Social Network Just For Non-Profits

Via Non-Profit Law blog, Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes is launching a social network, JUMO, later this year to connect non-profits with supporters. If you watch the video accompanying the article, you will learn that while Hughes has left Facebook, he is still supports its use. Jumo users will be able to easily transfer their Facebook information over when he opens the service.

Hughes’ hope is to provide a way for organizations to develop relationships prior to requesting assistance. “Hughes thinks that the call for support should come only after people and organizations have built that connection with one another. All too often, said Hughes, the donate button on websites is big, flashy, and colorful, and email calls to action are usually in all caps, starting with the word “Urgent!” Hughes hopes that Jumo will move organizations toward a new era where relationships are forged and cultivated before calls to action.”

Earlier the article notes: “To do that, the platform will be broken up into three main components: Find, Follow and Support. First, Jumo will help you find non-profit organizations by learning the types of things that interest you and making suggestions. Second, the site will help you follow those organizations by receiving a stream of updates about the work they’re doing and how that work is affecting real people.”

In the comments section, some wonder if people will really join another social network. I don’t necessarily share that concern. I think people who are interested in causes will welcome a place that aggregates information and lets them connect with those causes. Non profit organizations should differentiate how they use the different technologies. You might encourage people who want information on ticket specials and the hot news about just signed artists to pay attention to your Twitter feed or Facebook account. Whereas you would provide information on outreach efforts and volunteering opportunities on the Jumo account.

Focusing on a few communication channels is about all most arts organizations have the staffing to handle in any case. Developing a separate flavor for each channel and leveraging it to serve the interests of different segments of your audience is probably better than replicating the same content verbatim on each is probably a better use of staff time in any case.

The real benefit to non-profits would be if people started using Jumo in ways not anticipated by the creators, spurring the development of features specific to the needs of non-profits.

About Joe Patti

I have been writing Butts in the Seats (BitS) on topics of arts and cultural administration since 2004 (yikes!). Given the ever evolving concerns facing the sector, I have yet to exhaust the available subject matter. In addition to BitS, I am a founding contributor to the ArtsHacker (artshacker.com) website where I focus on topics related to boards, law, governance, policy and practice.

I am also an evangelist for the effort to Build Public Will For Arts and Culture being helmed by Arts Midwest and the Metropolitan Group. (http://www.creatingconnection.org/about/)

My most recent role was as Executive Director of the Grand Opera House in Macon, GA.

Among the things I am most proud are having produced an opera in the Hawaiian language and a dance drama about Hawaii's snow goddess Poli'ahu while working as a Theater Manager in Hawaii. Though there are many more highlights than there is space here to list.

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