YouTube's Nonprofit Program Videos

By now, you should be well aware that your organization needs to engage site visitors and constituents with video. YouTube's Nonprofit Program is very good resource for displaying video on your site and using their social networking tools to create your own branded channel.

YouTube has also created two new channel resources to help nonprofits use YouTube in their communications strategies. YouTube's Agent Change examines activism and video, while Google For Nonprofits provides instructions and great case studies for using Google's nonprofit resources. Both are worth bookmarking for future reference.

Here are two videos to explain how these resources can help your organization:

YouTube's Agent Change

Google 101 Implementation

"Dancing": Four Million Views on YouTube

Two weeks ago, a guy named Matt Harding posted a YouTube video of him dancing with people throughout the world. "Dancing" has become a cultural phenomenon with more than four million views on YouTube. This sequel video to his original 2004 and 2006 "Where the Hell is Matt?" videos has caught fire worldwide (the 2006 original itself has ten million views in two years).

This reminds us that simple ideas can be the most effective. Learn more about Matt and his efforts in the recent New York Times article and be sure to watch all of this inspiring video.

Video: Burma, it can't wait

The devastation from a recent cyclone in Burma has been on the news for almost 2 months, but regrettably the devastation continues every day. Burma is currently ruled by a brutal military dictator who, among other committed atrocities, has recruited upwards of 70,000 children (starting from age 11) into the army for war against neighboring minorities, villages and even citizens. Currently the rightful leader of Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, is on house arrest, illegally, according to UN interanational law.

At the website, Burma: It Can't Wait (burmaitcantwait.org), celebrity shorts with Will Farrell, Jennifer Aniston, Tila Tequila, and 10's of others, call attention to the various complexities of the situation, but bring to the attention  the realistic change of hope for Burma- by helping add your voice to the cause.

Add you voice, and join the campaign here.

Crossing Cultures, Crossing Boundaries - Pangea Day

On May 10th, at 18:00GMT, a live broadcast of 24 short films from all over the country will be broadcast in public areas and online in an powerful move to bridge cultures from over the world using media.

Pangea Day "is a global event bringing the world together through film... In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film.

For more information about Pangea Day, as well as a list of venues, visit www.pangeaday.org. To learn about the idea's history, check out the most recent post on Pogue's Post in the NYTimes.

This event will be culturally historic- and a example of the power of change new media can have on all people, not matter where in the world you are watching television, or browsing YouTube channels.

Video: DoGooderTV - 2nd Annual Non-Profit Video Awards

Following the successful turn out from last year's contest, DoGooderTV is once again holding their Nonprofit Video Contest (presented by NTEN and See3 Communications).

The premise of the contest is to highlight nonprofit organizations using technology to inspire and promote their cause. New technologies have created several compelling mediums to reach people, DoGooderTV is out to make sure we all see it.

Below is last year's winner from the organization Avazz, titled "Stop the Clash of Civilizations".

Submit your video here.

View this year's entries here.

t5m Launches Socially-Concsious Online-TV

Website: www.t5m.com

While still maintaining their intent on entertaining and inspiring, t5m now gives users direct access to original, broadcast interviews featuring famous personalities, events and news stories - covering headlines from fashion to the causes the stars support. t5m will feature an extraordinary range of people from actress Kate Bosworth to explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, author Barbara Taylor Bradford to musician James Blunt, and from world champion surfer Kelly Slater to actor Christian Slater.

Nelson Mandela's HIV/AIDS campaign, 46664, is the first cause to announce its involvement. The dedicated 46664 channel is already live as part of today's beta launch of t5m.com.

Charlie Muirhead, founder and CEO of t5m commented: "The next wave of entertainment is inspiration. Nothing else on the web offers such direct, unmediated access to the people and stories shaping the world we live in. We hope that t5m will be a much loved addition to every web user's favorites."

Podcast: Tracy Gary's Podcast "On Inspired Philanthropy"

Amy Looper, interviews Tracy Gary, the author of Inspired Philanthropy: Creating A Giving Plan and Leaving a Legacy.  Looper's purpose in the podcast is to bring donors, advisors, and nonprofits together in for a common purpose.  Within the interview, Gary discusses the various free resources available on the Inspired Philanthropy website.

Broadcast Your Cause

Founded in 1995, the Rainbow Network is a Christian ministry working in rural Nicaragua with some of the poorest people in the world. They focus on four areas: healthcare, education, housing, and micro-loans.

In order to further awareness of their mission and highlight some of their work, they've developed a YouTube Channel where they post several related video.

Seems small, but channels like this one exemplify the far-reaching uses of Web 2.0 that are being use to benefit non-widely known foundations.

Homeland Security 2.0

David Stephenson, a Homeland Security and Disaster Management Consultant has set up a blog and a YouTube page providing what he calls "common sense advice on how to creative use of common, mobile personal communication devices" can empower the public and improve disaster response.

In this video, Stephenson reviews the benefits of Twitter, a mini-social networking and how it can be used in a disaster situation.

Yahoo! Democratic Mashup

Following the tremendous success of YouTube's Democratic Primary debate, Yahoo! has followed with an interactive version where visitors can select from 3 issues important issues, voted by users, and seeing all the candidates response to those questions.

As a bonus, each candidate also answers a question from comedian/political activist Bill Maher.

Go to Yahoo! (debates.news.yahoo.com) to watch.