In Dallas, the much touted DonorBridge opens to the public tomorrow. Communities Foundation of Texas, the Institute for Urban Policy Research at UTD, and the Center for Nonprofit Management with support from The Dallas Foundation will publicly launch this new online tool.
Think of it as a master connector. If it works, it will link nonprofits, donors, and supporters. There's no reason to believe it won't work. The smart folks at Blackbaud, a savvy software and services company, are behind the technical end of this.
Since early this year, hundreds of Dallas area nonprofits have spent thousands of hours establishing their digital footprints on DonorBridge. Will it pay off or is it a bridge too far?
In 1977 their was an epic film about WWII in which the Allies tried to shorten the war by taking several bridges deep in enemy territory. One Allied advisor at the time suggested that the operation was to aggressive. Too big. Too optimistic. He said, "I think we may be going a bridge too far."
What about DonorBridge? Is it too aggressive? Too big? Too complex? Too optimistic? Will people really use it?
DonorBridge is unique for North Texas - maybe for the nation. It's consolidating regional nonprofits into a one-stop "shopping" experience for donors. It's trying to simplify the confusing milieu of information and numbers regarding nonprofit management, governance, effectiveness, programs, and stewardship for anyone who cares.
It is a big bridge. That's necessitated by the number of nonprofits in the Dallas area. What we really need is a simple bridge - an effective means of crossing the information gaps quickly and easily.
Who will use DonorBridge? According to Paco Underhill, 60% of the wealth in America is held by people 55 and over. Will the "old dogs" use it, or will it only be the "kids" who shop online and are comfortable with Twitter, Facebook, and text messages?
DonorBridge is a terrific step to bring some consolidation to the sometimes baffling array of overlapping choices we have locally. But like much new construction, its benefits may be best realized by future generations - givers who find the simplest ways to cross the bridge.
Hats off to the builders of DonorBridge. Your efforts today will make a difference in the world tomorrow.
Who knows? Tomorrow may come sooner if we can teach old dogs some new tricks.
And remember this - the Allies failed in their attempt to take a bridge too far. But they won the war.
The nonprofits are fighting wars worth fighting. DonorBridge is one more tool to help win those wars.
Showing posts with label Center for Nonprofit Management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Center for Nonprofit Management. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Conversation with the Mayor
Had a little visit with my buddy, the mayor, earlier this month. Okay, it wasn't just me. It was me and 200 or so others active in the nonprofit world of Dallas.
And, though I believe Tom Leppert is a good guy, we're really not buddies. But I sure have to give him credit for spending time answering questions off the cuff on a wide variety of subjects. I'm not sure previous Dallas mayors have spent time in a town hall meeting like the one organized by the Center for Nonprofit Management on January 16th.
The Center is an active member of the National Council of Nonprofit Associations, the national coordinator of the Nonprofit Congress. Other nonprofit groups are meeting in various cities around the country in preparation for the upcoming national meeting in June. There they will address the three current national priorities for nonprofits:
The mayor believes that the future of Dallas is in the hands of the nonprofits. He wants to encourage an entrepreneurial attack on problems from different angles. Some solutions will work. Some will not. Even in failure, there is value from this approach.
Mr. Leppert went on to say that unless the poorer rooftops of the city are improved, the more wealthy rooftops cannot continue to support the city. His goal is to make Dallas more competitive. Not just in Texas. Not just in the U. S. He wants Dallas to be more competitive among world cities.
Hear, hear, Mr. Mayor. Set that bar high. Extremely high. We've got a lot of work to do.
And, though I believe Tom Leppert is a good guy, we're really not buddies. But I sure have to give him credit for spending time answering questions off the cuff on a wide variety of subjects. I'm not sure previous Dallas mayors have spent time in a town hall meeting like the one organized by the Center for Nonprofit Management on January 16th.
The Center is an active member of the National Council of Nonprofit Associations, the national coordinator of the Nonprofit Congress. Other nonprofit groups are meeting in various cities around the country in preparation for the upcoming national meeting in June. There they will address the three current national priorities for nonprofits:
- Organizational effectiveness and efficiency (a familiar subject in earlier postings)
- Acting collectively for positive change (a more familiar subject from the past)
- Public awareness
The mayor believes that the future of Dallas is in the hands of the nonprofits. He wants to encourage an entrepreneurial attack on problems from different angles. Some solutions will work. Some will not. Even in failure, there is value from this approach.
Mr. Leppert went on to say that unless the poorer rooftops of the city are improved, the more wealthy rooftops cannot continue to support the city. His goal is to make Dallas more competitive. Not just in Texas. Not just in the U. S. He wants Dallas to be more competitive among world cities.
Hear, hear, Mr. Mayor. Set that bar high. Extremely high. We've got a lot of work to do.
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