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Crowdsourcing Our Karma

November 24, 2009

We have GOT to get out of the office.

Lately it feels like all we do is email, write code and talk on the phone. Knowing we needed a break to stay sane, we started thinking of hobby projects that we could do to keep things fresh. Then it hit us: every single day we meet new people who are doing extraordinary things in the world, and who are looking for help – why don’t we do that for our hobby?

So we are looking for something fun and inspiring that helps people too. We got into this business to make a difference. We knew nonprofits needed software that was easy to use and really powerful, so they could focus on their mission. Since all of us here have the nonprofit dogooder heart we wanted to help you make a difference.

Volunteers WelcomeWe want you suggest how both Ryan and Chris can each spend 10 hours.

In other words, we want you to help us pick a volunteer opportunity. Does your organization need volunteers? Here we are! We’re raring to do just about anything that makes a difference in the world, like:

  • Planning – Strategic, fundraising, or otherwise
  • Cleaning or painting your office
  • Delivering food
  • Telethons
  • Whatever it is you do that makes the world better, that you’d like help with

There are some guidelines so we get the right activities.

  1. We’d rather not do work that involves donor databases or programing.
  2. It has to help you make the world a better place.
  3. Your organization should be a charity registered in the USA.
  4. You can nominate your own organization or you can tell us about a volunteer opportunity at any organization that you know of.
  5. We can volunteer up to 10 hours each.
  6. We reserve the right to choose or turn down any volunteer opportunity for any reason.

Send us your idea by posting it in the comments below. If we select your idea we’ll get in touch with you by email.

Help us choose! Help us pick the right project by voting below. Just click the star icon next to a comment to vote for it. We’ll select our favorite volunteer opportunity from the top ten starred comments. Winners will be announced on December 27th.


This entry was written by Chris, posted on at 9:00 am, filed under Donor Tools News, Social Media and tagged crowdsourcingkarma, karma, volunteering. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
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  • April

    Great Job Guys! Hopefully you’ll be out of those chairs soon! You both really need some sunlight =)

  • April

    Great Job Guys! Hopefully you’ll be out of those chairs soon! You both really need some sunlight =)

  • http://www.voicesyouthcenter.org Ian

    VOICES just got a new building and boy do we need help packing and moving! We need help that can think things through AND just be brute strength… We’re setting up our center to get to work right away so people like you with organized thinking and the will to work are definitely needed.

    Our packing day is Friday, December 18th (10a-6p) and our move day is Saturday, December 19th (9a-5p).

    You down to help our Nation’s first youth-led emancipation center move into their permanent home? Let’s just say after four years of innovative programming and helping over 700 youth in the last year alone we have a lot to pack and move…

    V.O.I.C.E.S. is currently located at 1801 Oak Street in Napa and will be moving to our new digs on Lincoln Avenue, also in Napa.

  • http://www.voicesyouthcenter.org Ian

    VOICES just got a new building and boy do we need help packing and moving! We need help that can think things through AND just be brute strength… We’re setting up our center to get to work right away so people like you with organized thinking and the will to work are definitely needed.

    Our packing day is Friday, December 18th (10a-6p) and our move day is Saturday, December 19th (9a-5p).

    You down to help our Nation’s first youth-led emancipation center move into their permanent home? Let’s just say after four years of innovative programming and helping over 700 youth in the last year alone we have a lot to pack and move…

    V.O.I.C.E.S. is currently located at 1801 Oak Street in Napa and will be moving to our new digs on Lincoln Avenue, also in Napa.

  • http://www.artsandmedia.net Clarisa

    Hey guys! I’m Clarisa, the Executive Director for Independent Arts & Media (Indy Arts). We are a nonprofit organization that empowers marginalized art, journalism and media projects. Since its inception, Indy Arts has produced the Expo for Independent Arts ten times, hosted hundreds of Do-It-Yourself Workshops for artists, media and culture makers, and offered two Journalism Innovation Expos with more to come.

    I’d like to invite you to become part of our DIY Workshop series. Our workshops are designed to empower indie-type folks who have a project or message to get out there, but maybe not the resources or the know-how. Our current series which runs through December 8th is called “Struggle and Survive” and our next series coming in early spring is dubbed “Emergence.” Something tells me that your positive energy and awesome knowledge would be most appreciated by our constituents. Hope you think so too!

    Here’s hopin,

    Clarisa, Indy Arts Boss Lady

  • http://www.artsandmedia.net Clarisa

    Hey guys! I’m Clarisa, the Executive Director for Independent Arts & Media (Indy Arts). We are a nonprofit organization that empowers marginalized art, journalism and media projects. Since its inception, Indy Arts has produced the Expo for Independent Arts ten times, hosted hundreds of Do-It-Yourself Workshops for artists, media and culture makers, and offered two Journalism Innovation Expos with more to come.

    I’d like to invite you to become part of our DIY Workshop series. Our workshops are designed to empower indie-type folks who have a project or message to get out there, but maybe not the resources or the know-how. Our current series which runs through December 8th is called “Struggle and Survive” and our next series coming in early spring is dubbed “Emergence.” Something tells me that your positive energy and awesome knowledge would be most appreciated by our constituents. Hope you think so too!

    Here’s hopin,

    Clarisa, Indy Arts Boss Lady

  • http://www.eduguate.org Ken Anderson

    There is a great organization that needs 20 hours of your time http://www.eduguate.org; you don’t even have to travel or speak Spanish.

  • http://www.eduguate.org Ken Anderson

    There is a great organization that needs 20 hours of your time http://www.eduguate.org; you don’t even have to travel or speak Spanish.

  • http://www.haitihopefund.org Ken

    Ryan, we need your help this weekend, Nov. 27-28, to fold and stuff Haiti Hope Fund newsletters! Ten hours should just about do it.

    Haiti Hope Fund’s mission is to provide life-changing education, Christian discipleship, and leadership training to young people in Haiti. Our newsletter goes out to those folks who pray for and support the work that we do in Haiti. Ryan, your help will be greatly appreciated.

  • http://www.haitihopefund.org Ken

    Ryan, we need your help this weekend, Nov. 27-28, to fold and stuff Haiti Hope Fund newsletters! Ten hours should just about do it.

    Haiti Hope Fund’s mission is to provide life-changing education, Christian discipleship, and leadership training to young people in Haiti. Our newsletter goes out to those folks who pray for and support the work that we do in Haiti. Ryan, your help will be greatly appreciated.

  • http://www.engagethecurrent.org Jason

    Guys, we’d love to have your help on our Laundry Love Projects. We assist low-income people with meeting a basic need – washing clothes and linens.

    We’ve got plenty of opportunities for you to put some time into.

    Check out the video of what Laundry Love looks like – http://www.vimeo.com/6998044

  • http://www.engagethecurrent.org Jason

    Guys, we’d love to have your help on our Laundry Love Projects. We assist low-income people with meeting a basic need – washing clothes and linens.

    We’ve got plenty of opportunities for you to put some time into.

    Check out the video of what Laundry Love looks like – http://www.vimeo.com/6998044

  • http://www.donortools.com Ryan

    Awesome everyone, thanks for these great ideas! Keep ‘em coming!

  • http://www.donortools.com Ryan

    Awesome everyone, thanks for these great ideas! Keep ‘em coming!

  • http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

    Ryan – it looks like you guys are getting some great ideas from your customers!

    When you do pick one, I’d love to see a “behind the scenes” YouTube video of the volunteers.

    John

  • http://johnhaydon.com John Haydon

    Ryan – it looks like you guys are getting some great ideas from your customers!

    When you do pick one, I’d love to see a “behind the scenes” YouTube video of the volunteers.

    John

  • http://www.zspace.org Z Space

    Hey guys,

    We’re that non-profit Theatre Development Organization that Robert told you about. We find new voices and give them new opportunities to rock the world, one stage at a time. We’re also a hub for other arts organizations; we rent office space to the arts, we have a gallery where we showcase promising visual artists, and performing companies from all over use our stage to rehearse and perform. We just moved into our very own venue in San Francisco, and this puppy is in great need of some renovation. We need help with lots of random stuff:

    -We’re constructing new dressing rooms, if you have any ability with a hammer or a paintbrush, we could use your help.
    -The seating in our theatre is a little bit of a wreck, and we need to re-number the entire back section.
    -We’re re-doing the lighting system for our lobby (we’re in a giant warehouse, so our lobby is literally lit by stage light instruments) and I think Robert mentioned that you (Chris) designed lights?  Would that be something you’re interested in?
    -We have a bunch of left over furniture (tables, mostly) that needs to be dumped or transported to a more needy home, and two strong people with a truck or a van might be all we need (or a chainsaw and a dumpster)
    -We are looking to set up a wireless networking module in our tech-booth, but that will require that someone run some CAT-5 cable from our internet hub to the techbooth, interested in spreading the net?

    You’ve got some other awesome org’s here looking for help, so I wont take it personally if you spend your time elsewhere. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

    Sincerely,
    Cris @ Z Space

  • http://www.zspace.org Z Space

    Hey guys,

    We’re that non-profit Theatre Development Organization that Robert told you about. We find new voices and give them new opportunities to rock the world, one stage at a time. We’re also a hub for other arts organizations; we rent office space to the arts, we have a gallery where we showcase promising visual artists, and performing companies from all over use our stage to rehearse and perform. We just moved into our very own venue in San Francisco, and this puppy is in great need of some renovation. We need help with lots of random stuff:

    -We’re constructing new dressing rooms, if you have any ability with a hammer or a paintbrush, we could use your help.
    -The seating in our theatre is a little bit of a wreck, and we need to re-number the entire back section.
    -We’re re-doing the lighting system for our lobby (we’re in a giant warehouse, so our lobby is literally lit by stage light instruments) and I think Robert mentioned that you (Chris) designed lights?  Would that be something you’re interested in?
    -We have a bunch of left over furniture (tables, mostly) that needs to be dumped or transported to a more needy home, and two strong people with a truck or a van might be all we need (or a chainsaw and a dumpster)
    -We are looking to set up a wireless networking module in our tech-booth, but that will require that someone run some CAT-5 cable from our internet hub to the techbooth, interested in spreading the net?

    You’ve got some other awesome org’s here looking for help, so I wont take it personally if you spend your time elsewhere. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

    Sincerely,
    Cris @ Z Space

  • Nanka Castulik

    We would like some help institutionalizing our services for non-profits.

    My husband and I provide free or low-cost tech support for a few non-profits, a local independent bookstore, and several other small businesses in our area (St. Louis, MO). We are “retired” IT people, and we perform a wide-variety of troubleshooting and support services, including web site maintenance, network support, fixing hardware, implementing software, general fix-it, figure-it-out help.

    We are concerned about what will happen with some of our clients should something happen to us. We would like to figure out a good way to maintain continuity – possibly by forming a service-oriented non-profit utilizing services of other retirees, corporate volunteers, maybe tech school coops. We would love to get some help drafting a plan and shaping an approach that will help us find, organize and mobilize others like us so that support can be ongoing.

  • Nanka Castulik

    We would like some help institutionalizing our services for non-profits.

    My husband and I provide free or low-cost tech support for a few non-profits, a local independent bookstore, and several other small businesses in our area (St. Louis, MO). We are “retired” IT people, and we perform a wide-variety of troubleshooting and support services, including web site maintenance, network support, fixing hardware, implementing software, general fix-it, figure-it-out help.

    We are concerned about what will happen with some of our clients should something happen to us. We would like to figure out a good way to maintain continuity – possibly by forming a service-oriented non-profit utilizing services of other retirees, corporate volunteers, maybe tech school coops. We would love to get some help drafting a plan and shaping an approach that will help us find, organize and mobilize others like us so that support can be ongoing.

  • http://www.fireproofministries.com/www.launch501c3.com Ryan Russell

    You guys have been a GREAT asset to our various initiatives. As a “Karma opportunity” join us in Las Vegas on May 3 for http://www.launch501c3.com/ as our guests. Help propel NEW non-profit initiatives forward with your learned experiences and you effective tools. Lead a one hour conversation (most any topic you like) with new do-gooders.

  • http://www.fireproofministries.com/www.launch501c3.com Ryan Russell

    You guys have been a GREAT asset to our various initiatives. As a “Karma opportunity” join us in Las Vegas on May 3 for http://www.launch501c3.com/ as our guests. Help propel NEW non-profit initiatives forward with your learned experiences and you effective tools. Lead a one hour conversation (most any topic you like) with new do-gooders.

  • http://www.communityorganizer20.com/2010/05/13/10-trends-in-sustainable-social-media/ 10 Trends in Sustainable Social Media | Community Organizer 2.0

    [...] Bring ‘em in! Dr. Phil asks his Facebook fans questions. Donor Tools asked its customers where they should volunteer via their blog. Where can you get the great ideas your stakeholders have to [...]

  • http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/10-trends-in-sustainable-social-media/ 10 Trends in Sustainable Social Media | eJewish Philanthropy: The Jewish Philanthropy Blog

    [...] Bring ‘em in! Dr. Phil asks his Facebook fans questions. Donor Tools asked its customers where they should volunteer via their blog. Where can you get the great ideas your stakeholders have to [...]

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