the Coup

Fall Ahead

matthew — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:14:10 GMT

It’s been a busy summer with some pretty exciting projects.

Forgive the dust around here. We’re building a new site and will post clips from our recent projects when we relaunch in a couple of months.

Drop us a note, if you would like to see samples of more recent work.

Kickstart your Campaigns

matthew — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:07:53 GMT

A few weeks ago, I became obsessed with a new website, a tool for peer-to-peer fundraising. I found the reason behind my obsession, and offer it to you as a clue for success.

Building Community that Transcend Networks

matthew — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 23:07:54 GMT

We are in the moment of an important convergence. Location-based networks are transforming activism and commerce. With a little understanding, we can set the precedent for the public good.

10 Tactics Event

matthew — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:09:23 GMT

Brooklyn joined the global conversation on information activism. 55 thinkers and changemakers from an exciting range of grassroots initiatives gathered on March 16th with theCoup for a film and discussion on turning information into action.

Witness, Third Wave Foundation, CodePink, Teachers for Justice, Make the Road, Common Ground, NYU, PODER, the Street Vendors Project, Fresh, Benetech, The Nation, Streets Films, and Human Rights First were just a few of the organizations and campaigns creating this stellar event at the Brooklyn Creative League.

Arwen Lowbridge had a few words about her experience at the event:

I found myself at a wonderful event last night amidst social and political activists working in the fields of human rights, education reform, climate change – just about any cause you could name. It was held at my office-away-from-home Brooklyn Creative League and presented by theCoup and Witness.

After a screening of the film, we broke up into groups based on topic of interest (stories, visual representation, mobile & tech, community & networks) and briefly discussed the film in relation to our topic, our work and our experiences. I was in the community and networking group and was somewhat relieved to learn that every cause seems to be having trouble turning virtual networks into physical action. How to get people (besides the Mad Tea Partiers) off their butts and out of their seats and into the world to do something in real-time seems to be the $64,000 question.

10 tactics is a great resource for those of us looking to connect with people in meaningful, authentic ways and Tactical Technology Collective provides free tool kits and informational resources as part of the project. It was fascinating to reflect on how these tactics have been used (or misused) in advocacy/awareness campaigns in the arts. More on that in another post…

Congratulations and thank you to everyone who made this an inspiring, informative and engaging event.

Photos by Kavita Kulkarni

10 Tactics in Brooklyn

matthew — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 17:18:09 GMT

Success! The Brooklyn screening and discussion on 10 Tactics was a huge success.

The film explores stories from 25 rights advocates around the world who have successfully used information and digital technologies to create positive change.

More about the event »

10 Tactics in Brooklyn

matthew — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:58:43 GMT

Join us March 16th to watch the film 10 Tactics for Turning Information into Action!

Writing for a Digital Audience

matthew — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:04:12 GMT

Engage hearts to change minds. Learn a few strategies to write with more impact. Gather a few tips to sharpen your writing into effective communications.

Organizing 2.0

matthew — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:10:58 GMT

I’m presenting a workshop on Writing for a Digital Audience this coming weekend at the Organizing 2.0 Conference.

We will be covering a few strategies to help you effectively engage your audience and move them into action. We will discuss a few examples from your work to see how you can apply these strategies with ease.

View the slides and resources from the presentation

Check out all the great folks attending this event in New York on Saturday, December 5th. It’s just a few dollars to attend and will definitely be worth your time.

Organizing 2.0: bringing online organizers, the netroots, community organizers and the labor movement together. Not at the national level, where high powered political directors issue instructions to well staffed new media teams, but at the local level, where online strategies require generalists, lay leaders, volunteers and member engagement to succeed.

Update: Joe Dinkin from Working Families will join me for this workshop, offering more on the ground examples and expertise.

Waste to Wealth

matthew — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 23:45:21 GMT

Logo for this new organization that's driving innovative change.

RIP e-newsletter?

matthew — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 19:22:47 GMT

I propose an experiment. It’s a simple test for any organization starting a new email list for an event, campaign, or the organization itself. …Email News List vs. Social Network

Comparing your CMS Options

matthew — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:22:53 GMT

Idealware has put out an extensive report that compares Open Source Content Management Systems. Take a closer look at WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and Plone.

View the report

They say: “This 60 page independent Idealware report provides a summary of what Open Source content management systems are, what features are often useful to nonprofits, and a detailed comparison of WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and Plone, the content management systems most widely used by nonprofits.”

“Which are easiest to use? Which provide the most flexibility in setting up your website? Which provide the strongest features for website community features, workflow, or ease of maintenance? The report answers these questions and many, many more!”

“The report also includes our new directory of consultants and designers who help nonprofit implement these Content Management Systems. “

Get more from your donors

matthew — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 18:03:44 GMT

There’s a new study out today with some advice on improving your online donations. In particular, it looks at how premiums can improve response rates and average gift sizes.