Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 8, 2015

Guest post by Betsy Beaumon, President, Benetech We are seeking visionary leaders to join Benetech in applying technology to advance the rights of disadvantaged people around the world. We operate at the intersection of technology and social impact, and therefore our ideal candidates will demonstrate these dual interests and experiences.

Technology 100

Technology Literacy Social Uganda 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 23, 2014

How can we use technology in a new way to improve people’s lives that is an order of magnitude better? Can we help stimulate the creation of far more technology-for-good ventures? Technology currently serves privileged groups through tools that provide access to education, literacy, health, and justice.

Literacy 158

Literacy eBook United Kingdom Accessibility 158

Tech Soup

JULY 22, 2014

Technology, especially, can be difficult to stay on top of with constantly updating operating systems and new versions of software. Thankfully, there are many free or inexpensive training programs that can help you polish your technology skills. Did you know that you can get access to discounted training programs through TechSoup?

Training 87

Training Train Resource Technology 87

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 16, 2011

The goal of the DIAGRAM R&D Center is to greatly improve access to graphical information for students with print disabilities (for example, helping blind students get access to important graphics inside textbooks). But, it’s turned out to be one of the best surveys of assistive technology we’ve ever seen.

Images 194

Images Alternative Student Accessibility 194

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 5, 2015

Twelve years ago, the Fund made its first grant to Benetech, in support of the then newly launched Bookshare , our accessible online library for people with disabilities that get in the way of reading print, including visual impairments and dyslexia. This pilot paved the way for our work in the education field.

Fund 100

Fund India United States eBook 100

Connection Cafe

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

We all live in a world filled with technology, which can prove to be a help and hinderance to our work and personal lives. Here are five ways I believe having the right technology and good data – no matter what platforms or software you use – makes our work lives less stressful, more productive, and happier at MaineCF.

Data 37

Data Technology Community eBook 37

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 3, 2016

Libraries for people who are blind or dyslexic are the primary source of accessible books in audio, large print or braille. Wouldn’t it make more sense to make it easier for people with disabilities to get access to the books they need for education and employment? We don’t have to ask for permission from the publisher or author.

Copyright 100

Copyright United States Library eBook 100

Nimble AMS

JUNE 10, 2021

This approach ensures your organization is keeping up with the latest technological advances without budget-busting fees and broken customizations. Download this guide to discover three keys to adopting this kind of future-focused technology for your association. What’s the answer for Nimble AMS? Email me the guide.

Question 78

Question Associations Software System 78

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 26, 2014

One of their main challenges is that they do not have adequate access to educational materials that are necessary to learn and succeed in school. Accessible ebooks and Bookshare have helped sixth grader Kevin Leong overcome his reading challenges. The good news is that major changes in technology are reforming education.

eBook 203

eBook Accessibility United States Student 203

Qgiv

FEBRUARY 20, 2024

As technology evolves, there are new ways nonprofits like yours can take advantage of advancements to save time and raise more money. At the forefront of these new technologies is artificial intelligence (AI). AI provides easy ways to personalize your content to better appeal to your supporters.

Fundraising 97

Fundraising Nonprofit Analysis Donor 97

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

AUGUST 7, 2013

have been asking about the Treaty of Marrakesh (formal name: The Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works by Visually Impaired Persons and Persons with Print Disabilities. Ultimately, this community should have equal access to all of the books that are needed for education, employment and social inclusion.

Copyright 158

Copyright Law United States Library 158

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 17, 2014

It also underscores just how critical a balanced copyright law is for technology innovation. As a different kind of Silicon Valley tech company—a nonprofit with a pure focus on social good—our goal is to see that the best of technology gets applied to social needs left unaddressed by for-profit businesses.

Copyright 196

Copyright Law Accessibility Library 196

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

NOVEMBER 27, 2012

The first issue is that the treaty would not permit direct access by consumers to international authorized entities. Everyone who is not disabled globally can directly access Amazon.com and order books. Being silent on the big issue of circumvention would lead to a world where accessibility could be prohibited by contract.

eBook 193

eBook Library Alternative Authoring 193

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 17, 2015

Access to information and knowledge is a basic human right and a necessary first step towards personal, economic, and social development. The good news is that there are now unprecedented opportunities to transform the lives of these millions by removing barriers of access to information  —   and this is where you can help.

Copyright 100

Copyright Law Library eBook 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 4, 2013

The Year That Was and the New Year Ahead Guest Beneblog by Betsy Beaumon, Benetech's VP and General Manager of the Literacy Program 2012 was a year of titanic shifts in the fields of consumer technology, education, and publishing, along with the requisite challenges brought about by such rapid change. Thanks again!

Literacy 166

Literacy Program United Arab Emirates Student 166

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 27, 2013

In my contribution to Ron’s book, I discuss the framework that guides us at Benetech, the technology nonprofit I lead. When I first started pursuing the idea of using technology to solve challenging social problems, it was a pretty radical idea. Converting and delivering these accessible books was expensive and time consuming.

Develop 144

Develop Social Library eBook 144

Nonprofit Tech for Good

AUGUST 16, 2019

When it comes to technology, you get what you pay for. Expert Support – WordPress tech wizards go above and beyond to provide personalized support to you through live chat and email ticketing. Pantheon dashboard which provides easy access to each staging site, along with Git commits. 4) Pantheon :: pantheon.io.

WordPress 247

WordPress Hosting Websites Web 247

AccelEvents

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

Because we have attended more and more physical conferences, meetings, or networking events in-person, we have become familiar with their standard processes. The bottom line is that you want to make your event attendees, whether they are in-person or online, as comfortable as possible. Clearly identify non-negotiables.

Virtual 80

Virtual Audience Conference Software 80

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

The deal was: help people with disabilities that can't access books and don't hurt the economic interests of the publishers (and authors). Ensure that only people with qualifying disabilities get access to these books. Employ "Social Digital Rights Management" technology. How do we uphold the social bargain?

Copyright 158

Copyright Social Law Student 158

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

The goal of the Treaty is to make a copyright exception for the blind and other people with disabilities that stop them from reading print, and to make import and export of accessible content legal. This post is my own personal take on those expert recommendations. My core point: Don’t put up bureaucratic barriers to access.

Copyright 158

Copyright India Library United States 158

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

DECEMBER 16, 2014

My personal goal is to channel the aspirations of the technology community to do more social good. More and more of my time is spent around both raising money and raising awareness of how much more could be done with technology to increase social impact. Are you excited about technology benefiting the world?

Open Source 183

Open Source Africa Zimbabwe Malawi 183

AccelEvents

NOVEMBER 3, 2020

Because we have attended more and more physical conferences, meetings, or networking events in-person, we have become familiar with their standard processes. The bottom line is that you want to make your event attendees, whether they are in-person or online, as comfortable as possible. Clearly identify non-negotiables.

Virtual 52

Virtual Audience Conference Software 52

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 19, 2009

We had a nice piece on Bookshare in the latest AARP Bulletin, entitled: Making Books Accessible for Those With Disabilities. Of course, we explain that access to Bookshare is only for the purpose of helping a person with a print disability. We've been getting lots of questions about the article, including volunteer offers (yay!)

eBook 100

eBook Children Press Stream 100

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JUNE 14, 2009

The Author’s Guild asserts that they control the audio rights and that delivering a text ebook to a device which could speak it aloud with synthetic text-to-speech and that their commercial market for audio books will someday be significantly affected by TTS. Of course, the Librarian of Congress has pronounced on this topic already!

Copyright 104

Copyright Proposal Audio eBook 104

BoardAssist

MARCH 6, 2014

If we got rid of IT we might have to talk to the person next to us on the train and we would not have our overpriced Apple product helping us look cool at the coffee shop. This blog is too short to get into all of the details of the technology, but if you are interested, go here and download a free copy of Cloud Computing for Nonprofits.

Sharepoint 75

Sharepoint Help Delaware Philadelphia 75

Connection Cafe

APRIL 21, 2020

While personal phone calls to your incoming class and online meetings are at the top of the list for admissions, consider these other options: Reaching out to waitlisted students. Personalize the conversations and speak to their struggles. Remove Technology Concerns. How has online learning been going for you?”

Student 31

Student Tips Classes Virtual 31

Twenti - Digital Marketing For Nonprofits

MAY 18, 2020

Local businesses are often a more sustainable (and more accessible) option than big co-corporations, whose environmental damage will generally be much higher. All nonprofits need financial donations, but if your nonprofit needs other donated items to fulfil its cause as well, then look into ways you can access recycled donations.

Campaign 52

Campaign Marketing Green FAQ 52

Connection Cafe

MARCH 4, 2015

Technology. So many of us spend a great deal of our time focused on the spheres farthest from ultramodern innovation—the remote communities lacking access to healthcare, the schools in need of funding for reading materials, the families struggling to find food. Innovation. The future. Thankfully, we don’t have to go it alone.

eBook 20

eBook Fundraising Images Trend 20

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JANUARY 5, 2016

The common link among our projects is information technology, which can be applied to just about every aspect of the social sector. Yet, nonprofits frequently lag behind the for-profit world in applying technology to their work. Benetech has a unique opportunity to repeatedly use technology as a social change agent.

Change 100

Change eBook United States Conservancy 100

Connection Cafe

APRIL 1, 2016

Or even for your personal role in the organization. 2016 NGO Online Technology Report. Based upon the survey results of 2,780 NGOs worldwide, the 2016 Global NGO Online Technology Report is unprecedented and provides valuable insight into the global NGO sector and its use of online technology.

Professional 20

Professional Causes NGO News 20

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

JULY 16, 2018

Society is a buzz about new technology: artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, autonomous cars, the surveillance state, and more. Even in the tech industry, with its intense turf battle, companies have come to rely on open standards for data, for APIs, for technological plumbing.

Software 118

Software Data Change eBook 118

Nonprofit Tech for Good

MAY 22, 2020

In the new world of social distancing and limited in-person gatherings, nonprofits everywhere are embracing virtual fundraising events and campaigns. With today’s technology it’s pretty easy and straightforward to host an impressive virtual event or campaign. If that’s you, do not fear.

Virtual 321

Virtual Tech Fundraising Broadcast 321

Bloomerang

OCTOBER 16, 2023

A donor database is a software solution that nonprofit professionals use to access insights into their supporters’ engagement histories, track key fundraising metrics, and measure success. From emails to events to personal phone calls—your donors have multiple ways to engage with your organization as you introduce them to your mission.

Database 80

Database Donor Guide Software 80

Nonprofit Tech for Good

MARCH 25, 2022

While many of these fundraising event staples are great, such as fancy galas and golf tournaments, circumstances aren’t always ideal for in-person gatherings. Here are a few ideas about how to make virtual/hybrid versions of your favorite in-person events. However, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the fun. 3) Cooking classes.

Virtual 351

Virtual Ideas Fundraising Stream 351

Neon CRM

MAY 18, 2023

Donor Data is a Top Priority Track Performance Using KPIs Prioritize Donor Stewardship Use Technology to Automate Processes Set S.M.A.R.T. Use Technology to Automate Processes Take advantage of the tools and technology that you have—especially those that are built specifically to handle fundraising for nonprofits.

Raise 98

Raise Strategy Help Fundraising 98

Neon CRM

MAY 31, 2023

By engaging your donors, providing them regular updates on your work and opportunities to get involved—all while leveraging donor data to create a personalized experience—you will strengthen their relationship with your nonprofit and make them feel like they’re playing a part in working towards your goals.

Donor 52

Donor Management Guide Retention 52

Beneblog: Technology Meets Society

FEBRUARY 1, 2013

For more than 20 years I’ve worked to harness the power of technology to do social good. So for me, it was incredibly cool to be introduced to a new piece of technology that has a clever and (as far as I know) new approach to making information accessible to people with vision impairments.

People 113

People Help Tech Colorado 113