Our Project Management event in New York City, in partnersip with Aspiration, was such a success that we're repeating it - this time in Oakland, CA on May 20-21. This collaborative, discussion-based event will give you the opportunity to learn and share information about project management tools and techniques with your peers in an environment that's (according to the participants from the last event) "supportive", "energizing", "amazing", and "a problem solving think tank." Read more or register at http://www.aspirationtech.org/events/mntp-sf

Idealware seminars are designed to give you the tactical advice you need to make software decisions. They include all the candid advice and product comparisons of the reports and articles on which they are based, but offer plenty of extra guidance and insights straight from the author.

Each is just $40, and all you need is an internet connection and a phone line to participate.

Understanding Data Integration

Thursday, April 24th, 1:00 - 2:30 EST
Are you wondering what it would take to integrate your various software packages to allow them to share data? In this session, we'll talk through the high level options and key considerations, and then dive into some of the technical terms and concepts that will help you understand what would be involved in programming an automatic connection between software packages. We'll discuss possibilities in integrating the software you already have, and what features you should look when choosing new software to prevent integration woes.

Getting Started with Online Donations

Thursday, May 1st, 1:00 - 2:30 EST
Do you want to help your organization take donations online, but aren't sure how? This session will tell you what you need to know in order to choose a tool and get started. We'll touch on some of the strategic aspects of online donations, but our focus will be on the tactical: What online donation tools a re available? How do they work? How do you know which one is right for your organization? We'll close by looking more closely at some of the specific tools that are available, such as Network for Good, PayPay, Click & Pledge, Groundspring DonateNow, eTapestry, MemberClicks, AuctionPay, and more.

Tools to Manage a Website Without Technical Skills
Introduction to Content Management Systems

Wednesday, May 7th, 1:00 - 2:30 EST
If you need a way to update your website, but you're not sure where to start, this is the session for you. We'll talk about what content management systems are, and look at various affordable options for updating your website text and images, including using What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get software like DreamWeaver and Contribute, website-in-a-box tools like Homesite, blog tools like WordPress, open source tools like Joomla and Drupal, and more.

Comparing Open Source CMSs: Joomla, Drupal, and Plone

Thursday, May 8th, 1:00 - 2:30 EST
Open source content management systems (CMS) are particularly attractive to the nonprofit community because of their cost-efficiency, but what do these systems actually do? And what are the differences between the most common CMSs? We'll compare Joomla, Drupal, and Plone for typical nonprofit needs, and then experts in each of the systems - Ryan Ozimek, David Geilhufe, and Patrick Shaw - will demo the systems and answer your questions.

Choosing a Low Cost Constituent Database

Thursday, May 15th, 1:00 - 2:30 EST
There are a number of solid and affordable options to track your volunteers, donors, partners, and other constituents. What should a small organization look for? What tools are available? How should you choose? We'll walk through everything you need to know to pick the right database for your organization, and consider the pros and cons of commonly used databases such as GiftWorks, DonorPerfect Online, eTapestry, Salesforce, DonorPerfect, and Democracy In Action.

View more information and more seminars >

Want all the information for half the price?  Check out our recordings of previous seminars>

Here are some of the best posts and resources from the Idealware blog last month.

We're Hiring!  Idealware Outreach Coordinator VISTA  (Idealware)
Are you interested in helping nonprofits to make better use of internet and database technologies? We've got the job for you, with a great Outreach Coordinator VISTA position based in Portland, Maine.

Putting Email To Work (ONE/Northwest)
It's by Michael Stein (west coast) published by ONE/ Northwest by way of Grassroots Fundraising Journal - what's not to like? This a really useful basic look at the ways that email can be useful to nonprofits.

An Intimate Look at a Successful Online Fundraising Campaign (NTEN Blog)

Detailed  case study of  an email fundraising campaign, discussing both the messages that were sent and the results

Why you need to estimate your volume to pick a mass email tool (Idealware)

This chart of email pricing for different sizes of email lists illustrates how much the pricing varies based on your list size.

To Integrate Or Not To Integrate? (Nonprofit CRM)
Terrific summary of things you should consider when deciding whether it makes sense to create a programmatic feed to integrate two packages based on a ROI analysis

Choosing the Right Software For Grants Management (Grants Managers Network)
Jonathan Goldberg of the Surdna Foundation provides a great overview of the software avaiable to help foundations with grants management

Video Conferencing for Small Businesses (SmallBusinessComputing.com)
Overview of the various ways that organizations can do video conferencing - video chat and web conferencing software, and a quick overview of webcams

Software for Team or Friends-Asking-Friends Fundraising (Idealware)
Laundry list of tools that can help your supporters create their own fundraising webpager

Is Salesforce.com right for your Nonprofit? (ONE/Northwest)
Thorough and thoughtful overview of the strengths and weakness of Salesforce - a hosted constituent management software package- for nonprofits

Microsoft Dynamics CRM - A first look (Nonprofit CRM)
Nice overview of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM software and how it might be used by nonprofits.

Mac OS X Server in mixed environments(ICT Hub Knowledgebase)
Summary of the functions the Mac OS X server provides, and how it can work with both Mac and Windows desktopsr

Alternatives to Outlook Express: Finding the Right Email Client (ICT Hub Knowledgebase)
Nice overview of organizational alternatives to Outlook for email clients

Ask Idealware: Sharepoint and Document Management (CMS Watch)
Very nifty graphic summarizing the landscape of Content Management Systems - and certainly useful as at least a laundry list of tools. .