Nonprofit Speech Rights | Center for Effective Government

Online Polls and Surveys

Online Survey and Polling Tools The need for nonprofits to collect information and survey others is critically important, especially in research and message development activities. There are usually, however, two limitations: cost and expertise. There are a number of online tools and services that may make it easier and less costly to do surveys and polls.

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Commercial, Nonprofit, and Not-For-Profit Online Voter Education and Participation Resources

Internet and Voter Participation A while back, Microsoft ran an interesting paid advertisement/essay in a number of newspapers entitled, "The Internet and Democracy". It presents a series of statements emphasizing the Internet's increasing role in the interaction between people and government, as well as candidates and the electorate. In particular, the ad emphasizes the notion of the Internet as means for:

organizing and expressing citizen opinions among the body politic and with elected officials,

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Unions and Technology

Unions and the Digital Divide Unions and technology have had a good amount of attention lately. You have probably heard the news that the Ford Motor Company, through PeoplePC is offering their 350,000 employees computers with Internet access for US$5 a month, including shipping. This arrangement came about when Ford and the United Auto Workers (UAW)- which represents 100,000 Ford workers in America- negotiated a four-year contract last fall. The UAW suggested the idea for computer access for workers during the negotiations.

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Free Electronic Mailing and Discussion List Hosting

The now commonly-used term "listserv" refers, in fact, to the original e-mail list hosting software (called LISTSERV) first introduced in 1986. Now, just about any electronic discussion list is called a "listserv." Moreover Lsoft, the company that produces the LISTSERV brand of software, has started to clamp down on use of this term. In referring to the generic tool, one should use "e-mail list" or "e-mail-based discussion group."

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Instant Messaging

One type of technology that forms a logical extension between the notion of community building and the work of nonprofits is instant messaging (IM). Reportedly some 80 million folks are using IM technology daily to generate a low-end estimate of some 500 million messages a day.

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Stakeholder Analysis Tools

The following information is drawn from September 19, 20, and 23, 1999 postings on the NPTalk discussion list. Introduction Stakeholder analysis is an aspect of organizing and mobilizing activity often overlooked by smaller community groups but not by larger entities interested in creating effective campaigns and strategies to help push their interests in the policymaking process.

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Wireless Technology and Cellular Phones

Portions of the following information are drawn from previous postings on the NPTalk discussion list. The cellular phone is a little tool that has, in a short amount of time, had a major impact on information and communications technology development around the globe. Strangely enough, the technology has been around a lot longer than you might think. Keep in mind that cellular phones themselves are basically transmitters and receivers of radio signals.

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Collaborative and Virtual Office Tools

The following information is drawn from May 9 and December 28, 1999; January 29 and March 26. 2000 postings on the NPTalk discussion list. Nonprofit work often involves collaboration among staff and partners, sometimes spread across large distances. Sometimes the nature of that work entails the markup or comment on documents, or brainstorming ideas, which is not always easily done via a conference call or e-mail, or for which an in-person meeting is not cost-effective. There are, however, different flavors of office-level collaborative technology for nonprofits to consider. Digital

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Anti-Terrorism Bill Could Impact Nonprofits

The "USA PATRIOT Act" (PL 107-56) could pose big problems for nonprofits, especially those that advocate changes in US foreign policy or provide social services to individuals that become targets of government investigations.

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House Passes H.R. 7, The Community Solutions Act

The House has passed HR 7, the "Community Solutions Act" by a vote of 233-198. 15 Democrats voted for the bill, and 4 Republicans voted against it. A Democratic alternative that addressed some of the civil rights and discrimination problems in the bill was defeated 261-168. This alternative would also have prohibited religious organizations who provide federally funded programs from engaging in sectarian activities at the same time. A motion to recommit the bill to the Judiciary Committee with instructions to remove language that allows discrimination also failed on a vote of 234-195.

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