Welcome!
Hi, and welcome to my blog, A. Fine Blog. My focus is on the ways that digital tools, particularly social media, are enhancing our connectedness to one another and our ability and willingness to work for the collective social good. I hope you enjoy my posts, and also the posts of the talented and interesting bloggers and blogs listed below. Let’s chat about social change!
craigweinrich said
I finished reading your book Momentum, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Here’s one question that came out of it as I was reading. I work for a membership organization (www.npccny.org), which you maybe familiar with. To borrow a phrase from Jim Collins, our economic engine is primarily membership dues. A large perk of that membership is full access to our website, for example, our salary and benefits surveys are only accessible to our member nonprofit organizations. Approximately half of our information on the web is available to the general public.
You suggest that membership organizations should, much like open-source software, open up their content to the public to satisfy those that expect free content, typically, the Net-Genners.
NPCC’s dues account for nearly 50% of our annual revenues,
so how could we, in the spirit of being open and accessible, change our economics to sustain the organization for the years to come, but still satisfy the content issue?
Craig Weinrich
Membership & IT Director
Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York
bibomedia said
floosen said
Hey Alison,
Am really enjoying reading your work. I just came back from the Social Innovation Exchange conference in Spain (Young Foundation) and loved an initiative around making public service cool that I thought you would like:
http://www.ithinkpublic.com
How cute are those shirts?
ThinkPublic is a social design org in the UK that uses design thinking to innovate in the public sector–I don’t work for them, but found their people and perspectives to be very cool. So many good things going on in public-social sector innovation in the UK. I think we need to do some ideas sharing!
Best and hope you are enjoying the convention,
Fran Loosen
Dan Pallotta said
Dear Alison,
I’d love to chat with you about a new book I’ve written on the nonprofit sector – is there an e-mail contact for you?
Thanks,
Dan pallotta
dan@danpallotta.com
Stephanie Derry said
Hi Alison,
I’ve got the perfect story for your blog: a non-profit using New Media to make philanthropy cool. I’m sending out our press release tomorrow.
Please send me your email address so I can include you on this tip.
Thanks!
Steph Derry
Jennifer Green said
Hi Allison,
I would like to point you to a good cause – charitable gifting ideas for the holiday
season and beyond.
http://changingthepresent.org
Sumit Chachra said
Hi Allison,
Would love if you put http://givix.org/ on the http://thegivelist.org/ list !
Its an idea similar to (simpler though) to iGive, and I will give 100% of proceeds to charity.
Cheers!
Sumit
Tresha Thorsen said
what an insightful perspective and resource. grateful to know of you and to find you per beth kanter’s blogpost today ….eager to learn from your perspective.
thanks for your commitment to this ongoing discussion. Tre:)
Allison said
Hi Allison,
I love your website! I was hoping to invite you to a screening of an award-winning documentary on AIDS orphans in Africa. African women tell of their own plight with AIDS through a documentary they filmed (using cameras and filming technology for the first time). It’s a great film. I’d love to send you more information – may I have your email address?
Thanks,
Allison
Allison said
Also – please let me know your location, as the screening will take place in New York City.
Thank you!
Allison
Cindy Greenwood said
Allison, hope you’ll check out a cool new virtual quilt at http://www.optinnow.org/quilt. It raises funds for microloans to people who are trying to work their way out of poverty in the developing world AND it connects people who want to make a difference. Consider purchasing a quilt square to honor a woman in your life this International Women’s Day, March 8.
chris macrae said
regarding mba2.0 – this is a topic that Nobel Peace Laureate Dr Yunus is hosting a youth dialogue on in Dhaka on june 29 – he has both published and practised more on contributions to micro up sustainability and collaborative networking than any source I know of. Delighted to discuss this anyone anytime -chris.macrae@yahoo.co.uk
Maryann Devine said
Allison, just want to say thanks so much for writing about my blog.
Very much enjoying yours — what a terrific resource!
Maryann
Jerry Anderson said
Allison,
If you want to add Facebook or email sharing buttons to your blog posts, there’s a plugin that does it for you: http://www.picturesurf.org/share-buttons
Hope you find it helpful!
Cheers,
Jerry
Nazim Uddin said
Hi Allison,
My name is Nazim Uddin and I’m writing on behalf of the Milton Hershey School. I wanted to tell you about an upcoming event by the Milton Hershey School. Milton Hershey, founder of the renowned chocolate company, started MHS as a nurturing home, a safe haven, and a place where children in need grow into successful adults. This year, we are celebrating the schools centennial celebration in helping lift thousands of children out of disadvantaged economic and social circumstances.
The graduates of MHS come from highly disadvantaged backgrounds with 75% from homes below poverty level, 79% from single parent homes and 40% with a parent in jail.
Because of your interest in social issues and social change, I’d like to invite you to the premiere screening of a new documentary directed by Academy Award Winner Cynthia Wade, one of the most amazing stories never told, taking place on Tuesday, October 6th at The Times Center.
After the showing, there will be a panel discussion and Q & A. The Milton Hersey School serves children in financial and social need by providing them education, housing, food, medical and psychological health care, recreation opportunities and clothing with no financial obligation to the family. For more information visit http://www.thehersheylegacy.com.
To RSVP to the event, please contact Ciara Randolph at crandolph@mww.com or myself. You are also welcome to bring guests.
Below is the formal announcement of the screening.
We hope you can join us!
Regards,
Nazim Uddin
Junior Analyst
MWW Group
Alan Marcus said
Hi Allison,
I’m sorry you were unable to attend the screening of the documentary Living the Legacy: The Untold Story of MILTON HERSHEY SCHOOL. I wanted to follow-up with you with some more information about the school and how your readers can help make a difference in the lives of children in need.
Simply put, every time someone enjoys Hershey, they help a child in need break the cycle of poverty and change the trajectory of their life. Choosing Hershey’s at Halloween is just another way to ensure a brighter future for children. You can find out more about the school at http://www.thehersheylegacy.com.
Thanks in advance for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Alan Marcus
MWW Group on behalf of Milton Hershey School
MauraLee said
Hi Allison!
A bit back I was reading your post about Chase Community Giving, and thought that you might have interest in a different take on social good
I’d appreciate any feedback you have!
In the past year, the number of households suffering from food insecurity has increased over three percent to 14.6 percent of American households, nearly 50 million people.
We at Integrated Web Strategy need some help ending hunger this holiday season. Will you help us by sharing this message with your friends, subscribers, readers or followers?
IWS will generously be donating 240 tons of food to the Association of Arizona Food Banks, and Share Our Strength in D.C. through our Tweets of Hope campaign, totaling $10,000.
Here is a link to the information splash page: http://workwithiws.com/
Here is a link to a blog post on 5 Billion Minutes: http://www.5billionminutes.com/2009/12/tweets-of-hope/
I look forward to hearing from you either way!
Thank you in advance for your time,
Maura DeBartoli
maura@workwithiws.com
http://twitter.com/_MauraLee
http://5billionminutes.com
http://workwithiws.com
Holly Minch said
Hey there!
Allison I hope you will blog and share info about this exciting new report!
Sabbaticals for nonprofit leaders can be a relatively inexpensive but highly productive capacity-building tool that yields measurable results. Creative Disruption: Sabbaticals for Capacity Building and Leadership Development in the Nonprofit Sector provides emerging evidence of the benefits to nonprofit organizations, leaders, funders, and the sector.
This study exposes the myth that an executive sabbatical will be a chaotic disruption, finding instead that the creative disruption of a well-planned sabbatical can be productive for the entire leadership of an organization.
Organizational capacity is increased as the second tier of leadership takes on new responsibilities. Governance is strengthened as a result of the planning and learning that goes with a sabbatical process. Executive directors come back rejuvenated, with a fresh vision and innovative ideas, and tend to extend their tenure with the organization. And funders gain a deeper perspective on community needs from the feedback, networking, and innovative ideas that sabbatical alumni bring.
This study recommends funding sabbaticals as a best practice in philanthropy for leadership development, succession planning, and organizational capacity building. Sabbaticals can be an investment in the long-term health of nonprofit organizations—and the sector.
News Release
NEWS RELEASE CONTACT: Celia Alario 310/721.6517
Cynthia Scheiderer 206/769-8357
NEW STUDY: NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE SABBATICALS
IMPROVE ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY
January 19, 2010 — Executive director sabbaticals can strengthen nonprofit organizations, according to a new report jointly released today by the Alston/Bannerman Fellowship Program; the Barr Foundation; the Durfee Foundation; the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund; the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust; and the Rasmuson Foundation. The report, Creative Disruption: Sabbaticals for Capacity Building and Leadership Development in the Nonprofit Sector, finds that sabbaticals can be “a relatively inexpensive but highly productive capacity-building tool that yields measurable results.”
The report exposes the myth that an executive sabbatical will be a chaotic disruption, finding instead that the creative disruption of a well-planned sabbatical can be productive for the entire leadership of an organization. This finding is surprising to many, says Claire Peeps of the Durfee Foundation: “One of the things we hear is ‘I could never go to my board with a sabbatical request.’ But we’ve learned from 10 years of funding sabbaticals that they can improve the long-term health of a nonprofit organization.”
Key findings from Creative Disruption include:
• Sabbaticals can be an opportunity for the second tier of leadership to gain new skills and take on new responsibilities
• The “dry-run” of a sabbatical can be a best practice in succession planning
• Executive directors who went on sabbatical were more likely to extend their tenure, not cut it short
• Sixty percent of survey respondents said their board of directors is more effective as a result of the planning and learning that went into the sabbatical
• The majority of leaders who went on sabbatical reported better relationships with staff, board, funders, and community
• Eighty-seven percent of the leaders who responded report increased confidence in doing their jobs
• Funders benefited from feedback and innovative ideas from executive directors who went on sabbaticals, gaining a deeper perspective on community needs
The five organizations that commissioned the report together have funded more than 325 sabbaticals for nonprofit executives over the past 10 years. Investigators from Third Sector New England and CompassPoint Nonprofit Services surveyed and interviewed sabbatical awardees and the managers who served as interim or acting executive directors during the sabbaticals.
The report can be downloaded at no charge at http://www.compasspoint.org/creativedisruption
###
secret___clearance__spy said
What is it that Ann Livermore is b*tching about?
JoDee Powers said
Hi Alison
Hi Allison
I was looking for research on women’s influence on behavior in the home and landed here. I’m really interested in your research because I’m writing a book on “9 Reasons Women are the Solution to Climate Change”. 3 of the reasons are:
Women influence family, friends, neighbors and co-workers about products, books, media, a cause that they find exciting or interesting. Women influence behavior change in the home and can move us toward a low carbon future and lastly, 85% of all women control household spending which means we have huge leverage in the market place and the ability to shift how things are resourced, manufactured, packaged, shipped and disposed of.
As a business woman and author, I find having to tweet, facebook and blog time consuming though necessary and wonder what your research will reveal. I do think your questions are relevant and hope to hear back from you as I think it could also provide another clue to the way women can be the solution. Thanks for this. JoDee
Erin McMahon said
Hi Allison-
I didn’t see a contact form or I’d have used it (sorry if I missed it), and wasn’t sure how else to give you this feedback…
I love your blog and have just one wish – could you possible send complete posts via RSS? The truncated posts are kind of a pain!
Thanks for considering-
erin
Allison Fine said
Thanks for the helpful suggestion, Erin, let me look into doing just that. Thanks again!
A
Leah Sandals said
Hi Alison,
This morning in Geneva, five young innovators doing groundbreaking work in the name of philanthropy, the environment, social justice, cultural preservation, and public health are named the first-ever Rolex Young Laureates. The awardees will receive $50,000 each to realize ambitious projects around the globe. I thought you might be interested in the program and the laureates, each of which has an inspiring vision to mobilize collective resources, address pressing issues, and catalyze change on a large scale.
*Jacob Colker, 26, is harnessing the power of crowdsourcing for philanthropy in the U.S. His organization, The Extraordinaries, enables people to volunteer a service, virtually anywhere, anytime, via their smartphones.
*Bruktawit Tigabu, 28, produces an educational television show for children in Ethiopia, focusing on public health.
*Piyush Tewari, 29, founded an organization that delivers first-aid training for police officers and community volunteers in India, to create a network of first responders able to deliver rapid Basic Life Support (BLS) to victims of traffic accidents.
*Nnaemeka Ikegwuono, 27, runs an interactive rural radio service in Nigeria that helps improve local farming techniques through better access to information.
*Therese Fernandez, 24, has launched a community-based social enterprise in the Philippines that aims to build the community while preserving local culture through the practice of indigenous crafts and skills.
The Young Laureates Programme grows out of Rolex’s longstanding commitment to fostering innovation and mentoring emerging talent for a better world. Recognizing that young people bring the new perspectives that are so vital to tackling today’s global challenges, Rolex adapted its longstanding Awards for Enterprise program to invest in social entrepreneurs between the ages of 18 and 30.
Comprehensive information on the program is available at http://www.young.rolexawards.com. As their projects progress in the coming year, the website will feature in-depth content generated by each laureate documenting their work. Please let me know if you have any questions!
Best,
Leah
Krista Alef said
Hello Allison,
I represent the c3:VisionLAB’s State of the Arts Symposium 2010. We are a non-profit global think-tank, and a partner of the Millennium Project, focused on future trends with Arts and Media. We are getting ready to launch our first in the series of major symposiums tying in the future of Arts, Media, Technology, and Communication, and how it can affect global change.
This conference will be held at the Los Angeles Center Studios, and will have major panelists from companies such as Sony, Lionsgate, Producers Guild of America, and others. I am really excited about the concept, as I truly believe it will act as a catalyst for future change.
I would be honored if you’d pass on out event info, http://www.c3so.com, outlining the details!
Thanks in advance for your time and consideration!
cool gadgets said
good articles. i will visit this blog next time. thnak’s
cell phones said
visit my blog too..
steve friedman said
i am at the nyc conference and would like to do an on camera interview tues between 1030 and 230 if you are available
call me at 3012942211
thanks
Alex Romano said
Hi Alison!
I just wanted to share some very wonderful news with you and your readers from the Beautiful People organization which provides adaptive sports for children with disabilities in and around Orange County, NY.
On Thursday, August 19th, during the 1pm Yankees vs. Detroit game to be held in Yankee Stadium, a representative group of the Beautiful People children with disabilities will take the field for the National Anthem and will actually get to play a few post-game innings with a group of Yankees players . It is just one of the ways that the Yankees are honoring the Beautiful People organization that day and it will be a dream come true for our Beautiful Kids coming from all over Orange County, NY.
Beautiful People has grown from an idea that Warwick resident, Peter Ladka, had one day in 2006, to a growing adaptive sports organization which now serves 100 Orange County families with special needs children. Peter, owner of the successful software development company, Parse3, also in Warwick, wanted to give Orange County’s Beautiful Kids an opportunity to play team sports when they might not otherwise ever get a chance. In effect, he wanted to help them persevere and excel. That is the entire premise and promise of the Yankee’s second annual HOPE week slated for the entire week of August 16th. HOPE stands for “Help Others Persevere and Excel”.
For more information on Beautiful People or more details about this event, visit http://www.beautiful-people.us.
Thank you!
Alex
Joe Garecht said
Alison,
I just wanted to write to say “thank you” for the awesome information and articles you put out on yor blog at AFine. It’s an amazing resource to folks like me who work in development.
Thank you!
I also run a blog at http://www.thefundraisingauthority.com/ and would love the chance to do a guest post on your site. I would also love to trade links on your blog roll. Let me know if you’d be interested in getting a guest post from me, and if there are any particular topics you would like covered, and I will get something over to you asap.
Thanks again for your great work,
Joe Garecht
The Fundraising Authority
215-518-4004
Alix said
Hi Alison,
Please could you send me your email address so I can send on press release and some images for a campaign that I think would be of interest to you and your readers. The campaign is for Barefoot Against Poverty.
Best Regards,
Alix
Illit Rose said
Thank you Allison for your books! Through the activist net of CWP I found out you will be speaking about social media in Jerusalem and I immediately got your books from the Library, here in New York City.
Thank you for your vision of organizations as open networks and for including ‘free agents!’ It gave me a feeling of a potential of finding a creative way to insert myself somewhere again and find a new way for me to contribute.
From the continual forgotten past
she rises again Spider
Woman weaving networks
To enter social media does invoke ‘vertigal’ fear (vertigo) of exposure. Of what? Of shame, of being “found out” as “fundamentally flowed” (in the words of Pema Chodron.)
I started with Facebook (illit rose) real slow, and now Linkedin (I. Rose) where I spend hours contorting “professional” information into categorized boxes. How do these rigid categories work in fluid networks?
I will keep tip toeing through your suggestions. Thank you!