a nonprofit, they can be your God Send. Anyway, they are conducting an educational webinar on February 11th to let you know how TechSoup can help you. Their introduction for this reads:

"Join TechSoup.org content, community, and customer service for a tour of how your organization can use all that TechSoup has to offer to improve your technology and help reach your mission. We'll walk you through the process of registering and requesting donated and discounted products from more than 35 donor partners like Microsoft and Adobe. We'll also take you on a virtual tour of other resources in TechSoup's tech arsenal."

Sign up for the webinar and read more »

Wikispaces for Non-Profits

The following information has been offered by TechSoup. These offers don't last long so check it out. There may be some restrictions so be sure you review those:

Most people have heard of Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia that the whole world can edit. Wikispaces can allow your nonprofit to create your own wiki to share information, store resources, and collaboratively modify content. Wikispaces is a wiki hosting service that allows you to create a collaborative Web site that is easy to setup and use. You choose who has access to create or modify content, and because each version of a page on Wikispaces is saved, users can compare versions or go back to a previous version for reference. Wikispaces hosts the wiki sites, so setup is easy.

Donated Service to Help You: The admin fee for a Wikispaces subscription is only $10 per year.

Learn More at TechSoup: Read how your organization can create and edit online content quickly and easily using Wikispaces in TechSoup's Mini Guide to Wikispaces.

Or visit http://www.wikispaces.com/ for more information.

Volunteer-Nonprofit Relationship

Making a successful connection can sometimes be difficult. The success of a volunteer program depends on making the right kind of match -- one where both the volunteer and the organization gain something without feeling frustrated or ignored. Motivated, skilled technology volunteers don't want to twiddle their thumbs while trying to figure out what they can and cannot do on the job. Likewise, organizations don't want volunteers to blow through like a whirlwind, upturning systems that already work and criticizing every procedure.

That's not to say that the volunteer-nonprofit relationship is doomed. Many organizations have developed very successful programs that are rewarding for both parties.

Whether an organization hires a volunteer to redesign a database, upgrade hardware, or build a Web site, establishing clear expectations and guidelines will help create a positive environment and ensure a productive experience for all concerned. go to source

Take advantage of the help that's out there

If you've never heard of Techsoup or have not had an opportunity to use them, you need to check them out. As a non-profit, they offer many great services including software. You can register on their website as a non-profit and get all kinds of software donated to your organization for use. They also have a searchable database of services that are available as well as a learning center which covers some information on technology and implementing it in your organization. They make it very easy to register. Go to the website and at the top right it has a link to "register organization." That's all you got to do to get started.