Breakout Sessions

Early Morning Sessions
7:45 – 8:45 a.m.

Social Media 101
Did you ever feel out of your element when it comes to tech jargon? In this session, participants will learn the basics of Web 2.0, including a vocabulary and foundation to enrich sessions throughout the rest of the day.
Meg Canada, senior librarian for web services, Hennepin County Library and Lindsi Gish, communications manager, Second Harvest Heartland

Marketing & Communications 101
Are you feeling like you could use a marketing and communications refresher? In this session, participants will learn the basics of nonprofit marketing and communications, including a vocabulary and foundation to enrich sessions throughout the rest of the day.
Carlo Cuesta, managing partner, Creation In Common, LLC

Your Brand is Your Story; Tools for Creative Communications
Your organization’s brand must reflect your mission and values. This session will provide real life stories, encouragement, and resources for developing a clear vision and ways of incorporating your organization’s unique brand while adding value and connecting to your audience. There are several strategies we will explore, including promoting your brand through an event, and using technology to promote your brand (Web site, e-mailings, e-invitations, creative PowerPoint templates, social media, video, and more). Leave this session with an understanding of how and why you should have a clear vision for your brand and ideas for creative brand enhancements using technology that build on your organization’s mission and value.
Roger Miller, creative director, REM Video & Event Company and Kela Caldwell, development & marketing manager, HandsOn Twin Cities

Zen and the Art of Building a Web Site
Have you ever wanted to build a Web site for your organization, but were afraid of the technical issues? In today's environment there is a lot of technology out there that can make building and maintaining your Web site simple and uncomplicated. Attend this session to get over your fear of building a Web site, gain the knowledge you need of tools available and useful for building a Web site, and get ready to start your own site now! This seminar is for non-techies only. We’ll be using Microsoft-based examples.
Gary J. Benedict, director of development, Kaposia, Inc.

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Morning Sessions
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Tracking Online Donor Behavior - Case studies and Lessons from Online Fundraising Campaigns
Fundraising
Intermediate/Advanced

We know that online fundraising is changing the way nonprofits think about raising money from small donors - at a much lower cost than traditional methods. While we tend to know what works with direct mail, telemarketing, etc., online fundraising is much more experimental. This session will provide tools for organizations to embrace innovation, integrate their online fundraising with all other channels, and track donor behavior to know how to better target their campaigns and messaging. This session will include case studies from Wellstone Action’s successful “JK Wedding Dance” video campaign and lessons learned from integrating email, Web-based, and social media fundraising campaigns.
Fawn Bernhardt-Norvell, deputy executive director; DawnMarie Vihrachoff, development and member manager; and Elana Wolowitz, communications director, Wellstone Action

So You’ve Built a List…Now What Do You Do with It?
Marketing and Communications
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

Our lists are one of our most valuable assets. As such, we tend to spend a great deal of time and energy building up our lists. But, with the privilege of maintaining a large list also comes the responsibility of keeping it up. How often should we be in touch with the people on our list? Is it valuable to segment and target our contacts? How do we use our list to build support for the work or our organization? During this panel session, we’ll discuss the importance of developing authentic contacts and identify opportunities to engage and mobilize list-members to take action both online and offline. Panelists will offer strategies for managing lists, making meaningful connections with list members, and maximizing outreach to achieve your organization’s goals.
Reed Millar, senior project manager, grassroots solutions; Tim Stanley, senior director for government affairs, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota; Deanna White, Minnesota state director, Clean Water Action; and Michelle Dibblee, senior organizer, Transit for Livable Communities

News Media Circa 2010
Marketing and Communications
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

Hear from a panel of online, print and other media pros about where the publicity opportunities for nonprofits will be found in 2010. Panel participants will identify what types of stories they're interested in, the best way to approach them, exclusives vs. news releases, the current media environment, new media technology, what makes news and more. There will be an opportunity for you to submit questions to the panel, or test publicity ideas, so come prepared to learn and participate.
Julie Dappen, director, marketing and communications, MAP for Nonprofits, and additional panelists

Building Online Communities: Stories, Strategies, and Successes
Social Media
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

This panel discussion will assist you in considering how to build, improve, or evaluate an online community for your organization. Panel members will explore the stories of their organizational missions and the communities they serve, the strategies employed to apply Web tools for community engagement, and the successes (or failures) of community participation from their efforts. Come to this session ready to share your own experiences!
Kristin Antin, online community builder, Center for Victims of Torture - New Tactics in Human Rights Project; Jason Barnett, executive director and founder, The Uptake; and David Skarjune, online community builder, Windustry

Why it’s Important to Make Your Web site Accessible and How to Do It
Web site
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

In the 2009 Legislative Session a law was passed by disability advocates that will benefit not only people with disabilities, but will make the Web easier to use by all. Section 508 and Web Content Access Guidelines 2.0 create what many call "an electronic curb-cut" - cuts on the curb were originally created for people in wheel chairs, but the cuts benefit bike riders, parents with baby strollers, and others. The same is true of changes for accessibility standards for the Web. And, thanks to new technologies and resources, implementation doesn't have to be difficult or costly - and in many situations can increase the value of your Web content. This session will provide an overview of the new state standards, demonstrations on how to make forms and Web pages accessible, and practical ideas on how you can leverage these standards to improve your Web site's functionality, increase its value to current and potential users, and make it friendlier for search engines.
Alicia Lane-Outlaw, creative director, AllOut Marketing; Rena Rogers, project manager for the Technology Accessibility Standards and Implementation Project, Office of Enterprise Technology; Jay Wyant, CEO, Remotocom; and Jamie Taylor, technology specialist, Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing Minnesotans

Collaborative Data: New Potential for Public Issue Research
Program Delivery
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

More government data is being made available on the Web, but nonprofits may not know the best ways to access, analyze, and use these increasingly rich sources of information. In part, the underlying technology is unfamiliar, as are the tools that can unleash the potential of public data easily accessed. This session will include a brief explanation of the concepts behind the growing amount of data available to researchers, survey the types of data available, and review a number of tools that can bolster your research into issues concerning public policy, including environmental issues, income levels, population trends, commerce, and many other areas. After a cursory review of the technical issues, we'll explore how new tools can be used with census data, focusing more on user-oriented methods that could increase the effectiveness of your research program.
David Severtson, web developer, Severtson IT

Leveraging Cloud Computing to Hack IT Expenses
Leadership
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

Cloud Computing tools, like Google Apps, are being leveraged by many universities, large organizations and even the City of Los Angeles. Why? Because these online platforms can dramatically cut their hardware, software and support costs while improving collaboration and efficiency. Unfortunately, most nonprofits (and for-profits for that matter) do not leverage these low-cost (and often free) online platforms that can reduce their IT-related expenses by up to 80 percent. And, one doesn’t need to be a hard-core techie to implement, manage, and use these tools. Attend this session to gain a basic understanding of Cloud Computing, see how one organization (District 202) has used it successfully, and walk away with ideas about how you can use Cloud Computing tools to cut costs and improve efficiency in your organization.
Curt Prins, executive director, District 202

Everything I Needed to Know about Leading a Nonprofit I Learned in a Web Browser
Leadership
Beginner

Many small nonprofits could save time and resources by operating their organization virtually. This session will demonstrate how many of an organization's day-to-day operations can be managed 'in the cloud.' This session will include a demonstration of resources for operating remotely that are freely available on the Internet. Learn how to hold a board meeting on-line, so no one has to keep the minutes; manage your donor database, securely and for free; spread the word about your organization to everyone with a browser; and let your tech task force assemble a planning document, without needing to meet. Leave this session knowing that it is possible to manage a nonprofit using only a Web browser; and learn to save resources, energy and money in the process!
Michael Steigerwald, executive director, Public Computing Services

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Learning Labs
12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

These brief Learning Labs demonstrate how nonprofits are using media tools. Labs repeat every 15 minutes.

Twitter
Twitter is not only the here and now, but also the here to stay. If you’re not yet on Twitter, this lab will help you get started in the world of tweets and tags.

GIS/Mapping
The “GIS” you keep hearing about stands for Geographic Information System. This quick and informative tour of GIS and mapping will illustrate how using maps, geographic data and analysis can help your non-profit be more successful!

Google Analytics
Installing GA is easier than you think, even if you're not a programmer. This will be a quick and dirty overview of how to set up this robust (and free) web analytics tool. Time permitting, we'll also take a tour of the dashboard and the basic information that Google provides for you out of the box.

GiveMN.org
Last year’s Give to the Max day was a smashing success for nonprofits around the state. Join GiveMN staff for a quick introduction to how GiveMN.org can help your organization.

MAP TechWorks
TechWorks is a site for nonprofit tech folks to share their experiences with technology. Stop by and see what others have said, or even make a one minute video to share your favorite tech tool.

FlipCam
Interested in publishing video online, but afraid you don’t have the technical know-how to make it work? In this interactive session we will record a video, save it to a hard drive, upload it to YouTube, and watch it online – all in under 10 minutes.

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Early Afternoon Sessions
1:45 – 3 p.m.

Get More on GiveMN!
Fundraising
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

Have you heard the buzz about GiveMN? Come to this interactive session to learn how to maximize your organization’s brand in the new world of online fundraising. Come learn from nonprofits about how they have successfully integrated GiveMN into their fundraising and communication strategies. Organizations of all sizes, missions and from all locations across Minnesota are encouraged to attend.
Dana Nelson, executive director, GiveMN.org; Susan Estee, executive director, Second Harvest North Central Food Bank; Susan Haas, producing director, Open Eye Figure Theater; and Greg Tehven, Students Today Leaders Forever

Do-It-Yourself Video: In-House or Outhouse?
Marketing and Communications
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

Video is one of the most accessible and effective vehicles not only for messages and stories, but for generating feelings, such as enthusiasm for your issue or mission. In this promising era of easy audience-driven access, it's more important than ever to consider video as a strong partner in your communications efforts. This session will explore a variety of ways organizations are using video to increase their reach, draw in their audience, churn out messages, and otherwise engage stakeholders. Discussion will center on ways you can produce and distribute your own content, along with some of the advantages of doing so. Though not a technical session, tips will be provided for getting the best content and quality with the personnel and equipment at hand. We will also touch on applications of professionally-produced video, including hybrid projects where DIY video may be enhanced by professional oversight, consultation, training, or editing.
Steve Braker, producer, Worthwhile Films | Nonprofit Media and Xavier Lopez-Ayala, new media director, Alliance for a Better Minnesota

Phones 2.0: Making Phones Relevant for Advocacy and Organizing in a Social Networking Age
Marketing and Communications
Intermediate

We’ve all heard about the great uses of social media for communicating with stakeholders, but what about the people you work with who aren’t comfortable with digital technology, don’t have access to it, or need a more personal touch? Phone outreach is an under-utilized strategy for reaching a target audience, identifying supporters, or connecting with members. In this session we’ll explore efficient, seamless, “virtual” phone banks that callers can participate in from their own living rooms; systematic supporter outreach that captures audiotapes of stories or messages that can be plugged into other online efforts; affordable ways to generate your own automated phone calls to your members with the click of a button; ways to integrate phone programs with other offline and online engagement strategies; and more. Using a combination of relevant case studies from the field, demonstration, and question and answer, this session will open your eyes to the next generation of phone technology.
Dana Montgomery, project manager, grassroots solutions

Social Media Swap Meet
Social Media
Intermediate

Are you interested in what social media activities and strategies are actually working? Do you want to share your successful examples and lessons learned? Are you looking for an opportunity to exchange ideas, inspirations, and new innovations? Join this session to make new connections and hear what others’ are doing with social media. This will be a tools-focused session where participants will meet, mingle, and swap stories from the front lines of nonprofit social media.
Graham Hartley, director of programs, MIGIZI Communications, Inc. and Ashley Schweitzer, marketing coordinator, Nonprofits Assistance Fund

Do Your Web Site and Database Talk?
Web site
Beginner/Intermediate/Advance

"We just don't communicate," said the Web site to the relationship counselor. "I keep things from him," confessed the database. Sound familiar? Many nonprofits are exploring why and how to integrate your Web site and your database to provide ways to better engage your audience online. In this session, you will learn about fostering communication between your database and Web site - who benefits, what technology is involved, how much is overkill, and how to get started.
Karen Graham, director of business development, thedatabank and Tom Lehman, president, Lehman Associates, LLC

Got Google Analytics, Awesome! Now What?
Web site
Intermediate/Advanced

Are you using Google Analytics to track visits to your site? Great! Now that you have those numbers, what will you do with them? Are you wondering how to actually use your analytics results to improve user experience and increase viewer (and donor) activity on your site? This session will give you an overview of some of the more advanced features of Google Analytics. However, instead of just talking tools, we'll approach the subject via a set of common website optimization goals that most nonprofits share. This context will help you connect mission to online user activity, helping you to translate the numbers in your dashboard into meaningful and actionable results for your organization.
Jeff Hahn, CEO and owner, Internet Exposure and Cary Walski, web communications associate, Minnesota Council on Foundations

Video Testimonies for Advocacy and Grassroots Organizing
Leadership
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

One of the greatest challenges community organizers face is how to bring the voice of the people to lawmakers in a way that impacts public policy. Too often, policies that affect marginalized communities the most are made without thorough input from the people impacted. Conducting video testimonies, thirty to sixty second interviews on a digital camera, is a modern method of grassroots movements. Using only basic technology, video testimonies serve three important functions. First, the process spreads information to people who are generally disconnected to what is happening at different levels of government. Second, asking for testimonies is empowering and allows individuals to become their own advocates. Finally, a mass quantity of voices, all testifying in the same direction, is a powerful statement that is hard to ignore when presented to policymakers. In this session, we will cover how to "door-knock" for video testimonies, create a movie for social justice, and how to get legislation passed using this model.
Kenza Hadj-Moussa, human rights program education coordinator, and Richard Johnson Jr., lead organizer, St. Stephen's Human Services - Human Rights Program

Managing Technology on a Budget
Leadership
Intermediate/Advanced

In times of tight budgets, we all need to do more with less. This session will focus on what nonprofits can do to effectively manage IT budgets, and leverage technology to obtain cost efficiencies throughout the organization. A short presentation will be followed by a group discussion to share ideas on what our organizations are doing to become more efficient in our technology spending. Attend this session to learn to spend IT dollars wisely, learn how to leverage technology to save money, and share ideas and best practices from your organization.
Jason Samuels, manager of information technology, National Council on Family Relations

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Late Afternoon Sessions
3:15 – 4:30 p.m.

Detonating Your Data for Explosive Results
Fundraising Track
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

How well do you know your donors and volunteers? What would they say they know about your organization? Why should you care about the answers to these questions? Information about your top donors and volunteers is a resource that can be as valuable as cash in the bank. Many organizations are not aware that they are not fully leveraging their data tracking system to support their individual donor program. This energetic and interactive session will cause you to take a closer look at how well you are utilizing your donor data to raise more funds each year. Participants and presenters will examine where to focus staff- and board-member time in annual development and communication plans based on donor information.
Lori L. Jacobwith, founder/CEO, Apporté and Mark Panger, data base guru

What Communications and Technology Tactics Are You Using to Support Your Nonprofit's Goals (and what's working!)
Marketing and Communications
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

Henry David Thoreau said men have become the tools of their tools. It's now 2010 and nonprofit executives and marketing and communications professionals are in the midst of an explosion of new electronic tools. With limited resources and unlimited need, how do you avoid becoming a tool of the new (or traditional) tools? How do you select the right tactics for the right audience and the right outcome? This session will include a brief presentation followed by work in small groups - focused on selecting the best tactics for identified strategies. Be prepared to work with your group to select the right marketing, communications and media mix of tactics and rank them in order of anticipated cost/benefit.
Julie Dappen, director of marketing and communications, MAP for Nonprofits and Elaine Weber Nelson, Weber-Nelson Consulting

Social Media for Small Nonprofits: What to Do When There's No One to Do It
Social Media
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

Smaller nonprofits don't always have the luxury of a dedicated social networking staff like many larger organizations. This session will present examples (using primarily arts organizations) and best practices for small organizations with limited staff- and budget-resources through a facilitated case-study critique format. Participants in this session will learn the do’s and don’ts of social media for smaller nonprofits, get some tips about how to maximize social media efficiency and work flow among staff, and build a personality and engaging “voice” for your social media presence.
Noah Keesecker, program manager, Springboard for the Arts, and additional panelists

New Tools for Getting Found
Web site
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

Is your Web site getting the traffic you want? There are some practical steps that will help you get found more easily by your target audience. During this session, you’ll take a look at some new and old tools that will help you improve the search engine ranking of your Web site. Most tools are free; some are low cost. This is a good session for anyone looking to increase the reach of their Web site or planning for a new site.
Ann Treacy, Treacy Information Services

Towards Digital Inclusion: The Role of Community Technology Centers
Program Delivery
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

The digital divide remains a significant barrier for many people. Racial minorities, immigrants, people living with disabilities, and low income people continue to use technology at significantly lower rates than the general population. Nonprofit organizations dedicated to promoting economic self-sufficiency, education, and civic and social inclusivity recognize the need to integrate technology literacy and access in an increasing number of programs and services. This session highlights the role of Community Technology Centers (CTCs) in addressing the need for digital inclusion, and the benefits of local networking among CTC providers. Four digital inclusion practitioners will discuss local efforts and progress made in this area.
Paul C. Ernst, technology consultant & digital inclusion enthusiast, Cultural Technology Solutions; Sarah Koschinska, community technology coordinator, Project for Pride in Living; John Richard, adult education and employment coordinator, Pillsbury United Communities; Terri Thao, program officer, Nexus Community Partners; and Mary Ann Van Cura, library development and continuing education coordinator, State Library Services; and Libby Caulum, AmeriCorp program director, Community Technology Empowerment Project

How the Digital Marketplace Requires Fundamental Organizational Change - Not a New Marketing Plan
Leadership
Beginner

Every nonprofit has heard the following in the past year: social media will save your organization. The truth is that social media - the world of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and the like - can hold tremendous value for a nonprofit organization; however, most consider social media to be a marketing or technology challenge rather than a leadership and organizational set of challenges. This presentation provides insights into the fundamental organizational change question, "Why are we doing this?" During the session, we’ll look at why implementing social media strategies is a leadership challenge for your organization, including the necessity of organizational and culture change to adopt social media and the necessary first steps to a social media strategy.
Andrew Eklund, founder & CEO, Ciceron :: Digital Marketing and Kent Eklund, partner, Cincinnatus

Building Service Capacity through Relationships and Technology
Program Delivery
Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced

Is your organization exploring tools that will share information and referrals between programs and with partner programs at other organizations? Are the challenges of limited budgets opening opportunities for new service delivery and collaboration? In this session experts from the field will discuss their experiences with online systems that their organizations have developed to improve service delivery to clients and to improve tracking of services. Colleen Schmitt will discuss Cornerstone Services’ innovative Day One® system to employ “real-time” Web-based service information to improve services for domestic violence victims in the first 24-hours. The format will be open, so please join us if you have a story to tell or just have questions about how others are using technology to enhance and take advantage of relationships.
Rick Birmingham, senior technology circuit rider, MAP for Nonprofits and Colleen Schmitt, Day One manager, Cornerstone Services

Beyond Web Site Analytics
Web site
Intermediate/Advanced

So you understand your Web site analytics and you’re ready for more? This session will take a look at “the other” analytics tools, including email; enhanced Web analytics like heatmaps and link analytics; search analytics tools like Google Trends and Google Insights for Search; competitive analytics tools like Google AdPlanner and Quantcast; as well as social media analytics for blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube. From this session you will learn a variety of tools that will help you listen, learn, measure and make decisions that improve the effectiveness of your communications.
David Erickson, director of e-strategy, and Kristin Gast, account representative, Tunheim Partners

 

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Thank you to these conference sponsors

Presenting sponsors
Additional sponsors			Graphic design sponsor