In December, a Social Media blog took the top spot in the links tally at AssociationJam.org. Given the season, it wasn't surprising that Fundraising articles were also popular in the links voting. There were also a few interesting articles and blog posts on Leadership, Events and Volunteers. Here's a look at some of the most popular links submitted to Association Jam in December, 2010 by category:

Events:

Events and Social Media:  A New Mindset

Rebecca Rolfes | LeaderConnect

"While events are finally rebounding...associations need a new mindset to face our new financial reality where events and social media are concerned." Rebecca Rolfes suggests six steps to take to "figure out how to make the new work and stop pining for the financial model we all knew and loved."

Leadership:

Why Your Business Should Consider Reverse Mentorship

Erica Swallow  | Mashable

"Reverse Mentorship"... is a two-way conversation - digitally savvy newcomers to the business world have the opportunity to impart their tips and tricks for mastering the internet and senior business leaders act as role models and career coaches for budding professionals."

Volunteers:

Bridging the Gap

Volunteer Canada  

A new pan-Canadian research study looks at how we can "bridge the gap between what Canadians are looking for in volunteering today and how organizations are engaging volunteers." This study was designed to "gather practical information through a more in-depth exploration of four specific demographic groups:  youth, families, baby boomers and employer-supported volunteers.

Fundraising:

Manipulating the Charitable Mindset

Susan Pinker | Globe and Mail

Let's call it corporate givernance. By this time of year, about 80 per cent of large Canadian companies have launched their annual charitable fund-raising campaigns...but can you really manipulate people's mindsets to prompt them to give more?

Does Direct Mail Still Have a Place in 21st Century Fundraising?

Blase Ciabaton | TheDirectMailMan.com

Options like online donations, social media and e-mail marketing have made it more confusing than ever to allocate your limited fundraising dollars. However, a recent study titled "Heart of the Donor: Insights into the Motivation and Behavior of Donors in the 21st Century" found that most donors are still giving through the mail.

Social Media:

Social Media is Exploding But is it Having a Positive Impact on Nonprofits?

Carol-Anne Moutinho  | Association Resource Center - ARC Blog

Even though we've been bombarded over the past years with opinions lauding the benefits of social media, many non-profits still don't seem to know whether or not it is actually working and don't have an actual strategy for social media.

Other:

Wanna be Inspired? My fave TED Talks for nonprofits

Carol-Anne Moutinho  | Association Resource Center - ARC Blog

Here are just a few TED talks I have come upon recently that I feel have bearing on the nonprofit world. If you need to clear your head for a few minutes, these are a great way to take a step back and get some perspective.

Do you have something to say to Associations?

If you’ve got a stand-out blog post, article, presentation, video, or other online resource to help associations and non-profits be more effective, we invite you to submit your links to AssociationJam.org and vote for your favorites. Follow @associationjam on Twitter to see which stories make it as #ajam front page news!