Clear Path Challenges... and why we blog to answer them

Felix has asked me to post about Clear Path's greatest challenges... our primary challenge is pretty universal, and I am sure most would guess what it is... RAISING MONEY. In order to raise money... one must first RAISE AWARENESS of the cause and then GAIN TRUST in a potential donor.

Blogging is an effective way to do both.

CPI started blogging years ago... but I have to admit, I had no idea of the power of the medium. I simply wanted an easy way to update my web site....although I knew how to write very basic HTML, I had no interest in coding every time I had an update! I also wanted to archive each news item to show a visitor to our site (potential donors) a living record of achievement for our organization.

Thank God I ran into some great guys named Jason Brush and Scott Harden then working with Subvergent Studios, now called 1:1 Ratio. Jason in late 2001 reccomended a blog solution for us... MovableType more accurately (back when it was a non-profit!) and I had no idea what he was talking about.... but Jason is one of those guys who is so freakin smart that noone ever knows what he is talking about, I imagine.

Our first blogs started in late 2001.... I think... or early 2002 with the Clear Path News page.

So thanks to Jason and Scott, we blog... in addition to our "archival blogs" of news and case studies, we also started a "conversational" blog last year. Although, it is mostly a one way conversation as we do not get many comments... unless you count comment spam.

(which brings up another challenge... if anyone out there can help me configure my comment spam manangement in MT I would really appreciate it... )

So please... get our feed, tell your friends about Clear Path, help us raise awareness of what we do...  post about us to your blog... we have gotta be one of the first non-profits to blog... that has to count for something!:)

Thanks again to these folks doing just that!

PS> the next and last blog post from me for blogidarity will outline our future plans... and I'll have some great news to share!

Comments

[Nellie Moore]

Love this! I found you through Tom Peters and I've just signed up for your $1.00 per month dontation. What a great mission. Hey, do you have a button we could grab and put onto our websites to send people your way?

I can create a hyperlink to you but being able to grab a button would be great and make your message more visible. Keep up the great work!

[Felix Gerena]

Thanks for your contribution and encouraging words, Nellie.

We have designed a simple button saying, "I, Blogidary". I've been surfing your website ;) but have not found your e-mail address. If you e-mail us to blogidarity@gmail.com we will send it to you.

[Nellie Moore]

Hi Felix,

Can't find my e-mail, Well that is a big what???! There should be one. I just looked. I must have left it out last time I did some housekeeping. Thanks for the heads up! You can reach me at nellie@wysewomen.com and I would be honored to put your link on my site and share the info with everyone I know.

Blessings,

Nellie