The State of Open Source eAdvocacy

Facilitated by David Taylor, Radical Designs

The eAdvocacy landscape is rapidly changing. Old tools and tactics are losing effectiveness, but are also being superseded by innovative social networking and social media tools. In addition, “traditional” eAdvocacy platforms continue to mature, making possible a broader range of integrations and mashups. David will share his thoughts on where things are at, and invite lively dialog as participants assess the present and conjure the future.

Session Discussion Notes

INTRODUCTORY THOUGHTS content management has been solved in social activism

problems like dealing with advocacy data and crm have not been solved in the advocacy sector

in the last two years, new media has changed everything

foundational tools like donation processing used to have a lot of focus, but now people are using custom tools, web 2.0 and social media

mashups and open data are now very popular for example video, mapping, etc

people are focusing on mobilization

the role of large vendors like convio, care2 and democracy in action have monopolized the sector

WHAT ATTENDEES WERE INTERESTED IN

       learning about nonprofit tools like decision-making solutions and crm and how open-source tools can be improved

data sharing - for example chicagocrime.org advocacy-focused data & crm workflow and data integration what things could be improved in non-profit sector with technology solving the problem of scaling & perceived lack of funding for technology in nonprofits

eADVOCACY TOOLS AND TACTICS

  mobilization
   education and outreach through social media, flash movies, etc. 
   persuasion and pressure through petitions
   basebuilding
   organization, data-centric and coherent communication methods like crm and email blasts
   event mobilization and organization - decentralized action, reporting, collective action interest
   education and outreach mashups - for instance put zip code and see 

PROBLEMS email advocacy is not effective. more important than sending emails is taking advantage of the database of interested recipients and create leadership through them. something better would be to gather names for a petition online and deliver the petition in person.

facebook has changed eadvocacy. more people to reach out to but no email addresses to build list. social actions data standard being developed. what's the frame going to be? who's the audience?

REPORT BACKS 1. where's facebook taking the sector? 2. is edvocacy a tool in a toolkit since list-building isn't the only method anymore. 3. the impact of the obama campaign...people now want to do something. 4. community organizers know how to organize but eadvocacy people may not.