Three Great Nonprofit Resource Opportunities

Tuesday, 23 February 2010 00:39

Do you tell your nonprofit's stories online? Do you leverage your online community to raise funds? Do you have a great group of enthusiastic online supporters? If so, there are a three timely opportunities for you to enter to win cash, rewards, and recognition for your organization. Interested?

1. Conduit Gives 2010
Conduit will donate money to 100 selected nonprofits
However, it's more than a simple donation; Conduit will donate money for every click on the "click to give" button of a custom Conduit toolbar. If selected, Conduit will help your nonprofit create a custom toolbar (called a "custom conduit") that you can distribute to your online stakeholders. The toolbar can be customized in many ways that benefit your organization, but it will also contain an exclusive "click to give" button on the toolbar. Selected organizations can offer this toolbar to community members, and each time someone clicks on the button, conduit donates to the organization.

To apply, check out their FAQ page and application here.
This contest, offered by Conduit Gives 2010, ends March 1, 2010.

The catch:
Do you have an active Ning, Facebook, MySpace, or private label community? If you don't have one already, does your organization have existing assets that it can leverage to easily create one (such as an active, large, email list, alumni list, etc.)? According to the Conduit Gives 2010 FAQ: "Non-profits will be selected based on their expressed need and their plan/commitment to promoting the program to their community." To me, this means that organizations that already have a vibrant online community have a much better opportunity of being selected by Conduit for participation. Think about it: Conduit is also interested in exposing users to its Conduit platform, in giving away funds (if they don't give away much money, then that would be bad for PR), and in helping organizations raise funds. One other important note: I cannot find any reference in the online literature as to how much money Conduit will donate for each click.

Here's a screen shot of the custom toolbar that was created for The Staley Foundation:

2. Getty Images' Grants for Good
Getty Images is offering two Grants for Good to facilitate nonprofit storytelling

Getty Images wants to work with photographers or videographers that want to tell nonprofit stories. According to the website, "our Grants for Good provide two grants of $15,000 annually, to cover photographer, filmmaker and agency costs as they create compelling new imagery for the nonprofit of their choice." They want to help nonprofits develop imagery that "furthers the
strategic communication objectives and mission of a nonprofit organization."

The good news for nonprofits outside the United States, is the communications professional or agency can choose any nonprofit to work with, anywhere in the world, as long as the nonprofit is officially registered in its own country.

To apply, check out the Grants for Good page with downloadable FAQs, application, and judging information.
This contest, offered by Getty Images, ends March 1, 2010.

The catch (actually, there are several):
A professional photographer (or filmmaker) and a communications agency together must apply for the grant. Advertising and communications agencies are "seen as essential partners to the 2010 Grants for Good program." In addition, the applicant must select a nonprofit that it will work with on an image project prior to the application process. The application cannot be submitted by a nonprofit; it must be submitted by the image maker or the agency. The $15,000 grant will be split by the photographer and the communications agency.

The biggest criteria for selection, as far as I can tell are how the images will be used, and the strength of the image professional's portfolio. This is emphasized in the application process PDF document. If you are a nonprofit that has a clear idea of what story you need to tell to further your mission, how telling that story visually will help you to do that, and you know of a professional filmmaker or photographer that you want to work with, apply!

3. Fourth Annual DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards
Win up to $10,000 in grants (plus awards! plus publicity!) with your nonprofit's video

YouTube and See3, along with sponsoring organizations The Case Foundation, the Nonprofit Technology Network, and Flip Video have teamed up for the Fourth Annual DoGooder Nonprofit Video Awards. If you are a registered nonprofit in the US, the UK, Canada, or Australia, and your are part of YouTube's nonprofit program, then submit any video (or videos) that you made in 2009. Sixteen final videos will be selected on the basis of message, use of video, quality of video, and creativity. Top prize winners will be selected from among the sixteen finalist through a community voting process.

To apply, go to YouTube's Nonprofit Video Awards page for application and voting details.
Application deadline is March 16, 2010

The catch:
While the best sixteen videos (top four in each awards category) are selected by the judges, the public will choose the top winners in each category. Other limitations have been previously stated above.

So - submit your best video of 2009 and let the stories be viewed!
It's all explained clearly in this short video:

Will you be entering any of these contests? Look forward to hearing about your entries!

Posted: 2010-02-23 00:39:00

Read Full Article

Author:Debra

Main Menu

TWINTEL Solutions

Main Menu

Nonprofit Resources

Downloads

White Papers

Community