Philadelphia NetSquared Blog

Philadelphia Net Tuesdays, nonprofit technology, social change and the social web.

Welcome to the new Philly NetSquared website!

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of this new website, at the easy-to-remember address of PhillyNetSquared.org! We still have some bugs to work out, but we think this will be a major improvement and serve as the framework upon which to build a dynamic community around social change and the social web. Have an idea for this site? Join us at next week’s Net Tuesday and share your ideas!

Net Tuesday July 7: Activist Communities in the Midst of Social Media

Submitted by Philly NetSquared on July 1, 2009
Philly Net Tuesday Summer Lager

As warm weather settles in, nothing’s more refreshing than a flight of Net Tuesday Summer Ales.

First up, on Tuesday, July 7 starting at 6 PM at Buffalo Billiards, 118 Chestnut Street: Communi-Lager! Chris Bartlett will present Activist Communities in the Midst of Social Media. He’ll share how he has used the tools of the trade — social networks Twitter, Facebook, Stickam, and Ning — to create a series of communities that support his community organizing.

UPDATED info on Net Tuesday, June 2: Mobile Technology for Social Change

Submitted by Philly NetSquared on June 1, 2009

You are probably already aware that our next Net Tuesday (June 2, starting at 6:00 PM at Buffalo Billiards, 118 Chestnut Street) is going to be about Mobile Technology and Social Change. This was the theme of the fourth annual NetSquared conference (N2Y4) that Ivan and Seth just attended in San Jose. The centerpiece of the conference was a “challenge”, in which 14 new, innovative projects competed for prize money up to $25,000.

We were blown away by some of the projects we saw, and want to share on Tuesday evening.

Net Tuesday June 2: Mobile Technology for Social Change

Submitted by Philly NetSquared on May 25, 2009

Mobile technology is one of the fastest growing areas of digital technology. And developing applications for social change is following apace.

Our next Net Tuesday on June 2 will be about mobile applications for social change. Again, we’ll be meeting at Buffalo Billiards, 118 Chestnut Street. We’ll start gathering at 6:00 PM, and the program itself will begin between 6:30 and 6:45. RSVP on Meetup.

Net Tuesday May 5: Nonprofits and Twitter

Submitted by Philly NetSquared on April 29, 2009

The next Net Tuesday will be next Tuesday, May 5 from 6:00 – 9:00 PM at Buffalo Billiards at 118 Chestnut Street.

Come learn about how nonprofit and social change organizations are using the micro-blogging service Twitter.

The popularity and creative use of Twitter by organizations has been growing exponentially.

Net Tuesday April 7: Mapping for nonprofits, an introduction to GIS

Submitted by Philly NetSquared on March 24, 2009

For our next Net Tuesday on April 7, we are privileged to have Robert Cheetham present on mapping and geographic information systems for nonprofits.

From Google Earth to GeoRSS, maps and geography services are changing the way we interpret our world and engage with communities. The presentation will explore how geographic information systems (GIS) technology is being used to enhance the missions, meet the challenges, and answer the questions faced by non-profit organizations.

Net Tuesday March 3: Extreme Makeover: Web Strategy Edition

Submitted by Seth Horwitz on February 23, 2009

Our next Net Tuesday gathering will be for an “Extreme Makeover: Web Strategy Edition”.  We’ll meet at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, March 3 at Buffalo Billiards at 118 Chestnut Street.

Learn how Web 2.0 strategies can be used for nonprofit and social change causes by participating in an interactive “extreme makeover” session.  This format provides a chance for our diverse group of activists and techies to focus our attention on a particular cause.  We will NOT be creating or directly affecting any website; we WILL be thinking and strategizing together about how Web 2.0 tools and principles can be used most effectively to help an actual client achieve their goals.

Net Tuesday February 3: Democracy 2.0 and social change

Submitted by Philly NetSquared on January 23, 2009

We gratefully acknowledge this meeting’s sponsorship by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, leading the effort to increase awareness of, participation in and support for arts and culture in the Greater Philadelphia region.

Our Net Tuesday Philly on February 3 will focus on “Democracy 2.0” — how the social web is being used for political and civic engagement.  This was considered a big factor in Barack Obama’s successful campaign, and is poised to permanently and profoundly alter the landscape of politics from now on.

  • What can non profits and social change agents learn from these early experiments?
  • How can our efforts reflect and reinforce this new political paradigm?
  • What implications  does Democracy 2.0 present for how we engage with clients, with our causes and with one another?