05 Mar 2009 2 Comments

Riffing on creative commons licensed content

Flickr photo courtesy of izarbeltza under CC license

Have you seen Beth Kanter’s post on the pros and, well, more pros of setting content free?

I believe in setting my content free.  It provides a huge return on investment.  Here’s why:

  • A way to crowd source ideas.  People can add and embellish your content and if you have access to the remix, it can give you new ideas
  • It creates a gift economy and that helps you build your network
  • It gets your work out there. My photos and blog posts have traveled around the world!

When it comes to raising money online, empowering your network of supporters with the tools to fundraise for your NPO is like giving them Creative Commons access to your organization.  This might sound unnerving at first.  What if people misrepresent your organization or mis-construe your brand?   How do you protect it?  Before you start building an iron gate around your logo, consider what you have to gain:

  • People can “remix” your ideas and give you new ideas.  For example, suppose one of your supporters decides to run a marathon to raise money for your organization.  You might get the clever idea to put together a whole team of marathon runners to raise money for your organization.
  • It helps you build your network.  Fundraisers have the power to reach potential donors within their own networks that are beyond your organization’s immediate reach.
  • It gets your work out there.  The more people who hear about your work and why it’s so great, the more well-known your work becomes.

And remember, if someone is so passionate about your organization’s work that they want to raise money to support it, it’s unlikely that they are going to misrepresent you.  Fundraisers are not a threat to your brand; they are your brand’s advocates!

***One more useful tool courtesy of Beth Kanter: if you’ve already set your content free and want to track it, check out FairShare.

by admin in FirstGiving news Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,