Writing For Change has been a great learning experience. I've always had a special interest in non-profit organizations and volunteer work. The skills that I've learned taking this class have given me a way to help local organizations (and possibly work for one later on!). It helps immensely to have a class that breaks down the requirements and conventions of documents in the non-profit sector. Other people may figure it out as they go, but I certainly prefer getting the overview in one semester!
The most helpful thing that I've gained in this class is the understanding that advocacy writing functions like any other technical writing. There are certain things that are expected of each document for each audience. Sure, it's more complicated than that when you start writing, but at it's heart, grant writing isn't really different from a job application--you want to use the language of the organization, you want to ask for funds in exchange for work, and you have to follow the instructions.
That makes it seem slightly less intimidating, right?
My favorite part of this semester, though, has totally been the blogging. Which is weird, since I've tried blogging before and wasn't such a fan. I think it's different since I'm writing about a specific experience, but more importantly, an important organization. El Zocalo is a young organization and I'm incredibly pleased to be able to represent them in blog form. Hopefully it has (and will continue to) spread some awareness (and gained support for) their organization.
As my schedule (and attention span) allows, I plan on continuing to write about the issues that face immigrants in Arkansas (and the rest of the United States), El Zocalo, and my advocacy writing (read as bleeding heart) experiences!
Showing posts with label reflecting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reflecting. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Technology is not the best
Usually I consider myself pretty tech-savvy!
I can make minor adjustments to html tags, I can operate Adobe Photoshop with competency, and Microsoft Office with ease. I'm a regular, and enthusiastic, user of social media.
Even with all of those things in my favor, sometimes even my interactions with technology go... awry. There are so many different web applications and mobile versions of this application or that! And some interface more effectively than others.
Blogger, for example, has a mobile app. Last Saturday, I tried to upload my blog post from the Blogger mobile app. The app gave me a message that said it had posted, then I went to type a post today and found my post from last week in my drafts!
Obviously, I'm not as tech-savvy as I think I am.
Technology is something than many non-profit organizations are struggling to utilize well! It can be difficult keeping up with the best way to get new followers on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or that new blog you've started to get publicity. There are tips and tricks to each different medium and it can basically be a full time job to successfully use all available
What I think might work best is for organizations to start out with one or two media outlets. Then, as they build a base, add one or two more. This spreads out the amount of time spent learning the "tricks" to getting followers and gives the writer time to acclimate to each platform.
Maybe I'm just oversimplifying! Or maybe my plan moves too slowly and results in missing out on some early involvement. Opinions?
I can make minor adjustments to html tags, I can operate Adobe Photoshop with competency, and Microsoft Office with ease. I'm a regular, and enthusiastic, user of social media.
Even with all of those things in my favor, sometimes even my interactions with technology go... awry. There are so many different web applications and mobile versions of this application or that! And some interface more effectively than others.
Blogger, for example, has a mobile app. Last Saturday, I tried to upload my blog post from the Blogger mobile app. The app gave me a message that said it had posted, then I went to type a post today and found my post from last week in my drafts!
Obviously, I'm not as tech-savvy as I think I am.
Technology is something than many non-profit organizations are struggling to utilize well! It can be difficult keeping up with the best way to get new followers on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, or that new blog you've started to get publicity. There are tips and tricks to each different medium and it can basically be a full time job to successfully use all available
What I think might work best is for organizations to start out with one or two media outlets. Then, as they build a base, add one or two more. This spreads out the amount of time spent learning the "tricks" to getting followers and gives the writer time to acclimate to each platform.
Maybe I'm just oversimplifying! Or maybe my plan moves too slowly and results in missing out on some early involvement. Opinions?
Monday, February 4, 2013
Fundraising??
The last couple of weeks in class, we've been discussing fundraising. As in, how to do it.
If you've never attempted fundraising before, you may not understand how ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING it can be.
Luckily, we've got our awesome textbook (The Grant Writing Toolkit) that gives us the technical parts of each step and guides us through the different aspects of creating a budget and all that jazz. The book goes in to all of the stuff that anyone who has tried to do a fundraiser for a church youth room renovation would have given their left arm to know. The business theories, the marketing strategies, all of the basic rules of what works and why.
It can't convey, however, that extra bit of personability and spark that really make or break a fundraiser. That's the part the church fundraiser usually nails. Our instructor made up for that by bringing in two great guest speakers! One was a grant writer for Bethlehem House, a local homeless shelter, and the other is an experienced grant writer now on a committee that approves grants for the City of Little Rock.
Unfortunately, what they had to add was basically "this is just as hard as you think it is, probably even harder." Jill Imboden, the representative from Bethlehem House, stressed the need for good marketing materials and personal contact in fundraising. And connections. Connections were the worst because what undergrad has connections to millionaires? Basically none. One bit of advice she had to add (that wasn't wholly disheartening) was that we should be aware of our audience and match our marketing materials to our target audience. For example, young professionals like YouTube videos, but older supporters may still prefer receiving tri-fold pamphlets in the mail.
Marq Golden, the representative from the City of Little Rock, talked more about grants. He's not only written many grants, but also been on committees judging the grants. His advice was fantastic, but also daunting for an undergrad partnering with a small non-profit. He shared that government grants are really looking to fund cooperative efforts. For example, if someone is applying for a grant for a community center, they would want to see a local educational non-profit pairing with a local sports league to provide activities for at risk youth. Things like that.
That's all totally easy to pull out of a hat, right?
And that's not even getting to the budget. Sheesh. Well, hopefully this secret insider advice is as interesting to you as it was to me and my classmates!
...still daunted...
If you've never attempted fundraising before, you may not understand how ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING it can be.
Luckily, we've got our awesome textbook (The Grant Writing Toolkit) that gives us the technical parts of each step and guides us through the different aspects of creating a budget and all that jazz. The book goes in to all of the stuff that anyone who has tried to do a fundraiser for a church youth room renovation would have given their left arm to know. The business theories, the marketing strategies, all of the basic rules of what works and why.
It can't convey, however, that extra bit of personability and spark that really make or break a fundraiser. That's the part the church fundraiser usually nails. Our instructor made up for that by bringing in two great guest speakers! One was a grant writer for Bethlehem House, a local homeless shelter, and the other is an experienced grant writer now on a committee that approves grants for the City of Little Rock.
Unfortunately, what they had to add was basically "this is just as hard as you think it is, probably even harder." Jill Imboden, the representative from Bethlehem House, stressed the need for good marketing materials and personal contact in fundraising. And connections. Connections were the worst because what undergrad has connections to millionaires? Basically none. One bit of advice she had to add (that wasn't wholly disheartening) was that we should be aware of our audience and match our marketing materials to our target audience. For example, young professionals like YouTube videos, but older supporters may still prefer receiving tri-fold pamphlets in the mail.
Marq Golden, the representative from the City of Little Rock, talked more about grants. He's not only written many grants, but also been on committees judging the grants. His advice was fantastic, but also daunting for an undergrad partnering with a small non-profit. He shared that government grants are really looking to fund cooperative efforts. For example, if someone is applying for a grant for a community center, they would want to see a local educational non-profit pairing with a local sports league to provide activities for at risk youth. Things like that.
That's all totally easy to pull out of a hat, right?
And that's not even getting to the budget. Sheesh. Well, hopefully this secret insider advice is as interesting to you as it was to me and my classmates!
...still daunted...
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Hello, there!
I've started this blog to correspond with an exploration of charitable non-profit organizations and advocacy writing (read: its actually homework and my professor is making me).
Ideally, this blog will be a way for me to explore and reflect on things that are going on in the world as well as a way to fulfill the criteria of a class assignment. The requirements include reflecting on the research we do for Writing For Change (the class), but I think doing just that certainly limits my audience.
I don't really want to start going off on a rant about the American Red Cross burning donated blankets (Yeah, that happened. They didn't have enough room to store them over the summer. Like, what?) without also explaining that one thing to consider before donating or volunteering your work or writing talents for a non profit is the non profit's ethical practices. While my classmates would know that relates to the study, any one else may not.
That said, any time I'm being crazy, feel free to comment for clarification. Even if you are a classmate and should know better.
Perhaps I should also add a warning that I'm not always the most formal person, so some posts may be less professional sounding and a little more tongue in cheek. I hope. I don't want to be boring!
Ideally, this blog will be a way for me to explore and reflect on things that are going on in the world as well as a way to fulfill the criteria of a class assignment. The requirements include reflecting on the research we do for Writing For Change (the class), but I think doing just that certainly limits my audience.
I don't really want to start going off on a rant about the American Red Cross burning donated blankets (Yeah, that happened. They didn't have enough room to store them over the summer. Like, what?) without also explaining that one thing to consider before donating or volunteering your work or writing talents for a non profit is the non profit's ethical practices. While my classmates would know that relates to the study, any one else may not.
That said, any time I'm being crazy, feel free to comment for clarification. Even if you are a classmate and should know better.
Perhaps I should also add a warning that I'm not always the most formal person, so some posts may be less professional sounding and a little more tongue in cheek. I hope. I don't want to be boring!
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