After my attempt to start a nonprofit foundered, I moved to plan B, which was freelancing and working with local and regional nonprofits in Central Illinois to help them use the web and social media more effectively. These projects are representative of that work.
Mid-Illinois Big Brothers Big Sisters
I didn’t build this site, though I maintained and modified it for a time, and made changes to incorporate social media and make it generally more participatory and interactive. My main work with BBBS has been in technology planning and strategy. I’ve advised them on hardware and software purchases, helped them deal with nasty ongoing malware problems on their office machines, and most recently, developed a strategy for ensuring regular offsite backup of their donor database, email, and other crucial files and data. Finally I worked with them to develop a strategy for using Facebook to engage the student community at Eastern Illinois University, getting them set up with a Facebook fan page and group, teaching them how to use it and evaluate and improve their strategies over time, and so on.
I also worked on a couple of projects with the local homeless shelter in my hometown. The screenshot is a demo I worked up for a basic informational website. It was never completed due to a change in management, and has since been superseded. The primary work I did with them was in public computing and networking, setting up a small computer lab for the use of the clients and maintaining it and their office computers over a 2-year period. I also created a set of resources for basic digital literacy and online access to government services and benefits, and held drop-in sessions for clients who needed extra help. Finally, I did some exploratory work with them on online fundraising and social media strategy, which was also interrupted by the management change.
Sullivan Area Arts Council
This was a prototype for a project that eventually fizzled. It was to be a WordPress-based regional portal for the arts in central Illinois, including an area-wide events calendar, image galleries to display artwork associated with the group, artist profiles, a blog, and lots of other social features to help bring together and publicize the arts community in the area surrounding Sullivan, IL. It foundered over a lack of a critical mass of engaged people to create content for and moderate and maintain the site. It could be revived someday, depending on the resources and interest of the partners involved, but for now it remains on the drawing board.