This blog is for volunteers, webmasters and administrators of associations, clubs, charities, communities and other groups. We discuss issues and trends in modern web technologies that help your organization achieve more with less. This blog is sponsored by Wild Apricot membership software: a set of tools for membership administration, event registration, website management, online fundraising - with friendly and knowledgeable tech support. See for yourself how affordable and easy it is to use: - Take a tour!

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• 26 March 2008

  Wild Apricot Updates and Plans 

  The spring is here. (Kinda of - Toronto is still very cold with piles of snow on the streets!) We did some spring cleaning for our March 6th update: Making it easier/more straightforward to handle exceptional situations - like manual entry of transactions by administrators or payments failed on the first try. It might not sound as glamorous and exciting as new features - but we knew we had to do it to keep our promise of making the lives of our clients easier with our software, not add stress! Specifically: Read More... Posted Wednesday, March 26, 2008 4:45 PM by Stacey | 14 Comments Filed under: Associations, InfoZone, New releases, Non-profit technology, nptech, Web 2.0, Wild Apricot

• 26 February 2008

  Wild Apricot Updates and Roadmap 

  Another month - more exciting updates about Wild Apricot integrated website and membership management software. We appreciate ongoing comments and suggestions - and Wild Apricot keeps evolving to address your feedback. Our early February release included: Ability to add multiple private website sections, e.g. one section for regular members, another one for premium members, yet another for the board etc. Saved searches. Create a search as usual, save it - and instantly re-run it later on. Here is Read More... Posted Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:00 AM by Stacey | 2 Comments Filed under: Associations, InfoZone, New releases, Non-profit technology, nptech, Web 2.0, Wild Apricot

• 25 January 2008

  How to Use Gmail Filters to Organize and Manage your Email Accounts  

  One of the coolest things about Gmail is its filters.They are a simple way to organize your messages automatically by providing a set of rules. It’s a way to set up your e-mail and have control of information going in or out. Like most email, Gmail applies the rules to the messages you receive and to the sent mail but this way you are able to customize your e-mail. When set up properly, filters add loads of functionality to your already-powerful Gmail account. Save time and space, rid your inbox Read More... Posted Friday, January 25, 2008 2:41 PM by Creative Apricot | 1 Comments Filed under: Associations, General non-profit interest, Google, Non-profit technology, nptech, Web 2.0

• 24 January 2008

  Upcoming Technology Events for the Non-Profit Community  

  With our lives operating at a fast speed, it's easy to miss important events. But please don't miss these. Here are two events you won't want to miss in 2008! 1. 2008 Association Technology Conference & Expo The three day conference that will be held on January 31st through February 1st, 2008 in Washington, DC brings together an excellent group of thought-leaders, pioneers, and the next generation of users to discuss major trends and technological innovations that will impact your organization Read More... Posted Thursday, January 24, 2008 5:00 PM by Creative Apricot | 4 Comments Filed under: Associations, Conferences, General non-profit interest, Non-profit technology, nptech, Web 2.0

• 21 January 2008

  A Charity Badge to Raise Dough? 

  This post has been contributed by Lance Trebesch and Colt Lapham from TicketPrinting.com A charity badge is a small widget often including a picture, brief description of the organization, and link to where you can make a donation. The beauty of the charity badge is that it allows users to share with one another by simply clicking on “get this badge” (wording may vary depending on badge provider) then copy and paste the html code onto their website or blog. Much like a chain letter, the potential Read More... Posted Monday, January 21, 2008 7:55 PM by Creative Apricot | 0 Comments Filed under: Associations, General non-profit interest, Non-profit technology, nptech, Web 2.0, Widgets

• 18 January 2008

  Top 3 posts for December 2007  

  Looking back on my posts for December 2007, these were the most popular posts according to Google Analytics: Top 10 easy-to-use photo sharing websites and slideshow tools for your nonprofit photos ...this post reflects how increasingly popular photo-sharing has become for associations, clubs and nonprofits to publish or distribute their digital photos online. So for this post , I took the time to review and search through a number of slideshow tools to find one that 1) works consistently across browsers, Read More... Posted Friday, January 18, 2008 9:00 AM by Creative Apricot | 0 Comments Filed under: Associations, General non-profit interest, Non-profit technology, nptech, Web 2.0

• 17 January 2008

  Create a video for your nonprofit, and win a trip to San Francisco -- 2nd Annual DoGooderTV Awards  

  Here's another great reason to put your video skills to use! See3 Communications and the Nonprofit Technology Network ( NTEN ) invite you to submit your videos to the contest, hosted on DoGooderTV . The theme of this year's contest is From the Ground Up: Using Technology to Engage Constituents and Make the World a Better Place . For inspiration, check out last year's winner, Avaaz' " Stop the Clash of Civilizations ". The second annual DoGooderTV NonProfit Video Awards at NTC seeks to highlight the Read More... Posted Thursday, January 17, 2008 4:39 PM by Creative Apricot | 2 Comments Filed under: Associations, Awards, Non-profit Communications, nptech, Video, Web 2.0

• 14 January 2008

  Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants - Best web 2.0 and social networking tools for nonprofits 

  This week I'm hosting the blog Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants . As always, it features the seven best posts for nonprofits from across the blogosphere, this week focusing on web 2.0 and social networking tools. Enjoy! 1. Jason at A Small Change- Fundraising Blog tells us how blogging can help us fundraise, increase our visibility and how technology can be used to engage new donors. 2. Casey Williams at On Your Feet Project Blog discusses Google Knol and provides actionable advice for non-profits Read More... Posted Monday, January 14, 2008 9:00 AM by Creative Apricot | 2 Comments Filed under: Associations, General non-profit interest, NPC Carnival, nptech, Web 2.0

• 08 January 2008

  How are non-profits using Web 2.0 and social networking tools?  

  I’m hosting the Carnival of Nonprofit Consultants on Monday, January 14th. This is my first time to host the carnival on this blog and I'm very excited about it. For those new to blog carnivals, they are a collection of advice and resources that consultants and other support organizations offer to nonprofits through their blogs each week. The theme is, How are non-profits using web 2.0 and social networking tools and simple tips on using these various tools. Here's what to do : 1. Some time between Read More... Posted Tuesday, January 08, 2008 9:00 AM by Creative Apricot | 5 Comments Filed under: Associations, General non-profit interest, Non-profit technology, NPC Carnival, nptech, Web 2.0

• 07 January 2008

  New Report from Idealware: Comparing Lower-Cost Online Integrated Applications 

  Laura Quinn, Founder and Director of Idealware and Eric Leland have published an overview report that will help smaller organizations looking for online service providers who can offer a full range of integrated services such as online donations, email management, membership database, and manage event registrations. Idealware reviews eight service packages provided by 8 leading companies to compare their functionality in a variety of areas: Wild Apricot , eTapestry, GivenGain, MemberClicks, Z2 Systems Read More... Posted Monday, January 07, 2008 9:00 AM by Creative Apricot | 2 Comments Filed under: Associations, General non-profit interest, Non-profit technology, nptech, Web 2.0, Wild Apricot

• 03 January 2008

  6 Unique Online Fundraising Techniques for Your Nonprofit (Part 6 of 6) 

  This post has been contributed by Lance Trebesch and Colt Lapham from TicketPrinting.com 6. Online Raffles Online raffle events present great possibilities to raise substantial funds for your organization. It is possible to sell an astounding number of high priced raffle tickets for a high value item, or reach many small groups interested in unique, diversely priced, raffle items and bundles. In addition to the great proceed generating opportunities of online raffles, you can also greatly to expand Read More... Posted Thursday, January 03, 2008 2:32 PM by Creative Apricot | 1 Comments Filed under: Associations, Fundraising, General non-profit interest, Non-profit technology, nptech, Web 2.0

• 27 December 2007

  Two New Releases and Happy Holidays from Wild Apricot 

  Two new versions of Wild Apricot, 2.27 and 2.28 have been released in December. Here's a quick overview of new features and changes (read more on Wild Apricot release history page ): Best wishes to a safe and joyous holiday season for you and yours! Automatic recurring payments You can now have members be charged automatically on monthly, quarterly etc. basis Point and click customization Adjusting colors and styles across your site without any technical skills required. Workflow customization for Read More... Posted Thursday, December 27, 2007 4:26 PM by Creative Apricot | 0 Comments Filed under: Associations, Non-profit technology, nptech, Web 2.0, Wild Apricot

• 24 December 2007

  Making Fundraising Fun and Easy  

  Copyright, Grantland Enterprises; www.grantland.net . Used with permission. May not be reproduced in any format. Read More... Posted Monday, December 24, 2007 2:10 PM by Creative Apricot | 0 Comments Filed under: Associations, General non-profit interest, Humor, Non-profit technology, nptech

• 21 December 2007

  Add your very own online store to your website, blog, or social networking page with the Paypal Storefront Widget 

  PayPal has introduced an easier way for setup online shopping on your website with a web-based widget. This is a great tool for any community, charity, club, nonprofits and fundraising website. The PayPal Storefront Widget lets you embed a virtual storefront directly into your blog, website or social networking page. With the holiday season upon us, I see this as a perfect tool for nonprofits looking for a quick and easy way to sell gifts, donations and other merchandise online. Highlights: Some Read More... Posted Friday, December 21, 2007 6:35 PM by Creative Apricot | 5 Comments Filed under: Associations, General non-profit interest, Non-profit technology, nptech, Web 2.0, Widgets

• 19 December 2007

  6 Unique Online Fundraising Techniques for Your Nonprofit (Part 5 of 6)  

  This post has been contributed by Lance Trebesch and Colt Lapham from TicketPrinting.com Overview Every nonprofit knows that fundraisers are critical to their existence. Without donations, no resources are available to support the primary cause or purpose of the organization. While most traditional media channels have been exhausted, new opportunities have arisen in the online sector. By tapping into cutting-edge online resources, your organization can achieve fundraising objectives that far exceed Read More... Posted Wednesday, December 19, 2007 2:39 PM by Creative Apricot | 0 Comments Filed under: Associations, Best practices, Blogging, General non-profit interest, Non-profit technology, nptech, Web 2.0