Craigslist 2008 Boot Camp-NYC August 18, 2008 By Pat Weaver

We just returned from the Craigslist Foundation Boot Camp at NYU in NYC. I blew into NYC (literally), right along with the first tornado the city has ever seen. As one of my friends so eloquently put it, “I doubt that was a coincidence!”  They know me well. Luckily Ellen joined me Saturday and brought the sunshine with her.

The nonprofit world we live in never ceases to amaze me. I feel so humbled after meeting people who are dedicating their lives to help others. There are many stories to share, but a few stand out....there was Theo, a retired Veteran who is starting a nonprofit to help returning Vets transition back into the community and Dunella, the woman whose 15-year-old honor student son was hit by a car, suffered a serious brain injury, and has fought for his rights for the past 22 years. She wants to help others in similar situations become self sufficient.

Meet Tennille De Freitas. After speaking with her for a few minutes, you can’t help but be inspired. She and a friend, Alexi Panos started E.P.I.C. (Everyday People Initiating Change). Check out their website www.epicthemovement.org. Tennille is a beautiful young woman who is a student (double major no less), a talented musician, started a nonprofit and is currently working on a project to provide clean water to children in Tanzania. Think you’re tired?! Her message is we can all change the world if we don’t put limits on ourselves or what is possible. I talked to her for 15 minutes and I’ll remember her forever.

There’s also Teresa Dangwa, a woman whose smile is as big as her heart. Teresa is a native of Zimbabwe; she, a victim of violence, came to the US to provide a better life for herself and her son. She began working in a nonprofit, and put money aside each month to provide support for girls in Zimbabwe who have contracted AIDS as a result of unspeakable violence against them. She is currently supporting 200 girls, the youngest is 9 months old. She is just starting a nonprofit, Dangwa Initiative, to continue her work.  Her website is: www.greatminds1.org.

These are just a few of the incredible people we have the opportunity to meet every day. Sharing GiftWorks with people who are changing the world, one person at a time, is what we’re all about. It’s an honor, a privilege and a challenge I feel so fortunate to be part of every single day.

GiftWorks and Techsoup August 4, 2008 By Mary Pat Donnellon

One of the more satisfying aspects of our work at Mission Research is the mutually beneficial partnerships we have forged.  From our consultant partners:  fundraising, financial and technology experts who recommend us to their clients, to our state nonprofit association partners who recommend us to their membership, and one that I want to highlight today: Techsoup. 

Techsoup is dedicated to bringing technology to nonprofits in many ways.  They host active and lively discussion forums, highlight news and information critical to nonprofits, and offer amazing discounts on a number of nonprofit technology products.  Microsoft, Intuit, and yes, Mission Research have made donations of software to Techsoup to enable nonprofits to use technology to meet their mission most effectively.

Our current contribution to Techsoup is for the smallest and just-starting-out nonprofits.  GiftWorks is always affordable for all nonprofits, but we donate GiftWorks to nonprofits with annual budgets of $25,000 or less through Techsoup (only fee is a $25 Techsoup admin fee), and nonprofits with annual budgets of $25,001 to $50,000 can purchase GiftWorks for only $99.  In the first half of 2008, the value of our GiftWorks donations and discounts through Techsoup totaled over $100,000!

While some may say "small nonprofits don't need fundraising software," we are finding that hundreds are taking the opportunity to get started on the right foot and using technology to manage their efforts to attract support for their mission.  If you are a small nonprofit or know one that could benefit from GiftWorks or other technology, please direct them to www.techsoup.org.   

We are proud to work with Techsoup in supporting the nonprofit sector!

-Mary Pat Donnellon