Improve Your Nonprofit's Website this Summer

From Audit to Redesign: The Complete Nonprofit Website Toolkit! Brought to you through our partnership with Idealware, this webinar series takes place each Tuesday from June 4 through July 2 and are held from 1:00pm  - 2:30pm (EST). Pricing for Five 90-minute sessions: Only $140 for the entire series for NYCON Members with code NYCON2013;  $200 for Non-Members [Membership will be verified] Find Out More & Register Online Can you remember when your organization's website was designed? Can your supporters and constituents navigate and find the information they need? Can your staff members easily create or update content on your website? If you answered "no" to any of those questions, it might be time to bring that website into the 21st Century. Join Idealware for From Audit to Redesign: The Complete Nonprofit Website Toolkit, an amazing five-session webinar series presented in partnership with Idealware, and they'll walk you through Website 101, review best practices for accessibility, mobile-optimized sites, and reinforcing your organization's online brand, and review content management systems. From Audit to Redesign: The Complete Nonprofit WebsiteToolkit will look at all aspects of your website, including:   ·         Defining goals for how your website will serve your audience.    ·         Learning best practices for designing an accessible, usable, and polished website.    ·         Comparing your content management system (CMS) options.    ·         How to make sure your website shows up well on search engines ·         Creating your organization's website action plan with next steps and action items for an improvement process.    In addition to the five webinars, participants in the Toolkit will have access to Office Hours. These are one hour time blocks during which you have access to an Idealware expert one-on-one.    Webinars take place each Tuesday fromJune 4 through July 2 and are held from1:00pm  - 2:30pm (EST).   Pricing for Five 90-minute sessions: Only $140 for the entire series for NYCON Members with code NYCON2013;  $200 for Non-Members [Membership will be verified] Find Out More & Register Online What Nonprofits are Saying About Idealware Webinars "This entire seminar was just fantastic. I learned so much. I especially liked all the practical applications and examples given. I will definitely recommend this course to other people. Great job!!" "Really liked the format-especially having the slides in advance. Allowed me to listen more and parallel process the information that applied to my organization." "Excellent seminar. Very informative. Great examples to illustrate points. Friendly, personable presenters." "We loved the seminar and found it very useful for our nonprofit organization. The ability to ask questions during the presentation, and the work book, are very valuable tools."

comm.UNITY Fall Forum: Sept 13-14

Communication can be tough. We are here to help!
We understand that with constant changes in technology and the demands of running a nonprofit on a limited budget in a tough economy, it’s hard to keep up. That’s where we come in.
comm.UNITY is Syracuse University’s student-run organization of over 50 dedicated members with different communication specialties. Our mission is to help local nonprofits create and implement sustainable communications plans. Websites, brochures, promotional videos, newsletters, fundraising posters- our team can pretty much do it all!
It is our pleasure to invite you to our 5th annual comm.UNITY forum to find out how we can help you overcome your unique communication challenges and charge ahead with your nonprofit’s mission.

Save the Date!

comm.UNITY Fall Forum
Thursday, Sept 13th | 6-7:30 pm
Friday, Sept 14th | 1:30-3 pm
Gifford Community Room, United Way, 518 James Street
Please RSVP by Friday, Sept 7th to commrelations@gmail.com
Find out more information at our websit http://comm.unity.syr.edu/

comm.UNITY will be holding two forums on Tuesday September 6th from 5:00-6:30 PM and Wednesday September 7th from 9:00-10:30 AM

Communication can be rough. That’s why we’re here.

Tuesday, September 6 5 - 6:30 pm
or Wednesday, September 7 9 - 10:30 am
Gifford Community Room, United Way, 518 James Street
Please RSVP by Friday, September 2 to commrelations@gmail.com

We understand that with constant changes in technology and the demands of running a nonprofit on a limited budget in a tough economy, it’s hard to keep up. That’s why we’re here to help.

comm.UNITY is Syracuse University’s student-run organization of over 50 dedicated members with different communication specialties. Our mission is to help local nonprofits create and implement sustainable communications plans. Websites, brochures, promotional videos, newsletters, fundraising posters- our team can pretty much do it all!

It is our pleasure to invite you to our 4th annual comm.UNITY forum to find out how we can help you overcome your unique communication challenges and charge ahead with your nonprofit’s mission.
visit us at http://comm.unity.syr.edu

Nonprofit Knowledge Matters: Advocacy as a Core Capacity

When we think of "capacity building," we most often think of training staff and board members - perhaps to be more effective fundraisers or to leverage technology to improve program delivery.

How often do we think of advocacy as a core capacity?

A nonprofit needs a clear voice that rises above the din to be effective at accomplishing its mission. Nonprofits need the capacity to communicate:

• how their work results in positive change
• why donors should support them, and
• who is helped by their work.

Often, nonprofits also need to communicate what action they hope their stakeholders will take in support of the nonprofit’s mission. These are examples of how nonprofits engage in advocacy!

Advocacy requires communications capacity: Does the nonprofit have the right technology to update its website and effortlessly send out attractive email blasts? Can the nonprofit maintain and easily update a database so that its communications are reaching the right audiences? Does the nonprofit employ staff or engage volunteers who are trained in media relations so that when the local radio calls and asks for a comment on a breaking story the nonprofit is prepared?

Advocacy may also require courage. How so? There are still many who do not think that advocacy is an appropriate role for nonprofits. The National Council is working every day to change that perception, and thankfully, more and more nonprofits, as well as those that support them, are aware that advocacy is a core capacity for any nonprofit.

The Capacity Building Hub on the National Council's website features resources that address building capacity for advocacy, including links to reports illustrating why advocacy is one of the best investments that a foundation can make in a nonprofit.

Read a recent study by the National Committee for Responsible Philanthropy that found that of the 20 nonprofits studied, "These nonprofits leveraged foundation grants that generated a $150 return for every dollar invested in their policy engagement efforts."

Measuring the impact of advocacy activities can be difficult.

We like the approach taken by the Innovation Network in its Practical Guide to Advocacy Evaluation that urges nonprofits not to measure the hoped-for-end-result of an advocacy effort such as ending hunger in our state (that could take decades to attain) but rather to focus on the contribution the nonprofit is making to the goal.

Nonprofits that shine a light on those contributions, even incremental ones, such as bringing local nonprofits to the same table with government officials, will capitalize on the momentum they create, and provide their stakeholders with a concrete example of the positive effects of advocacy in a community.

Does someone you know still think that nonprofits can't be advocates? Or that nonprofits, "can't lobby?"

Help them understand why advocacy is legal, needed, and easy.

Visit our website for more capacity building tools including:

• Communications and marketing resources.
• Ideas on capacity building for planning.
• Tools for self-assessments, analyzing costs of programs, and guidance for building a nonprofit's board.

40 Below Update: Civic Engagement, Marketing and Public Arts Task Forces

40 Belowers,

The Civic Engagement, Marketing and Public Arts task forces are at it again...planning some fun, casual and exciting things for you! Check out all the options below!

Best,
Rory

Civic Engagement:
Social Networking Event: Monday August 16th from 5:30pm - 8:30pm at Dolce Vita (907 East Genesee Street, Syracuse 13210). Come out for a drink or two...bring some friends or come and meet some new people!

Marketing:
MarCom (It’s All Here) Task Force Meeting
8/19 @ 5:30
The OnCenter – State St., Syracuse
RSVP to info@itsallheresyracuse.com

Don’t forget about the 40 Below / It’s All Here partnership with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra (SSO)! Make sure to join us for “4 for 40,” a new program to be launched in the SSO’s 2010-11 season, which gives you access to 4 shows for only 40 dollars!

Three shows - A Day In the Life...Three Phantoms In Concert Return!; Best of the Big Bands; and Beyond the Score: The Miraculous Mandarin – are pre-identified, and you select the fourth show. Special perks are included, such as receptions following the shows. For concert tickets, please stop by the SSO box office, or call them at (315) 424-8200 or toll free (800) 724-3810. Tell them you’re a member of 40 Below to get the 4 for 40 deal. Tickets may also be purchased online at http://www.syracusesymphony.org. Visit http://itsallheresyracuse.com for more information.

Public Arts:
Concrete Jungle Jam - Saturday, August 28, 7pm, meet in a designated parking lot under I-81 on the Connective Corridor (you'll see us!) Using our car stereos, boom boxes, voices and congo drums, we will drown out the hum of the highway with jungle sounds! Jungle sounds will be available to download by Monday, August 23rd on the PATF website or get a cd at the jam. Costumes encouraged and BYOB.

You should be a part Syracuse's 4th annual participation in PARK(ing) Day by creating your own park in a parking space in downtown Syracuse!

Reserve your spot by Sept 7th, by contacting Carlota Deseda-Coon via email chdeseda@syr.edu or phone 315.443.1476.

What: PARK(ing) day is an annual, one day, global event, where artistis, activists, and citizens independently but simultaneously transform metered parking spots into PARK(ing) spaces to create temporary parks.

Who: Any organization, individual, teacher, student, citizen
When: Friday September 17th
Where: Various metered parking spaces around Syracuse
Why: To promote creativity, civic engagement, critical thinking, unscripted social interactions, generocity and play!
Ideas: www.parkingday.org or www.colab.syr.edu

Comm.UNITY Forum: Helping With Your TO DO List

• photographer for dinner
• redesign website
• poster campaign
• fliers for walkathon
• brochure design
• new newsletter template
• create promo video

Last year, comm.UNITY helped local nonprofits by providing communication solutions. Now, we want to know how we can help your organization. We are a student-run organization at Syracuse University. Our 70+ members aim to help local nonprofits design and implement sustainable communications plans. We want you to speak up.

What does your organization need? Last year, we designed fliers and brochures, developed fundraising posters, created promotional videos and even helped publish a book.

Come to the 2nd annual comm.UNITY forum, in partnership with United Way, to see how we can check a few tasks off your list.
visit us: http://comm.unity.syr.edu/
what can we do for your To Do list?

Join Us at the Gifford Community Room, United Way, 518 James Street on:
Wednesday, September 9 9-10:30 AM
OR Thursday, September 10 5-6:30 PM
Please RSVP by September 4 to commrelations@gmail.com