Non-Profits in the Virtual World
Vio Business Series #10
INTRODUCTION
The virtual world provides emerging opportunities for business, including for non-profit organizations. Any place where you can reach large groups of people is a good place to share the message of a non-profit. Opportunities to expand a donor and mailing list are available as are the ability to host virtual events and fundraisers. The virtual world may also help non-profits provide services to the people they intend to serve.
Vio Business believes in learning from the successes and mistakes of others, in order to improve your own chances for success. We also believe in using as many of the resources around us as possible to generate business. We are proud to provide Vio Business members with the opportunity to learn from two successful directors of non-profit organizatons who have brought their efforts into Second Life, Louise Later and Carmen Grey.
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An Overview of the Non-Profit World in SL
by Louise Later
I am sure that you all share my gratitude to Xander that we are able to gather here today. His vision here at Vio is a great and generous one: we will all benefit together by sharing what we have learned. Thank you, Xander!
Our topic today is “Nonprofits.” You are business people who judge the success of your product and services by your profits—and rightly so. It is hard to make a profit—especially in SL where the whole venue is new and you are pioneers in a new way of doing business.
So, what do NON profits have to do with a business networking group? I am going to say something radical here: I think that a "for-profit" business can judge its true success by its interaction with nonprofits.
I do not say that just to “sound good” as a Public Relations sound bite. I mean every syllable. I think that what gives meaning to each of us is the sure, inner knowledge that “I am contributing something of significance!”
Helen Keller said it best—and this is my personal motto—
“Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained though self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose." Helen Keller lived from 1880 to 1968--think of the innovations during that time span! :)
Helen Keller says that true happiness comes from dedication to a worthy purpose.
And so, I came to Second Life to see if SL was really doing all the good for people with disabilities the media said it was—because that is how I came to hear about Second Life: the media.
My sister Jolie Mason founded the Los Angeles Radio Reading Service (LARRS.org), a radio service founded by and for those who are blind or print-impaired. And from Day One, she had my help. She is totally blind. Her avatar is KC Garfunkel.
For 15 years, LARRS has broadcast 24/7 topical material (the current best sellers, today’s newspapers, and so on) giving everyone the same access to in-depth information as those who can read text. Eventually, I would like to stream this broadcast in-world to improve SL’s inclusion for those with disabilities. LARRS’s non-profit designation is a project of Community Partners (Section 501 [c][3] Federal Tax ID #95-4302067.
But I did not hear about Second Life just through LARRS. I heard about SL through KPFK.org, the radio station where I am a producer. I help produce “Access Unlimited,” an award-winning radio program that airs on KPFK 90.7 FM Tuesdays 3-4 PM PST.
Jolie is one of the co-hosts on “Access Unlimited” which deals with current issues related to people with disabilities—and those working in the field, friends, family—in short, all of us!
“Access Unlimited” can be heard from San Diego up to Santa Barbara to a drive-time live audience of at least 30,000 up to 150,000.
It can be heard worldwide via the Internet at KPFK.org.
It is also streamed live in-world at Wheelies.
I had heard that Second Life was truly a second chance for people with disabilities—a chance to meet with others, share resources, and have fun!
I had heard about Wheelies on KPFK “Access Unlimited.” So I came to SL—and received a great welcome at Wheelies—a social club for everyone, including those with disabilities. I had found a world that was truly “unlimited” in some ways!
But SL does not make orientation easy. Only 1 out of 10 people who try SL stay—and those are just your average “I wanna be an avatar” folks. What about people with disabilities who already have a hard time navigating the physical world?
Take note: You are business people—and you know well the clout of a retail giant such as Target.com. Target ought to be great at doing business! Even on the Internet.
But Target.com has just had a six-million dollar legal ruling AGAINST them. Six million is hefty sum even for Target. So where did Target go wrong at virtual marketing?
Target had decided that “we are doing enough with our brick-and-mortar stores to provide access to people with disabilities. Our webpage doesn’t ALSO need to be accessible for those who have visual impairments.”
But on August 30, 2008, the “Los Angeles Times” published an article about what the judge decided about e-commerce and accessibility.
Target lost.
A six-million-dollar loss.
It is now “good business -- and it's the law -- for companies to make their websites fully accessible to the visually impaired.” This was a ruling in a California court and Linden Lab is based in San Francisco, California. (The full story can be read at: http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-target30-2008aug30,0,827817.story)
So, part of why we are sharing our expertise today at Vio is to do business right the first time! Learn from someone else’s mistakes. Let Target pay $6 million, and let the members of Vio do business right. Target did not truly welcome all its potential customers. Here, in SL, on Virtual Ability Island is a shining example of a way to welcome everyone—including those with disabilities. Soon we will hear from Gentle Heron who is here today to tell us about the Virtual Ability non-profit and its welcome to new residents!
Virtual Ability Island I is doing things right! For example, they are helping our volunteer development team create and test an SL Guide Dog and Mobility Cane.
The supporters of VAI share a dream that Helen Keller would approve of—a “worthy purpose” that some day, even people with visual disabilities will be able to enjoy SL—and help its commerce flourish!
Please join me in welcoming Gentle Heron and in supporting Virtual Abilitiy Island!
FYI:
Here is an article about the Guide Dog and Mobility Cane Project
http://tentacolor.com/2008/08/30/the-scripted-leading-the-blind/
You can find out more information about the Los Angeles Radio Reading Service at LARRS.org and “Access Unlimited” at http://www.kpfk.org/programs/40-access-unlimited.html.
And everyone is welcome at Wheelies! :))
And, for Vio members, Accessible Builds will modify your SL business to make it accessible to those with disabilities--free of charge!
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Lousie Later is co-founder of the Los Angeles Radio Reading Service (LARRS.org), a radio service founded by and for those who are blind or print-impaired. We broadcast 24/7 topical material (the current best sellers, today’s newspapers, etc.) so that everyone has the same access to information as those who can read text. I would like to stream this broadcast in-world to improve SL’s inclusion for those with disabilities.
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Five Reasons Why People with Disabilities Make Great SL Customers!
1. Represent a Larger Percentage of the SL Population
Twenty percent of SL users identify themselves as having a disability. If the percentage were exactly parallel to the US population, it would be only 15 percent. AND this figure represents the group that is willing to say that they are disabled. Like everyone in SL, many people with disabilities may be here as an escape from reality and decide NOT to say that they are disabled.
2. Spend More Time In SL
People with disabilities log on more often and stay on longer. Lots of time to shop!
3. Use Technology Willingly
A little-known fact is that the typewriter keyboard itself was invented as accessible technology. A member of the British royal family wanted to do his own correspondence--even though he was blind. As Jolie Mason says, "Technology overcomes the handicap imposed by disability."
4. Network Well With Others
People with disabilities have learned to speak up! They know that you have to ask for what you need. So they tend to share what they have learned and pass on the good word to others. And what is better news than a good bargain?
5. Are a Growing Population
The Social Security Administration states that starting in 2012, each day, 10,000 Americans will be turning 70. With increasing age comes disabilitiy--so the disabled customer you are providing with excellent service now may one day be you!
So be a leader! Welcome Everyone!
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-target30-2008aug30,0,827817.story
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"Many people have a wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained though self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose." Helen Keller (1880-1968)
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How Can Your Business Support Non-Profits in SL?
How will Supporting Non-Profits Benefit Your Business?
There are several ways that businesses can support non-profits in SL and RL.
1. Partner with a Nonprofit
By partnering with a non-profit, your business can pass on the success that you are experiencing. Your customers will feel good about helping where help is needed. Businesses supporting non-profits help thousands of people at one time, and it is a time-honored way to give back to communities.
2. Share Your Goods—and Do Good!
You can share the resources that your business has while also helping the non-profit —for example, donating your merchandise. In-kind donations that your business donates to non-profits are a tax-deductible donation to your RL business if they have a real world value. But way beyond that is the added benefit in goodwill. Your name and goods will be spread through out Second Life, collecting more customers for your business.
3. Join with the Lindens in Being Generous
Linden Lab allows non-profits to buy land and pay tier at half-price. With land, the nonprofit can help Linden Lab fill SL to capacity while also attracting new residents to SL as the nonprofit gets the word out about their SL venue. A non-profit with land can put on special events, help others, and hire SL staff to fulfill the organization’s mission while in SL. As a business, you could fund a non-profit purchasing an island in SL. You could also pay the monthly tier on a island. As you do so, your business has the opportunity to give a great example to other residents as you create a worthy and beautiful movement in SL. Like a “big fish in a small pond,” you will be having an impact in SL that you might not have in RL. You could benefit in many tangible ways that parallel media advertising in RL: your name all over the island in major places as the sponsor, a special wing or building put in your company’s name as the sponsor, or—as Linden says—your world . . . your imagination! You also have the SL parallels to RL
advertising in SL television stations, news blogs, and other places in SL and on the internet about your business in SL.
Follow the example of the cancer society who has been able to partner with many businesses about supporting cancer research through their “pink ribbon” campaign. Now you see the ribbons on soup cans. This is a perfect example how businesses can give back help thousands and maybe millions of people and get great public relations as well. There is a long-lasting relationship there! This is forming a partnership for your business that connects in the most positive way with every company that comes aboard SL. Let’s all help business and non-profits reach some of their goals!
With DBA, we keep a record of funds donated through our SL account. Because we have a paid account, at any given time, we can get a record of any transactions coming in and going out of our SL account. There is no receipts in SL and the Lindens that are converted into US dollars go directly to the organization—100% of the funds! These funds help with things like summer camp for children as well as educational events in SL and RL.
A Word to the Wise from a Director of a NonProfit—“Drive By Agony” (DBA): We have not made enough Lindens to really go to far yet because it is not easy to fundraise in SL! We have found that we have to be determined. We rely on a great staff and volunteer base, which we have had to build—resident by resident. :-) DBA has been in operation since 1988; we received our 501(c)(3) in 1992, helping victims of crime—providing counseling and working with youth who are victims and or at-risk. We also have a parenting component and domestic violence as well.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Carmen Gray has been a av since 2006 but became active in December 2007 and has planned and implementd a march for peace , a health fair and succeessful live music venues raising lindens for the org. programs we do in rl and sl the last fundraiser was a Carnival and live music event in May were we raised 103k with the help of volunteers that worked very hard to make that happen. She is co-owner of Oleander Island where most of the special events are held at and her office is located.
Visit our web-site @www.drivebyagony.net
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SUMMARY
When dealing with a non-profit in the virtual world get receipts for donations and do ask where the money goes and how the group shows accountability for the funds. Ask what percentage of donations to directly to the people the non-profit serves. Make sure all terms and conditions are clear and understood before you make a financial commitment. If you experience any disputes, you should use proven dispute resolution providers in the virtual world, such as OliveEue Sholokhov.
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