Good and Rich

San Mateo Coast

2011-09-09T17:13:00.000-07:00

This shot was taken in front of the Taco Bell in Pacifica. what a relaxing way to spend the afternoon.

Gregory

The War Around Us

2010-12-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

If you needed any more evidence of the increasing gap between the super-rich and everyone else in America, you just needed to be conscious and listening to the political news over the past few weeks. It has been an exercise in power and political control by those who will gain from the extension of the Bush tax cuts.

And for everyone else? To be told it's just a good thing that some compromise was achieved or else the stockings would be completely empty this Christmas - this is what we should be thankful for?

Let's recount. The latest exercise in power begins when, at the peak of an economic boom, a mostly illegitimate President and Congress decide to lower taxes on the rich to stimulate the economy. The dot.com bust arrives, and so does Bin Laden. Restoring hopes and dreams, the feds lower interest rates, and everyone offers mortgages to anyone who breathes.

The smart money bets it will implode. When it does, they take the banks. The banks get us to bail them out, and fight all efforts to prevent it from happening again. When we demand to limit some paychecks, they decide to just keep the cash in their reserves.

Loans dry up, businesses don't expand, jobs go away, and the Republicans get elected on a pledge to eliminate government and lower the debt. But first, they hold unemployment relief hostage to their desire to extend low taxes for the rich and raise the debt.

Once they take office in January, they'll claim the high debt is the reason why they have to eliminate most government benefit programs, cut state and local subsidies, and slash government employment.

And these Republican initiatives will be cheered on by those who think that less government means more jobs for them. If we just returned to the days when government was not on our backs, we'd all be rich and happy.

If ever there was a war that was won by getting the soldiers on the other side to turn against their leaders, believe that it was better to be governed by the opposition, and voluntarily lay down their arms, it is happening here and now. So thoroughly have the rich convinced Americans that, not only did the tax cuts stimulate lots of new jobs, but that Americans voted Obama into office with only two years to overcome a decade of Republican work. Failing to do so, government is the problem and it should be abolished.

I just can't wait to see what the rich have in store for us next.

Gregory

Important CMS Feature

2010-04-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

A key feature I am looking for in content management software (CMS) for Coastwalk is the ability to acquire, store, and utilize information about registrants involved in events hosted by the organization. To engage members and others in dayhikes and multi-day adventures along the California Coast, and to hold fundraising activities in a variety of locations and designs, we need our CMS be able to serve the administrative needs of those events.

Our initial examination of a CMS (NEON by Z2Systems) referred to us by a colleague agency looks good. We have explored its use in a trial period, and are now looking to see if other CMS packages can provide the same capabilities.

Newsletters from NPOs in my Email

2010-04-12T15:58:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Who is using what constituent relationship management software to send me emails? Here are the results from the past two months:

ConstantContact.com
Constant Contact Link
EveryTrail.com
Climate Protection Campaign
UnTours
IWalk Volunteer Center of Sonoma County
Social Advocates for Youth

IContact.com
IContact Link
The-Rep.com
TripFilms.com

Z2systems.com
Z2Systems Link
Sebastopol Community Center

Network for Good - EMailNow
Network for Good Email Now Link
Charitynavigator.com
Greenbelt Alliance

Relevant Tools.com
Relevant Tools Link
Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods

Vertical Response
Vertical Response Link
Canal Alliance
Fudge for Supervisor

Convio.com
Convio Link
TechSoup.org
HRC.org – Joe Solmonese Hman Right Campaign,
Preschool California

Patron Mail
Patron Mail
6stplay.com – Sixth Street Playhouse

PHPList
PHP List Link
Gaygames.com

Your Mailing Provider
Your Mailing Provider Link
EcomNets
Center for Creative Land Recycling (cclr.org.

SwiftPages
Swift Pages Link
Old Course Experience

Jane Goodall Insitute – Using CivicCRM (Drupal) – example at Jane Goodall Link - and a description of their work on an activism module - http://drupal.org/project/activism

Using their own Software:
MoveOn.org – Steven Biel, Lenore, Kat, Wes
Democrats.com
IFC.com - Independent Film Channel
CaliforniaOneCare.org – Andrew McGuire
LinkedIn.com
NTEN.org
Environment California.org
League of Conservation Voters
geocaching.com
Classmates.com
Netflix.com
Barakobama.com
NCMUG.org

In addition, I have discovered:

CiviCRM, SalesForce, and SugarCRM. IdealWare has an interesting examination of this type of online communication software at:www.Idealware.org/crm

Online Organizational Communication

2010-04-12T13:40:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Following up on our interest in learning more about what nonprofits are using to communicate with their members and donors, I decided to move in three directions at once (yes, I know that sounds awkward, but it actually brings more to the whole than the sum of the parts):

1. Listen to some webinars and online tutorials detailing the features of online contact management software (CMS).
2. Examine my own email over the past month to determine what has driven the donor and member communications.
3. Investigate the current uses and features of the CMS being used by Coastwalk California (which I'm President of the Board).

I'm also going to build a list of the CMS being used by Sonoma County nonprofits by searching their websites, and querying their IT staff. I'll probably join the email lists of many of them, in order to both learn more about them, explore what software is being used, and find good examples to mentor nonprofits who have expressed an interest in improving their communications. By tomorrow, I hope to be able to have more complete information which can guide me in further research.

Capacity-Building in Nonprofits

2010-04-09T14:07:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Pat and I just finished three weeks of grant proposal reviews for $264,000 aimed at increasing the capacity of local nonprofits under the federal Compassion Capital Fund. Created in 2002, the Administration for Children and Families' Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) is a key component of the President's Faith-Based and Community Initiative. The primary purpose of the CCF is to help faith-based and community organizations increase their effectiveness, enhance their ability to provide social services, expand their organizations, diversify their funding sources, and create collaborations to better serve those in need. Targeted capacity-building grants are a demonstrated way to assist organizations in building their capacity. The funding will not be for direct service, but for lasting changes in organizations that will have a sustainable impact on the delivery of services.

Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County, the nonprofit established in 1968 under the Office of Economic Opportunity's implementation of Congress's 1960's anti-poverty programs, received one of 14 of these grants nationwide. Pat and I participated on the community review committee, receiving 46 proposals asking $651,000. The agency will be announcing the grantees and awards in the next few days, but I wanted to begin the process of implementation by announcing our own continuing contributions to the strengthening of local nonprofits.

We came away from the review understanding that most of the agencies were seeking to expand their abilities to seek out and secure new sources of funding. Proposals asked to build capacity for grant-researching and writing, find and cultivate new local donors, and establish fee-based marketing strategies for current services. It was clear that current public funds are drying up, and these agencies are beginning to want new skills and information.

In the pursuit, there were plenty of consultants and computers being requested. It appears that most of the applicants have concluded that electronic research, online collaboration, and data records storage are essential needs.

In the coming months, we'll be providing some of our own resources to building the capacity of these agencies. Because we were able to see all the proposals, we believe there are opportunities for collaboration in the implementation of these grants. We will be encouraging CAPSC to continue its support for them, but understand that the federal grants will end in September.

Google Analytics

2009-04-13T21:37:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

I've modified the layout of this blog to include the capacity of getting reports on who is visiting from Google Analytics. I'm interested in who might be visiting this site.

Gregory

Volunteer Videos Blog

2009-01-19T17:24:00.001-08:00

Greetings!

I just wanted all of you who visit this blog to know that another one has been established which will focus on sharing videos describing opportunities to volunteer in your communities. I'm intentionally collecting and producing videos which are short enough to run well on handheld communications (Cell phones, Ipods, etc.) and which don't have much delay when played on systems with limited memory.

Check it out at Voluntter Videos

If you know of videos which should be featured on the blog, let me know.

Gregory

College of Marin's Finest

2008-07-06T17:05:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

The College of Marin Alumni Association has suggested that I could be helpful to them if I would spend some time improving their archives to reflect additional distinguished past members of the college community. It has occurred to me that I might be able to integrate this effort with the project I have undertaken to open the County's Health and Human Services Campus Connections Center. One of the goals of both the COM Archives and the Connections Center is to help connect the community with its valuable resources.

Here is a description of the Center from the County:

"The hub for bringing together community members and community assets is The Connection Center. Unlike a traditional lobby, the Connection Center will be the focal point for health promotion, prevention activities, and contact information for
other county and community services. Clients and visitors can enter the Campus via this one-stop welcoming Connection Center, an inviting space with meeting rooms and a cafe. A reception area will offer information, referrals, billing services,
case management and health insurance enrollment. The Connection Center will have exhibits and displays to highlight various Marin community services and health-related activities."

The Campus design for the facility described above is available on the county's website:
Marin's Health and Wellness Campus

In research I have begun recently, I appears clear that many who attended College of Marin in the past 30 years have contributed considerably to the health and effectiveness of the nonprofit community. I will be contacting those I can locate, to determine if they would be interested in being honored for their work.

Some of those whom I have identified have experience and skills assisting community groups to produce short videos explaining their programs and services. I believe that I may be able to assist both the College and the County if I help build connections to these community resources.

Appetite for Change

2008-04-25T10:39:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

Patricia's fundraiser, Appetite for Change, took place yesterday here in Sonoma County. Ten restaurants agreed to donate 25% of their sales to the local poverty organization (Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County) on whose board of directors she sits. We went to breakfast at KC's Downtown Grill on the Windsor town square, she hosted lunch at Annapurna in the Brickyard in Santa Rosa, and we had dinner with a group of my golfing friends and wives at the French Garden in Sebastopol. Lots of people have been indicating their appreciation of her work in setting this event up, and it once again makes me very proud of her dedication to giving back to our community.

Social Causes and Social Networking Resources

2007-12-11T22:17:00.001-08:00

Greetings!

Here is a video I produced to explain how I am using Google Blogger, You Tube, and Facebook to help promote Coastwalk, and to help others do the same for causes they work for.

I Give Thanks

2007-12-11T09:19:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

Since I'm posting to Facebook and Myspace groups this week on Coastwalk and the Children of Vietnam photographs, I thought I'd also include a video I have on my You Yube account which was produced by Pachamama Alliance at their Mills College World Conference last summer. It really is beautiful.

Comments on the Nonprofit World

2007-12-01T14:13:00.000-08:00

Greetings!

Hanging out with a moderate case of poison oak for the last day, I had a chance to catch up on some blogs that I found this week. One is of particular interest.

NonProfit Eye

It's written by a friend of mine who once worked for me in a small nonprofit here in Sonoma County. She's gone on to do wonderous things for nonprofit financial management, and I'm glad that I've discovered her work again after many years. I highly recommend subscribing to her blog to keep abreast of the views of a wise younger one.

Other Resources
There are groups of people in thos part of the world whose work I support. The work they do is varied, and my support results from personal associations I have established with them. Some are connected to me through WiserEarth, others from times long past.

Spectrum
Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County
Canal Alliance
Coastwalk
Sonoma County Conservation Action
Sebastopol Center for the Arts
Committee for Green Foothills
The Pachamama Alliance
Idealist
Point Loma High School Alumni Association
Surfrider Foundation
Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network (NTEN)
Technical Assistance for Community Services
CompassPoint
GuideStar
The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University
Whatcom Council of Nonprofits

Prioritizing

2007-06-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

Greetings!

With so many things to spend the time in retirement, how do you keep from getting over-extended? The fence next to my hot-tub has seven combinations of one inch and six inch plywood boards. It makes a really nice design for a fence, but an even better design to help focus your mind and planning. As I sit in the toasty water thinking about what I'm going to do each day, I assign the work to one of the seven large boards. I don't try more than seven things each day, though I have to admit that some of the tasks get pretty complex.

Volunteerism

2006-12-01T10:51:00.000-08:00

One of the answers which seems to come up often as I inquire of friends how they define the goodness in themselves is their volunteerism. They have either continued and expanded the work they were doing before they reitred, or begun to volunteer in projects and causes which interest them.

I have expanded my volunteer work with Coastwalk, where I have been Treasurer for the past few years. The organization has been the primary advocate for California coastal access since the passage of Proposition 20 in 1976, which established the California Coastal Commission. Known for leading statewide and local county walks on the coast, it has been working for the past few years to secure, map and publicize the California Coastal Trail.

I have established a separate blog:

California Coastal Views

to help coastal activists be alerted to, and advocate in, coastal access issues which come before local, regional and state regulatory bodies.

I have also begun another volunteer project which returns to some work I did a few years ago as a staff member in the early years of the California Children and Families Commissions. These were the state and county commissions which were authorized to collect and spend cigarette taxes for children's programs under Proposition 10 on the November, 1998 Statewide Election.

I was very involved in the early stages of organizing California's implemenentation of this law, and I am now going to use a web blog to engage those early pioneers in a discussion of how they feel in turned out. I have established a separate blog:

First Five After Eight

to assist me in recruiting and engaging my colleagues to undertake the review.

Finally, I'm researching blogs which have also begun to ask questions of retirement:

Is There Anymore Than This?

Kill them with Kindness?

Active Aging

One Kind Act

40th Year High School Reunion

2006-11-27T16:21:00.000-08:00

A couple of months ago, I served as the chair of my high school's 40th year reunion. It was a great occasion, following many earlier reunions, and all of us enjoyed seeing each other again. In the planning of this reunion, I spoke with many of my classmates about what I was beginning to experience as a recent retiree.

After decades of work in nonprofits and government providing what is often referred to being in "health and human services", my wife and I are both now retired. We found the means to obtain complete retirement packages, and now live in a remodeled dream house, in a lifestyle well within our means. I continue to serve on a couple of nonprofit boards of directors, and contribute a significant portion of our income to social change and charitable organizations.

What I did for a living has always been a great part of how I defined the "goodness" in myself. I have always chosen my jobs and projects because I could see that they directly improved other people's lives. Despite sometimes frustrating bureaucracies and limited successes, I took satisfaction from the work I did.

But I have found myself questioning how much "good" I am doing - in my new, retired life. Is it enough for me to volunteer where I can, and make some donations. That leaves a lot of time for golf, and for all the toys I've wanted. I'm also wrestling with the question of how I evaluate what to expect of myself. Isn't retirement the time for me to set some new standards with which to hold myself accountable?

I have the feeling that the generation that grew up with its President's charge to "do for your country" will now have a hard time in the transition to retirement. I don't think that I'm the only boomer that is going to need help searching for a new balance of being good and rich.

2006-11-27T14:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know it's a bit much to see my photo twice on this first page of my new blog, but my use of the new Beta version of Google's Blogger made it unavoidable. My picture isn't posted anywhere else, and Google's Picasa2-linked Hello program won't login to the new Beta version to upload photos yet.

Oh well. I promise to post some text to move it out of your view soon.

2006-11-27T14:25:00.000-08:00