Online Resources for SANE Sustainability
An Informal Education: Blogs as Informational Sources
Blogging is a common form of communication on the Web today. Blogging is free, unregulated, and embraced by both professionals and hobbyists around the globe. The nonprofit business community has embraced blogging, precisely because of its reach and availability, with great benefits to those of us grappling with the challenges of keeping small businesses like SANE programs healthy and sustainable. Although blogs are less formal than many other sources of online information they can provide a host of real-world solutions from people working in related fields.
Five great things about blogs:
- They’re regularly updated (although frequency will vary from site to site).
- They are usually written in uncomplicated and often casual language, resulting in postings that are accessible and interesting.
- Information is presented in relatively short bursts, making for easy reading (particularly for people without a lot of extra time).
- Blogs are usually heavily linked—they are a great jumping off point for finding more web-based resources.
- They are easy to search, thanks to Google Blog Search
Be mindful that not everything on the Internet is true or credible. Evaluate the quality of the blog by looking at a few basic components:
- Spelling and syntax: Is the site rife with poor spelling and grammar?
- Blogger profile(s): Can you glean much information about the blogger(s) on the site? Do they appear to have bonafide credentials and experience in their fields?
- Comments: Does the blog generate comments from its readers? Are those comments professional, thoughtful and/or useful?
- Links: Do the blog’s links work and are they helpful and relevant?
For a sampling of blogs addressing a variety of topics to support SANE program sustainability click on the topical categories below. Please note this is by no means an exhaustive list, nor is it an endorsement of any particular site.
- General
- Management & Leadership
- Grant Writing & Fund Raising
- Starting a Nonprofit
- Technology & Nonprofit Organizations
- Communication
- Public Policy
Coreyp501c3 Podcast
http://coreyp501c3.libsyn.com/ (please note: all blog entries are podcasts meant for audio download)
Marion Conway: Consultant to Nonprofits
http://marionconwaynonprofitconsultant.blogspot.com/
Nonprofit Blog Exchange
http://nonprofitblogexchange.blogspot.com/
The Nonprofit Times
http://nptimes.blogspot.com/
Nonprofit Wonders
http://npwonders.blogspot.com/
Leading Blog
http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/
Nonprofit Leadership 601
http://nonprofitleadership601.blogspot.com/
79 Grant Writing Resources You Can’t Live Without
http://grant-writing-resources.blogspot.com/
Blue Sky Collaborative’s Fundraising Blog
http://blueskycollaborative.typepad.com/blog/
Donor InSite Fundraising Blog
http://dukesmith.com/donorinsite/
Nonprofit Connectors
http://www.nonprofitconnectors.net/nonprofit_connectors/
Amy Sample Ward’s Version of NPTech
http://www.amysampleward.org/
Studio 501c
http://inprogress.typepad.com/studio501c/
Cause and Effect
http://causepr.blogspot.com/
FrogLoop
http://www.frogloop.com/care2blog/
Nonprofit Communications
http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/
PUBLIC POLICY
Nonprofit and Foundation Advocacy Blog
http://advocacydigest.blogspot.com/
Feel overwhelmed by the idea of checking multiple websites regularly for news and information? Learn about RSS feeds and how they can save you time. Watch this brief, plain-spoken video by CommonCraft to learn how to make RSS work for you.
This project was supported by Grant No. 2006-WT-AX-K052 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
