Are you an Idealist? Are you on Idealist? Do you follow @idealist?

I imagine most of you are aware of Idealist.org, but I was fine-tuning some of my email alerts and was reminded just how many tools are available for anyone and everyone involved with philanthropy. Therefore, it's our #FollowOfTheWeek.

You may fit a few of these categories, but here are the cliff-notes on what you can do on the site:

Organizations: You need to make sure you are listed on the site and use it to recruit volunteers, find consultants, promote campaigns & events, and post job openings.

Job Seeker: Check out the job listings, Idealist's guide to nonprofit careers, - also worth considering volunteering to get a foot in the door at potential employers.

Gift Officer: Broaden your base by volunteering outside your circles, but in similar organizations to yours. Also, recruit volunteers and board members through the page.

Consultant: Did you know you can list yourself in a searchable database? This allows "one-stop-shopping" for orgs to find you as their perfect match.

Aspiring Student: Thinking about graduate school? Check out the Public Service Graduate Education Resource Center.

Teacher: On the other side of the educational equation? Visit the resources for teachers.

Everyone Else: Are you a practitioner who doesn't fall into any of these categories? You still can gain from the Idealist page - Visit the general resource page to learn more.

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Idealist on: Web / Twitter / Facebook / MySpace / LinkedIn

Follow: @BeTheMatch

This week I met a woman who is organizing a bone marrow drive to help her business partner's mother fight leukemia. I offered to help with the fundraising and donor recruitment... so this week's #FollowOfTheWeek is also a part of my research for that drive: @BeTheMatch

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Twitter: @BeTheMatch
Name: National Marrow Donor Program
Web: www.BeTheMatch.org
Bio: Be The Match helps save lives. Thousands with life-threatening diseases like leukemia or sickle cell depend on BeTheMatch Registry to find a bone marrow donor.
Followers: 3,022 + you!
Why Follow? Bone marrow donation is a life-saving activity. However, there are still many challenges to finding enough participants. Follow @BeTheMatch to see some great recruitment and engagement of constituents.

@BeTheMatch is also on: Web / Facebook / Blog / LinkedIn / Flickr

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Some screenshots and examples follow - enjoy!

Twitter page:

Great Facebook page for involvement:

Home page:

An outstanding page for taking action. The only problem? It's not prominent on the front page. For example, social media icons & links to BeTheMatch on Facebook and Twitter are not evident when you first visit the page.

A YouTube video via Shaq:

Follow: @WoollyMammothTC

So I saw a retweet last week that caught my attention - Could social media win a bet against a cynical development officer? This bet brings us to this week's #FollowOfTheWeek: @WoollyMammothTC

Back story, from the bet's/campaign's website:

It's Not the Size of the Gift that Counts
Alli Houseworth, Communications and New Media Manager, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company

Here at Woolly, our Director of Development (Tim) is a bit of a social media skeptic. In fact, just the other day – as I was once again trying to trick him into using Twitter – he said to me, “Well does anyone actually raise MONEY using social media?” to which I responded, “Why yes!” So, we made a bet.

THE BET:

I must use the It’s Not the Size of the Gift platform to raise $1,937 by 5pm EST Friday, October 1st, and I can only promote it over social media networks.

(Why $1,937, you ask? Well, that’s the exact number of Facebook fans we have at the very moment I am typing this call to action. In my brain I thought, wow, wouldn’t it be awesome if everyone on Facebook actually saw this request and donated just, like, a dollar?! Rock on, social media!)

If I win, this is what we get:
1. Tim will join Twitter!
2. He will wear an Alli Houseworth exclusive handmade T-shirt that will say “I love social media” across the front AND have himself photographed in said T-shirt in front of various DC landmarks. The photos will be shared on Facebook and Twitter for your viewing pleasure.
3. Tim will give the curtain speech for the closing performance of IN THE NEXT ROOM OR THE VIBRATOR PLAY, and wear the aforementioned T-shirt while doing so.

Comrades! Help me in this quest to embarrass Tim, to prove to my theatre that social media works for all departments, and help us raise a bit of money to support this fabulous organization whose mission is to explore the edges of theatrical style and human experience, in everything we do. (Even in Tweets.)

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The bet was won by Alli (@AlliHouseworth) and it intrigued me a great deal. It was nice to see a fun, unique campaign have success. Below you will find more information, screenshots and some fun pictures related to the bet.

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Twitter: @WoollyMammothTC
Name: Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company
Web: www.woollymammoth.net
Bio: A theatre that's been defying convention in the Nation's capital for 31 years.
Followers: 1,159 + you!
Why Follow? The theatre itself is a great cause, but it also has some fun and innovative people running the show, so following will help you gain ideas for your nonprofit and cause marketing campaigns.

@WoollyMammothTC is also on: Web / Facebook / Blog

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Some screenshots and examples follow - enjoy!

Twitter Page:

Home page:

Campaign website:

Alli w/ her check from Democracy Engine after winning the bet:

Development Officer Tim making good on his end of the bet:

Title image generated using http://isparade.jp/

Follow: @Cookies4Kids

So an old summer camp friend of mine - yes, those friendships can last! - emailed me last week about a campaign for @Cookies4Kids. After doing some research, it was evident that C4K should be this week's #FollowOfTheWeek.

Back story: My friend's husband is Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN), ESPN's lead NASCAR guy. While I have to admit I don't follow NASCAR closely, I do appreciate their marketing efforts. This cause is close to Marty's heart and tied to NASCAR via a competition between non-profits. @Cookies4Kids is up against others in the Jimmie Johnson Foundation's & Samsung's Helmet of Hope campaign. Enjoy the information below... and GO VOTE!

Twitter: @Cookies4Kids
Name: Cookies 4 Kids
Web: www.cookies4kids.org
Bio: Cookies for Kids' Cancer raises funds through local bake sales to support research for new and improved therapies for pediatric cancer.
Followers: 775 + you!
Why Follow? Clearly this is a worthy cause. But it is also worth following because they do a good job of using social media to promote a cause. Plus - if you read the "Kids Who Inspire Us" page below... you'll be moved to follow!

@Cookies4Kids is also on: Web / Facebook

Jimmie Johnson Foundation is also on: Web / YouTube

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Some screenshots and examples follow - enjoy!

Twitter Page:

Kids Who Inspire Us page:

Facebook page:

The competition:

The other charities in the competition:

And here's a video from Jimmie Johnson regarding the competition:

Follow: @JoinRed

Did you know Social Good Day is in three days? Well Mashable & (RED) are sponsoring the event to coincide with UN Week and the Social Good Summit. I received the following email and decided that @joinred was perfect as a #FollowOfTheWeek. Not only because it is a good cause... but because they are an example of a non-profit using social media well. It also ties in well with last weeks' #Follow. Enjoy!

Twitter: @joinred
Name: The (RED) Campaign
Web: www.joinred.com
Bio: Bringing people and brands together to help fight AIDS in Africa. Join us! Follow (RED).
Followers: 1,027,016 + you!
Why Follow? Clearly this is a worthy cause. But it is also worth following because they do a good job of using social media to promote a cause.
Celebrities on board? (Not a reason to follow... just interesting) Bono and many others...

@JoinRed is also on: Web / Facebook / YouTube

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Some screenshots and examples follow - enjoy!

Web site:

Facebook pages - Shopping

Facebook pages - About the campaign

Facebook pages - The Lazarus Effect (documentary)

Facebook pages - Main Page

Twitter page:

Video (Lazarus Effect):

The meetups near you:

Follow: @WeCanEndPoverty

So I was reviewing who I follow on Twitter to see if there were any bogus accounts, etc. I inadvertently followed. Well, I found one account that had one of my favorite Twitter backgrounds ever: @WeCanEndPoverty Therefore, it is the latest #FollowOfTheWeek:

Twitter: @WeCanEndPoverty
Name: The UN's 2015 Millennium Development Goals
Web: www.un.org/millenniumgoals
Bio: End poverty by 2015. This is the historic promise 189 world leaders made at the United Nations Millennium Summit in 2000 when they signed onto the Millennium Declaration and agreed to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs are an eight-point road map with measurable targets and clear deadlines for improving the lives of the world's poorest people. World leaders have agreed to achieve the MDGs by 2015.
Followers: 6,550 + you!
Why Follow? Clearly this is a worthy cause. But it is also worth following because they do a good job of using social media to promote a cause.
Celebrities on board? (Not a reason to follow... just interesting) Antonio Banderas, Angelique Kidjo, Zinedine Zidane, Maria Sharapova and Annie Lennox
Additional tid-bit: The UN's summit on these topics is later this month. Visit this site to learn more.

@WeCanEndPoverty is also on: Web / Facebook / YouTube / Flickr

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Some screenshots and examples follow - enjoy!

Twitter Page - background is simple, distinct and makes its point. It also generates interest in what the images on the left represent.

YouTube Page - well branded, great background, good information and kept up-to-date. All critical components to an engaging account.

Website - Note the immediate presence of Facebook & Twitter logos, as well as the continued theme of the goals.

Two great aspects of the Facebook page - First, a page dedicated to the goals:

And a wonderful landing page (that may need to be rescaled due to recent Facebook changes in column widths):

And another one of the websites:

And a great example of the use of video in nonprofit work:

Follow: The Surfrider Foundation

I mentioned on Twitter that I'm reading Beth Katner (@kanter) and Allison Fine's (@afine) book, The Networked Nonprofit. I am occasionally posting good quotes and info from the book on Twitter. To continue that theme, I bring you one of the networked nonprofits highlighted in the book - The Surfrider Foundation - as the latest and greatest #FollowOfTheWeek:

Twitter: @Surfrider
Name: The Surfrider Foundation
Web: www.surfrider.org
Bio: The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit, grassroots environmental organization dedicated to protection and enjoyment of our world's oceans, waves and beaches. Founded in 1984 by a handful of surfers in Malibu, California, the organization has grown to over 50,000 activists and 100 chapters across world.
Followers: 15,575 + you!
Why Follow? Surfrider is empowering its members and chapters to do incredible work to preserve the oceans and beaches many of us love to visit. Though "surf" is in the name, their efforts are not restricted to surfers and surfing interests.

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Twitter Page:

MySpace Page:

YouTube Page:

Website:

Video on Not The Answer project:

MyDunkTank - great online fundraising tool

This post was going to be virtually a straight lift from Mashable.com. I thought the info below was worth sharing. So I figured out a way to add a slight bit of original content and commentary. I think this is worth sharing - I love the idea and the site is very user-friendly. Therefore, MyDunkTank is our new #FollowOfTheWeek.

This idea is easy to see used by traditional "dunk tank" fundraisers, but I would be curious to see if things like college/university senior class gift campaigns and other such campaigns could also apply the idea.

From Mashable.com:

Quick Pitch: Anyone can do a dare to raise money for a cause they support, and their friends and family can vote with their dollars for the dare one has to do.

Genius Idea: There are already plenty of sites like JustGiving out there that help you get donations for a cause by hosting events or just straight up asking for dough, but MyDunkTank makes things more fun and lighthearted by making it into a dare.

It goes like this: You go to the MyDunkTank website and name the charity you want to raise money for and how much you want to raise, then make a short list of dares that you’re willing to do. Tell your friends, family and colleagues about it, and they’ll each vote with donations on which dare they’d like to see you do.

Go through with it after the dare’s been selected, and the money will go to the organization you selected. Founder Blake Jennelle did the very first dare on the site. He dressed up as a cowboy for a whole month to raise money, and documented the whole thing by posting YouTube videos to his Tumblr blog.

There are already several dares and fundraising campaigns in progress at MyDunkTank, and you can track the site on its Twitter account and Facebook page. Do you have any great dare ideas? Let us know in the comments, then go do them for charity!

Not from Mashable.com:

The home page shows various examples of dares, such as shaving one's head:

A completed campaign page shows how much was raised and what dare(s) the fundraiser will complete:
An active campaign let's you vote with your checkbook and suggest new dares for the fundraiser to complete:
And, as mentioned in the article, founder Blake Jennelle in cowboy gear:

Eco-Ride 2.0 - Great Social Fundraising

I recently received an email from an organization in Ann Arbor, the Ecology Center. My family and I participated in the '09 EcoRide which included bikers, walkers and runners completing a course at a metropark.

This year, the invite was for EcoRide 2.0... a virtual and social fundraiser for the Center. I love the campaign - the design, interactive site, and the case for support. Screenshots follow. Needless to say, @Ecology_Center is our new #FollowOfTheWeek.

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Twitter: @Ecology_Center

Name: The Ecology Center
Web: www.ecocenter.org
Bio: The Ecology Center is a membership-based nonprofit environmental organization in Ann Arbor, Michigan, founded by community activists after the 1st Earth Day.

Followers: 990 + you!
Why Follow? The Ecology Center runs the following campaigns: Clean Car Campaign, Environmental Education, Greening Chemistry, Healthy Food in Healthcare, Safe Kids, Homes, Towns, Save Land, Build Community, Trash & Recycling and maintains the popular HealthyStuff.org site. They provide great information.

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Email Invite:

Website home:

Create An Ecorider:

Fundraising Goal:

Donation:

Personalize the avatar:

Choose the setting:

And find & follow riders:

Leaderboard:

Social fundraising via Facebook, Twitter & Email:

HealthyStuff.org page - definitely worth checking out. You can follow their RSS here.

HealthyStuff.org video:

And finally, EcoCenter's Twitter page: