by Todd Pheifer

Created on: October 13, 2009

Organizations go through many phases and shifts during their existence. While some people strive to keep the non-profit organization focused and heading in one particularly direction, there are many influences that can impact the organization and change direction, vision, and overall purpose. Not all of this change is a bad thing, as new avenues many expand the influence and impact of the organization. The Internet has certainly changed things for a variety of organizational types, including non-profits. Again, some of these changes are positive, while others may prove to be more of a distraction than an asset. Therefore, here are a few thoughts on how non-profit organizations change as they adopt social web strategies.

Resources

Everything in a business is about resources. This includes time, talents, and financial obligations. In a non-profit organization, these particular aspects can sometimes be limited and some non-profit organizations are constantly in "survival" mode as they raise money and try to stay afloat. Therefore, social web strategies may be intriguing and they may help the non-profit organization in the long run. However, people have to keep in mind that web strategies may cost some money, and they may require a certain amount of employee time.

Exposure

Web strategies are one way to advertise the non-profit and get the name out into a broader community. The Internet can help to make the world much smaller, as people in very distant communities can reach out to each other in cyberspace. For the non-profit, increased exposure may lead to more networking opportunities, additional funding sources, and expanded support. Of course, a wider network can require more maintenance, which again gets back to issue of limited resources. Organizations may always to be looking for ways to expand, but sometimes there are healthy boundaries that should be maintained in order to stay within the current abilities of the organization.

Message in the medium

Finally, people have to keep in mind that social web strategies may change the message, delivery, and outcomes of the organization. In theory, organizations may try to stick to their mission and maintain a general vision of what made them come into existence. However, when things are on the web, they have to be presented in a certain way. Text has to be written in particular contexts, and the organization may need to come up with media and electronic delivery products that are more "flashy" than they are used to creating. When people attempt to "package" their organization in a certain way, it may cause them to emphasize certain aspects that are not usually part of the main focus. Therefore, in the long run, people should be aware that social web strategies may be a current necessity in today's modern society. However, the non-profit organization should not minimize the impact of social web strategies or assume that they will be unchanged by the process.

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