GuideStar International's Blog

February 14, 2012

Tell Your Story In 1 Minute To Win – TechSoup Global’s Digital Storytelling Challenge is on!

Filed under: civil society — guidestarinternational @ 10:45
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We’d like to invite you or your organisation to participate in our 2012 TechSoup Digital Storytelling Challenge. We’re in the midst of an exciting challenge with learning opportunities and a chance to submit your one-minute video or five-photo slideshow to win excellent award donations from our partners.

This challenge is open to all social benefit organisations regardless of registered status or location.

How to get involved this year

  • Submit a one-minute video or five-photo slideshow to win prizes
  • Register for our upcoming free webinar on post-production (2/16) with David J. Neff of Lights. Camera. Help.
  • Join us for a tweet chat (2/14) about social sharing to learn how to get your video in front of the eyeballs that matter most to your org
  • Encourage everyone you know to participate! Spread the word: www.tsdigs.org
  • Subscribe to our Google group to stay up to date on all of these exciting happenings

Remember that video is the content people are spending the most time with online these days, and digital stories are a powerful way to share the passion and hard work your organization has for its mission! The video is yours to keep and use after the challenge is over.

What’s your organization’s story? Share it now!

March 28, 2011

Reflections from GSI’s CEO on the TechSoup Global Contributor’s Summit

Filed under: civil society,ICT for Development,Philanthropy — guidestarinternational @ 10:45
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By Tinsley Goad, CEO, GuideStar International and Senior Technical Director, TechSoup Global

During the week of 14 February it seemed as if our entire world came to San Francisco.  The TechSoup Global Contributors Summit offered TSG staff the opportunity to interact with the members of TechSoup Global Network over the course of 3 days and 4 nights.  Unlike most “conferences”, the TSG Summit was very much a “user” driven event, with the entire second day’s agenda determined by participant suggestions following the first day.  Throughout the week, partners were able to interact with TSG staff, potential collaborators, each other, and a wide array of third parties to delve into some of the most pressing issues faced by the collective group.

Several key theme emerged over the course of the week.  Clearly the power and potential of the network itself was a focal point for the group.  Our reach now spans more than 35 countries, and the collective wisdom, experience, and entrepreneurial spirit in this group is extensive; and if leveraged properly can lead to amazing outcomes across the world.  For the first time a Partner Advisory Council was seated and the members are clearly very excited about the opportunity to formally influence the strategic direction of our global programs and their tactical implementation throughout the network.

Another topic of vigorous discussion was cloud computing.   As many have said, “nothing is certain save for change”, and the group seemed unanimous in accepting that the move to the cloud is both inevitable and will have a profound impact over the long term.   But, in line with the spirit of this group, many conversations involved the opportunities that cloud computing could offer.

Not surprisingly, the greatest value of the Summit was in providing our network partners and other contributors ample opportunity to connect with old friends and make many new ones.  The nature of our global reach dictates that face time is rare, and as such is ever more valuable when we do have it.   The many side-bars during the course of the day; along with more relaxed discussions over breakfast, lunch, dinner…and afterwards, were absolutely invaluable in establishing and strengthening the relationships that are not only critical to our collective success, but in fact define our lives in so many ways.

While we all came away weary from these intensive days, I know that we also arrived at our homes with renewed energy and dedication to our critical work around the world.

February 11, 2011

Introducing the TechSoup Global Contributors’ Summit

Filed under: ICT for Development — guidestarinternational @ 17:00
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This post originally appeared on TechSoup’s NetSquared Blog and was authored by Amy Sample Ward.

TechSoup Global Contributors' Summit LogoFor 23 years, TechSoup Global has been working to build networks — networks of organizations that need technology support, networks of corporations that are willing to donate their products, networks of funders interested in building the capacity of civil society, and networks of technical volunteers.

In the last six years, we have built two formal networks — one of more than 24,000 on-the-ground technology activists via our NetSquared initiative; and the other of capacity-building organizations, capable of delivering technology solutions to other NGOs in 35 countries around the world. At TechSoup Global, we see that we have reached a critical point: a place where our reach, our programs, our partners, and our contributors can come together to develop and deliver solutions to the entire sector, worldwide, or, at the local level, to one innovative organization at a time.

The TechSoup Global Contributors’ Summit, taking place next week, will be the place where opportunity and action meet. Representatives of our networks and other affinity groups (funders, corporate donors, social media experts, capacity-building organizations, and other social change technologists) will convene at Microsoft’s Silicon Valley campus to participate in two days of programming focused on provoking discussion about how these networks, and the capabilities that power them, can be effectively leveraged to create greater impact. We will especially focus on welding together product donations, data services, and human capacity to help build truly resilient civil society, both in the wake of a disaster like Haiti’s and in the developing (as well as the developed) countries of the world.

Over the next week, participants will begin introducing themselves and the ideas they want to explore through posts on the blog. You can follow these posts as well as any notes and other posts that emerge from the sessions next week by following the TSG2011 tag.

Stay tuned for introductions and highlights from the Summit!

May 17, 2010

“Leading the charge: innovative uses of technology and information to connect funders to communities”

Filed under: Access to information,Fundraising,ICT for Development,Philanthropy — guidestarinternational @ 09:42
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Fundacja TechSoup is holding a discussion, at the first ever European Foundation Week, entitled “Leading the charge: innovative uses of technology and information to connect funders to communities” on the 1st June 2010 at the Square Brussels Meeting Centre, Mont des Arts 22, 1000 Brussels, Belgium (Room 213). Time: 14:00 – 16:00. Free Admission.

Speakers:

  • Gabriel Rissola, Director, Dynamic Organization Thinking (D.O.T), Spain
  • Gyula Vamosi, Kaskosan.com and Roma Community member, Hungary
  • Lenka Surotchak, Director, Pontis Foundation, Slovakia
  • Sylvie Laffarge, Director, Microsoft Community Affairs, EMEA

About the Session: Foundations, corporations, policy makers, and civil society organisations (CSOs) all have a shared mandate to strengthen communities. Yet the combination of a financial crisis and complex social needs is challenging the effectiveness of established organisations, as well as groups taking innovative approaches to engage all members of society.  Fundacja TechSoup and its European partners use technology and information to more efficiently connect funders and CSOs and to build critical capacity in the sector. Learn how Fundacja TechSoup can help identify, highlight, resource and foster innovation to support and strengthen the efforts of CSOs working on the world’s most pressing social issues.

To find out more email FoundationWeek@techsoupglobal.org

April 15, 2010

GuideStar International and TechSoup Global Combine Operations

Filed under: Access to information,Accountability,civil society,CSO reporting,ephilanthropy,ICT for Development — guidestarinternational @ 16:38
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We are pleased to announce some exciting news this month. GuideStar International, and Techsoup Global, a US based 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organisation that provides technology resources information and knowledge to civil society organisations around the world have today combined their operations. We believe that this unique combination will bring increased benefits for the civil society sector since both organisations share a common mission. This mission is to benefit global civil society through the provision of technology, resources and knowledge.

“This is an exciting time for the philanthropic sector and for our two organizations,” said Rebecca Masisak, co-CEO of Techsoup Global. “Both GuideStar International and Techsoup Global have created contribution economies — networks of far-reaching partnerships with foundations and corporations, governments, and NGOs — and over the years we have developed a deep respect for one another’s work. As our paths crossed and our approach naturally converged, it became clear that by formally combining our operations, we can work together more efficiently and powerfully for global good.”

“Today’s announcement reflects our mutual conviction about the central importance of information and technology for the future of a robust global civil society — and it also promises an exciting future for our international network of GuideStars,” said Buzz Schmidt, founder and head of GuideStar International. “With the capabilities, resources, and reach of Techsoup Global, the GuideStar International network has far greater sustainability and opportunity than ever before.”

Luc Tayart de Borms, managing director of the King Baudouin Foundation and chair of GuideStar International, added, “This is an important collaboration that will increase investment in and access to critical resources for civil society. By combining the strengths of these programs, TechSoup Global and GuideStar International will be able to create synergies and to offer a common proposition to civil society in many countries.”

You can read more about the combination in the Press Release.

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