Comments on: Youtube for DATA = nonprofit transparency and accountability? http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability Confessions of a Non-Profit Executive Director Sat, 13 Mar 2010 11:46:18 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: philk http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability/comment-page-1#comment-951 philk Thu, 07 Dec 2006 23:57:25 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability#comment-951 Good post. from what I've seen, philanthropy is stimulated when the cost of giving appears low relative to the perceived rewards. Friends of mine, and many others are being jolted into becoming philanthropists, most commonly by travelling in countries where a few to a few hundred of their dispensible US dollars can change lives. A friend paid for a year of education for the neice of a man he met in China, who would otherwise been deprived of a now much more promising future. I call this micro-philanthropy. I think there are opportunities for harvesting the ripples of commerce to meet some civic needs, but I also see many needs that wouldn't be met by this method -- like the needs of older, very poor men & women for housing and food. So much depends upon the perception of value by the donor -- which doesn't map neatly to many kinds of needs. Good post. from what I’ve seen, philanthropy is stimulated when the cost of giving appears low relative to the perceived rewards. Friends of mine, and many others are being jolted into becoming philanthropists, most commonly by travelling in countries where a few to a few hundred of their dispensible US dollars can change lives. A friend paid for a year of education for the neice of a man he met in China, who would otherwise been deprived of a now much more promising future. I call this micro-philanthropy. I think there are opportunities for harvesting the ripples of commerce to meet some civic needs, but I also see many needs that wouldn’t be met by this method — like the needs of older, very poor men & women for housing and food. So much depends upon the perception of value by the donor — which doesn’t map neatly to many kinds of needs.

]]> By: abenamer http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability/comment-page-1#comment-905 abenamer Wed, 06 Dec 2006 00:08:43 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability#comment-905 LOL! I think nonprofits should be judged on percentage of web page devoted to widgets. Higher score wins as always... Anyway, Swivel could rock the nonprofit world on those fine points of analysis. The problem I have with financials alone as a way to evaluate a nonprofit is that it makes nonprofits focus on outputs and not outcomes. Outcomes frameworks take forever to implement and cost a lot -- and paying for that adds to your overhead. That gives nonprofits a bad choice at times -- pay for outcomes analysis or maintain your 3 star rating at Charity Navigator (ugh). With Swivel, I would assume that nonprofits can truly be judged on outcomes if they're already using case maangement software. Let the donors do the analysis and cut out the evaluation middle men and women. Uh oh -- I wonder whose business model bubble just burst? LOL! I think nonprofits should be judged on percentage of web page devoted to widgets. Higher score wins as always…

Anyway, Swivel could rock the nonprofit world on those fine points of analysis. The problem I have with financials alone as a way to evaluate a nonprofit is that it makes nonprofits focus on outputs and not outcomes. Outcomes frameworks take forever to implement and cost a lot — and paying for that adds to your overhead. That gives nonprofits a bad choice at times — pay for outcomes analysis or maintain your 3 star rating at Charity Navigator (ugh).

With Swivel, I would assume that nonprofits can truly be judged on outcomes if they’re already using case maangement software. Let the donors do the analysis and cut out the evaluation middle men and women. Uh oh — I wonder whose business model bubble just burst?

]]> By: syam http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability/comment-page-1#comment-904 syam Tue, 05 Dec 2006 23:49:53 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability#comment-904 there may be something here but if it is widely adopted i could see the dawn of a new type consultant up whose sole purpose will be to superficially enhance an organization's Swivel rating. More consultants. That's great. Maybe not. But either way - when comparing organizations' management capabilities, you really can't go wrong with the old Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flows, and 990. From the 990 alone you can get profit margins (yes, profit margins are important for nonprofits), fund balances, expense ratios, directors salaries, and program related revenue. That will tell you what kind of "organization" you are dealing with. And frankly, if those numbers don't jibe, you shouldn't donate to the nonprofit no matter how compeling their cause is. Ideas are great but if the organization lacks the people to execute the mission then stay away. Think like an investor. But assuming that 2 NPOs rate equally on the financials - how do you determine who does more? That's tough and maybe Swivel can help here. I know that the Balanced Scorecard Approach is used by companies like New Profit to evaluate nonprofits. Does Swivel use any principles of the Balanced Scorecard? If Swivel doesn't work, I propose that all nonprofits get MySpace pages and the one with the mst scrolling marquees receive the most donations. there may be something here but if it is widely adopted i could see the dawn of a new type consultant up whose sole purpose will be to superficially enhance an organization’s Swivel rating. More consultants. That’s great.

Maybe not. But either way – when comparing organizations’ management capabilities, you really can’t go wrong with the old Income Statement, Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash Flows, and 990. From the 990 alone you can get profit margins (yes, profit margins are important for nonprofits), fund balances, expense ratios, directors salaries, and program related revenue. That will tell you what kind of “organization” you are dealing with. And frankly, if those numbers don’t jibe, you shouldn’t donate to the nonprofit no matter how compeling their cause is. Ideas are great but if the organization lacks the people to execute the mission then stay away. Think like an investor.

But assuming that 2 NPOs rate equally on the financials – how do you determine who does more? That’s tough and maybe Swivel can help here. I know that the Balanced Scorecard Approach is used by companies like New Profit to evaluate nonprofits. Does Swivel use any principles of the Balanced Scorecard?

If Swivel doesn’t work, I propose that all nonprofits get MySpace pages and the one with the mst scrolling marquees receive the most donations.

]]> By: J http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability/comment-page-1#comment-903 J Tue, 05 Dec 2006 22:44:45 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability#comment-903 Sounds very interesting, is Swivel expanding the team? What's the backend architecture? Love to learn more! Sounds very interesting, is Swivel expanding the team? What’s the backend architecture? Love to learn more!

]]> By: bmullot http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability/comment-page-1#comment-899 bmullot Tue, 05 Dec 2006 18:42:56 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability#comment-899 excellent. see you then. excellent. see you then.

]]> By: abenamer http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability/comment-page-1#comment-896 abenamer Tue, 05 Dec 2006 17:39:43 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability#comment-896 I'm there! Sign me up for the beta. I’m there! Sign me up for the beta.

]]> By: bmullot http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability/comment-page-1#comment-895 bmullot Tue, 05 Dec 2006 17:09:26 +0000 http://www.nonprofittechblog.org/youtube-for-data-nonprofit-transparency-and-accountability#comment-895 Love your thoughts on accountability and transparency. We agree. Our take is the only there is through having fun and being social. Then, 3 months later, wow transparency. Come check us out once we open up. Brian Mulloy Cofounder & CEO http://www.swivel.com Love your thoughts on accountability and transparency. We agree. Our take is the only there is through having fun and being social. Then, 3 months later, wow transparency.

Come check us out once we open up.

Brian Mulloy
Cofounder & CEO
http://www.swivel.com

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