Is the Web still a windfall for Non-profits? – Part 1
The Non-profits that successfully integrate Web 2.0 tools and techniques effectively into their communications and programming strategies are showing signs of breaking away from the pack and reaping the many benefits Web 2.0 has to offer. They do not necessarily raise larger dollar amounts than others but, the Web 2.0 enabled organizations are reaching large amounts of new potential donors, particularly younger groups, and laying important ground work for the next generation of philanthropic supporters.
Web 2.0 Adoption Challenges When it comes to putting web 2.0 opportunities into practice in the humdrum everyday nonprofit work, most non-profits must deal with adoption issues, as a recent study from the Overbrook Foundation has shown. In spite of the popularity of many Web 2.0 tools like social networking and socialized media, a lot of nonprofits are just embarking on the early stages of exploration; some are even paralyzed by unanswered questions or concerns, a lack of knowledge or skills, concerns about control of branding or messaging, or others simply do not view web 2.0 as a priority. Many organizations feel pressured to adopt these tools or see Web 2.0 as a trend that will go the way of the dodo.
Some nonprofits feel that they need to adopt a new way of making their allies the carriers of their message, and their mission. To help make this shift happen, there is a need to educate more nonprofits about what potential Web 2.0 tools offer to them and the most practical ways to get on the bandwagon. It took years for many organizations in the nonprofit world to change from faxes to using email and it will most assuredly be the same when bridging the gap from Web 1 to Web 2.0. Those organizations that have successfully answered the question and found out why Web 2.0 is so important are now starting to grapple with the following questions:
How does this affect our mission?
And how do we do this the right way?
