Happy 2014! Start the new year off right by doing any of the following right now on the TechSoup forum! (these are also great ideas for microvolunteering with TechSoup):
Fill out your TechSoup profile (link goes to how to do that, with suggestions on what to write)
Introduce yourself to the forum, if you have never done so. We have a branch specifically for introductions! You could say something about yourself and/or any nonprofits or related organizations you are affiliated with, a little something about why you care about nonprofits' use of computer, Internet and networking technology, or a bit about what you do as a staff member or volunteer regarding tech use at such an organization.
Share your biggest or most recent tech mistake
Post to the database and software forum branch, and say
what software you use to track, schedule and support volunteers (or, as a volunteer, what software is used by organizations you work with) - and how you like it (or don't), why you chose it, etc.
what software you use to track donors/donations - and how you like it (or don't), why you chose it, etc.
what software you use for specialized functions at your nonprofit, depending on its mission - to sell tickets, to track client support, to track food donation inventories, to track mentoring relationships, to track animal adoptions, etc. - and how you like it (or don't), why you chose it, etc.
what software tool you absolutely could not live without to do your employee, consulting or volunteer work at or for a mission-based organization or initiative (spread sheets, GoogleDocs, Drop Box, Microsoft Outlook, etc.)
Post to the digital engagement forum branch, and say
how you use Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Flickr, or any social networking site on behalf of a nonprofit, library, government agency or other mission-based organization, or how such is used with you, as a volunteer for such - or how you want to use these tools
how you use YahooGroups, GoogleGroups, Ning, or any other online community platform at your nonprofit, library, government agency or other mission-based organization - or how you want to
what software you use to send email newsletters to your volunteers, clients, donors or anyone on your mailing list - and how satisfied you are with it or why you chose it.
Say what your top tech challenges are in your work at or with a nonprofit, library, government agency or other mission-based organization
Say what you wish your executive director or board understood re: tech needs / tech challenges
Share what you learned today, this week, or recently about tech at a nonprofit, library or other org (is there a button or a function you just figured out on your smart phone? or did you figure out that your email program can do something you didn't know it could do?)
Share your Twitter lists. If you have created subject-focused Twitter lists, share them if you feel any could be helpful to nonprofits, libraries, government agencies, NGOs or any mission-based organizations.
Post to the digital story-telling forum and say how you use YouTube, Vimeo, Flickr, or any video or photo to tell the story of your initiative - or ask a question about how to use any of these tools or for feedback on online stories (videos, photos) you've posted
Share what mobile apps you promote to clients, volunteers, supporters, staff as a part of your organization's mission
Share what you want, as a manager of volunteers, from mobile apps, to help you in your work of involving volunteers
Go through the forum branch of your choice, or look through the recent activity view of messages, and jump into a thread - offer comments based on your own experience to someone else's question, confirm or challenge what someone else has said, ask questions, etc.
Please also read our Forum Rules / Community Standards, which cover the rules and guidelines for participating in this forum category or any other part of the TechSoup community forum. If you are a software or hardware vendor, it is especially important that you read our rules.
Those are just a few ideas to get you started! Let's hear from you!