The Digital Nonprofit – a project of TechSoup Connect Canada
Events and community for nonprofits curious about technology.
Net2van is gonna hold a super awesome one-day conference this May on how nonprofits can use technology to get things done. Help us select a date!
Also, are other events with similar topics already scheduled for the same time? Let us know so that we don’t step on each other’s toes.
On Feb. 3rd, the eHealth Strategy Office (Faculty of Medicine, UBC) and the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council are hosting a free public forum called Connecting for Quality: Social Media and Health Care. We are inviting health care providers and family care givers to come share their ideas on how social media can be used to improve health care and patient safety in BC.
Register at: http://connectingforquality.eventbrite.ca
Or attend the live webcast: http://bit.ly/1iaUOSa
Date: Monday Feb. 3, 2014
Time: 7-9pm (sign-in and reception at 6pm)
Place: Paetzold Health Education Centre, Vancouver General Hospital, Main floor of Jim Pattison Pavilion South
Join the conversation on Twitter with #sm4health
NetSquared Vancouver has been holding NetSquared Camp unconferences since 2010. These Barcamp-style events consist of programming created by the participants, which means the format is a great way to feature the collective wisdom of Vancouver’s nonprofit technology community. Plus, they’re super fun!
However,
the format means the event is inevitability uneven and roughly hewn. Some people are comfortable with that, but others need a bit more polish to get that they need from an educational event. So, let’s polish! I promised fewer, but better events in 2014 and this is what it could look like.
Proposal: a two-day event in May consisting of a conference and a camp
What do you think? I plan to noodle this problem over during the Christmas holidays and I’d love your feedback.
A full day event held in a conference-style venue.
The day will feature around five innovative thinkers in the nonprofit space who are experienced public speakers. They will each present for 1 hour. The day will be capped by a keynote speaker who is probably flown in.
A community-driven summit organized using open space technology. 
The day will follow the model of previous NetSquared Camps.
This gathering will also be a great excuse to bring together NetSquared organizers from across the Pacific Northwest and California. Using a travel bursary offered by TechSoup Global I intend to invite NetSquared organizers from San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Victoria to join me on the Wednesday before the conference for a one-day community powwow. Our guests will then be invited to join us for the next two days of nonprofit technology goodness.
When will the event be held?
I expect the event to be held on one of the following sets of dates:
What will be the theme of the conference?
This is still being decided. I’m kicking around these ideas:
Who is the target audience?
We want to reach managers and Executive Directors of small and medium-sized charities who are looking for insight into how they can develop an effective digital strategy for their organization.
What will the conference cost?
Somewhere between $50 and $100. A screaming deal for a full day event!
Where will the conference be held?
TBD. But the floors will be clean and we’ll provide lunch.
How many attendees will there be?
We expect between 60 and 100 attendees.
OMG! That sounds amazing! How can I become a sponsor?
Don’t be shy. Email eli@net2van.com
The World Café is an opportunity to contribute to a conversation about a new joint BCIT and SFU Bachelor of Arts in Social Technology.
When: Wednesday, January 22nd, 2014
9:30 – noon
Where: Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, Simon Fraser University
580 W. Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC (enter via breezeway off Seymour), Strategy Room 320
Map: www.sfu.ca/mecs/wosk+dialogue+
Light refreshments will be served
RSVP: Please respond by Wed. January 8th to stephanie_greaves@sfu.ca
What is the BA in Social Technology?
The Bachelor of Arts in Social Technology will prepare students with the skills and learning to explore, understand, critique, utilize, imagine and even construct social technologies for a changing and interconnected world. The program will enable graduates to support and shape future professions for social technology.
Who is invited to the World Café?
At this stage, we invite input and participation by industry and external stakeholders to further design and refine the degree proposal. Feel free to forward this invitation to other people in your network with expertise and/or potential interest in social technology and this new degree program.
Questions? Please contact Stephanie Greaves at stephanie_greaves@sfu.ca or 778-782-2328
Hi folks!
It’s almost the new year. Time to get our learn on!
When: Tuesday, January 7, 6:00 PM
Where: The HiVE, Vancouver BC.
RSVP: http://goo.gl/ZEqOV3
This session will cover the basics of compliance and Law with respect to donation processing and the CRA The 101’s of payment processing terms, security and must knows How you can get the most out of your online donation experience
When: Monday, January 20. 1:30 –4:00 PM
Where: UBC Learning Exchange, Vancouver BC.
RSVP: http://goo.gl/2qhmoR
It’s that time of year again – time to issue those year-end tax receipts. Join us as we go over some best practices and some useful tips and tricks in The Raiser’s Edge, while making sure that your tax receipts are compliant with the Canada Revenue Agency guidelines.
When: Tuesday, January 28. 6:30 PM
Where: SAP Executive Briefing Centre, Vancouver BC.
RSVP: http://goo.gl/aLOcao
A friendly fireside chat with some of Vancouver’s powerful proponents of brand culture. This talk will discuss the benefits of reaping a strong internal culture and what effects these activities have on the bottom line.
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That’s it for now. See you soon!
We are nerds. We like to count and to play with numbers. Sometimes we are driven by numbers.
In 2013 Net2van held (or organized field trips to) 42 events and had 1,316 attendees pass through our doors.
That is a big number. Especially for an all-volunteer team.
The Romans would have written it as:
In binary 1,316 is:
Wolfram Alpha has this useless trivia to share about 1,316:
In 2012 we held 15 events with 702 attendees.
Why so many more events in 2013? Because we had a stable trio of core organizers (Chad, Stevie, Eli) and because we wanted to experiment with going deeper into topic areas. So we added new territories (Surrey) and new event series (Community Manager Forum and Video for Nonprofits).
So the number has gone up this year, but at what price?
Our average attendance per event has gone down and the qualitative sense is that event quality has not been as consistent as we would like. Plus the organizers are starting to approach burnout. 🙁
So we’re going to try a new strategy. The core interest in expanding Net2van so that we can go deeper into subjects and offer hands-on learning opportunities still drives us, but we’re going to use this year to test a new model: core events and quarterly workshops.
Core Events
We will continue to hold a monthly 90 minute event on various topics of interest to the nonprofit tech community. We’ll hold it in Vancouver. We gotta stay true to our roots!
This will be supplemented with additional learning events as great opportunities present themselves, but the schedule won’t be fixed and we’ll take them on as our capacity dictates.
We will also continue to co-produce the Community Manager Forum series of events with Invoke Lab’s Crystal Henrickson.
Workshops and Unconferences
We will develop a series of three hour workshops that will be offered two or three times per year. These events will be held during workdays or weekends and will probably cost about $25/event. We will put more polish into them and may deliver the workshops across the lower mainland.
Our first topics will be Digital Storytelling and Online Fundraising.
We will also continue to organize a quarterly NetSquared Camp unconference.
What Are We Leaving Behind?
The Video for Nonprofit series will be wrapped up in early 2014 with a hybrid workshop/unconference.
Monthly events in Surrey and Abbotsford have ended. Instead we will test demand for occasional workshop-style events.
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So, what do you think? Are we on the right path?
Hi folks!
November is just around the corner. If you want to learn about nonprofit technology, video, community management or digital storytelling we have events for you!
When: Tuesday, November 5
Where: Lost + Found Cafe, Vancouver BC.
RSVP: http://goo.gl/y960vw
Let’s have coffee, enjoy ourselves and discuss how to grow our community through letting go, taking controls and how to manage trolls. Topics include:
When: Tuesday, November 5
Where: The HiVE, Vancouver BC.
RSVP: http://goo.gl/A6UHNB
In November of 2012, Romila Barryman launched a research based campaign that gathered interviews and surveys of geographical and cultural issues of scholarship recipients on the island of Borneo, Indonesia. This NetSquared event delves into the basics of demographic analysis, test campaigns, brand culture – and the importance of storytelling a kick-ass message.
When: Thursday, November 14
Where: Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House, Vancouver BC.
RSVP: http://goo.gl/ZKW5yG
You’re doing important, inspiring work. So why doesn’t everybody know about it?
Learn how tell your story so that it stands out by using free, easy-to-use digital tools.
Our three hour workshop offers hands-on training in digital storytelling skills for nonprofits and community leaders.
When: Thursday, November 14
Where: City Centre Library, Surrey BC.
RSVP: http://goo.gl/bqx8E9
Year-end is coming fast, which is when nonprofits raise the majority of their money online. How do you set up your campaigns so that you’re measuring what really matters? Join Chris Geoghegan for a freeworkshop as he shares his hit presentation from September’s #Net2van meetup.
When: Thursday, November 21
Where: The HiVE, Vancouver BC.
RSVP: http://goo.gl/UUAcsI
So you’ve got a video project and you need some help getting started? Navigating the maze of AV jargon can be a little daunting when all you want to produce is a good video for your audience. Do not despair! This session of Video for Non-Profits is designed for you!
When: Monday, November 25
Where: Executive Briefing Centre: SAP, Vancouver BC.
RSVP: http://goo.gl/ROMKou
This event is the third in a series of six monthly meetups focusing on the work of Community Managers. We will cover everything from strategy to practical tips.
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That’s it for now. See you soon!
Hi folks!
October is almost here. Perhaps the rain is starting to fall more regularly, but as consolation so too are the Net2van events. Check out this flood of nonprofit tech fun!
When: Tuesday, October 1
Where: The HiVE, Vancouver BC.
RSVP: http://j.mp/18zN3n3
So we know you’ve got story.
Your community knows it, your board knows it, you know it.
But is having a great story enough?
It’s the digital age, so we’ll review the best digital storytelling tools.
When: Wednesday, October 9
Where: The HiVE, Vancouver BC.
RSVP: http://j.mp/18zNoGo
Films are not only stories, they are invitations to the audience to feel something. And each frame counts.
During this presentation Steve Rosenberg will deconstruct case studies of successful film campaigns that inspired audiences to not only watch but engage, and identify the elements that made these videos a cut above the rest.
When: Thursday, October 10
Where: City Centre Library, Surrey BC.
RSVP: http://j.mp/17i5A4O
Join SurreyCare’s Erin Anne Beirne to learn how nonprofits can use LinkedIn to reach new supporters and engage their base.
When: Monday, October 21
Where: Executive Briefing Centre: SAP, Vancouver BC.
RSVP: http://j.mp/18zGMHW
Come learn tips and tricks for managing your reputation, building relationships, and obtaining media coverage as effectively and efficiently as you can.
This event is for marketers, communicators, nonprofits and everyone else who wants to learn the art of community management.
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That’s it for now. See you soon!
Our NetSquared Fraser Valley: Abbotsford organizer Darian Kovacs is part of the team organizing a digital storytelling conference on October 1.
The event will be proceeded by a luncheon for charities from 11:00pm-12:30pm and is FREE with conference registration. Use the code NET2 for 50% off conference fees PLUS $150 in Google Adwords.
Register Here: http://www.digitalstorytelling.biz/
Jelly Marketing is bringing together two other world class agencies to share their best ideas — and we’d love to have you join us! Along with Relevention and Domain7, Jelly is thrilled to host a relevant, affordable event for charities and businesses in our area. Executives and marketing professionals are invited to come and brainstorm how to effectively tell their company/organization story online — and learn from some of the best in the business!
Conference runs 1:00 – 5:00pm at Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre in Abbotsford. Exclusive networking wine and cheese reception to follow.
Register Here: http://www.digitalstorytelling.biz/
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The age of digital marketing is here! Three innovative firms have teamed up to share their Digital Storytelling secrets with Abbotsford businesses on October 1st, 2013.
Relevention, Domain7, and Jelly Marketing will co-host this exclusive one-day workshop to inspire and equip local for-profit and non-profit businesses to effectively tell their company’s story online. Each playing to its strength, these three firms will provide a user-friendly run down of what it takes to bring a story to life in the digital age. Companies are invited to bring management, board members and marketing staff together for this opportunity to brainstorm, plan, and strategize with some of the best Digital Storytellers in the business.
“Abbotsford is home to some top tier companies working with global brands. I wanted to get together these Abbotsford companies who are known across Canada and around the world for digital excellence,” shares Darian Kovacs, Principal at Jelly Marketing.
Get advice from those who deliver as the secret weapons of successful marketing are revealed. Each host company will present their signature strength within the Digital Storytelling sphere: Relevention — Research Strategy, Domain7 – Web Strategy, and Jelly Marketing – Social Media & PR Strategy.
Come get (re)introduced to the crucial components of compelling marketing: story and strategy. With Relevention, Domain7, and Jelly Marketing at the helm, businesses will be coached through an inside-out approach to both key elements in expert detail. Also, organizers are offering a bonus gift to businesses or organizations that pre-register: $150 in FREE Google Adwords credits.
For companies in the charitable sector, a pre-event luncheon will be held for those who are eager to incorporate storytelling into their organization. Hosts will share their success stories and provide practical ideas for digital fundraising and promotions. The lunch is a FREE option for charities from 11:00am – 12:30pm.
Digital Storytelling workshop will be held Tuesday, October 1st from 1:00 – 5:00pm at Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre in Abbotsford. Exclusive networking wine and cheese reception to follow.
Register Here: http://www.digitalstorytelling.biz/