Mindy Kaling Shows Twitter’s Power in Celebrity Hands
The comedian and actress who appeared on The Office sent traffic skyward at several nonprofits after asking for suggestions on where to donate.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
‘But It’s Free!’ and 9 Other Lines About Technology You Don’t Want to Hear
Sometimes the technology itself is not the issue. Here’s how to deal with challenges like money, employer and employee attitudes, and organizational and staffing decisions.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
D.C. Food Bank Pioneers Data-Mapping to Find Areas of Need
Using the kind of technology that has revolutionized advertising and politics, the Capital Area Food Bank has found unexpectedly high rates of hunger in the suburbs, says The Washington Post.
Tech’s No Panacea for Saving the World, Says Computer Scientist
Too many philanthropists forget the human element when employing technology to create social change, says a former Microsoft researcher.
By NICOLE WALLACE
Features Editor
Dallas Hospital Gets $25 Million to Link Research and Care
Businesswoman Lyda Hill’s gift to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center will establish a Department of Bioinformatics to analyze large data sets and apply the findings to developing new treatments, the Dallas Morning News and Dallas Business Journal write.
X Prize Launches $7 Million Contest to Find Ways to Teach More Adults to Read
The competition, started with the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, is seeking creative approaches using tablets and smartphones.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Crowdfunding Website Charidy Has Unique Formula for Giving-Day Success
Used primarily by Orthodox Jewish nonprofits, the platform combines the heft of major donors, the pressures of time, and an all-or-nothing funding contingency.
By Eden Stiffman
Senior Editor
Opinion: Why Is One-Click Mobile Giving So Hard?
A New York Times financial columnist looks at why the ability for people to donate spontaneously using mobile devices has lagged even as consumer purchases via smartphone or tablet get easier and faster.
Google Commits $20 Million for Tech Projects to Aid Disabled
Google has launched a $20 million effort to fund the development of high-tech devices to help people with disabilities live more independently, the Christian Science Monitor reports.
New Google Fellowship Pays for Nonprofits to Build Digital Literacy
The Nonprofit Technology Network will handle recruiting and placing experts into yearlong roles at organizations in eight cities.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Contest Aims to Harness Digital Sensing to Aid Poor
Unicef and ARM, a British firm that makes widely used microprocessors for smartphones and tablets, are leading a new effort to develop high-tech personal devices that could improve health and education for poor people around the world, The New York Times writes.
7 Ways to Get Staff Support for Technology Projects
New tools work only if employees actually use them. This checklist provides steps to get staff members on board with new technology.
By Rebecca Koenig
Contributor
Oxfam Aims Nepal Appeal at Big N.Y. ‘Net Conference
With Nepal reeling from another major earthquake, the aid charity is looking to maximize relief giving with mobile advertisements targeting some 50,000 digital-savvy participants at a New York tech gathering next week, Mashable writes.
Tech Investors Back Nonprofit Aiding Low-Income Students
An education nonprofit supported by an array of Silicon Valley executives and venture capitalists is connecting disadvantaged students with opportunities to attend top colleges, The Wall Street Journal writes.
Facebook Donate Button Raises $15 Million for Nepal
Facebook also committed up to $2 million in matching funds, meaning $17.4 million will go to International Medical Corps.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor
Colbert to Fulfill All S.C. School Requests on DonorsChoose
Comedian Stephen Colbert, in partnership with the Morgridge Family Foundation and tech firm ScanSource, will pay $800,000 to cover nearly 1,000 grant requests that public-school teachers in his native state of South Carolina have posted on education crowdfunding site DonorsChoose.org, the Greenville News reports.