'Goodness Engine' ebook: A social hackathon for DonorsChoose

Acouple of months back, some smart folks came together in San Francisco to provide creative technology and marketing strategies for DonorsChoose.org in a first of its kind “social hackathon.” DonorsChoose raises funds for public classrooms. Several of my friends were there — Beth Kanter, Chris Brogan, Chris Messina, Ben Parr, Kathy Sierra — as well as representatives from Bing, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, REI, Twitter and WebTrends.

Out of this gathering, put on by marketing agency Deep Focus, came a free ebook, Goodness Engine: Driving Greater Social Impact in the Digital World, which aims to help nonprofits — and, yes, businesses — learn about how to use social media for social good, including topics ranging from driving online traffic to creating dynamic content and managing online engagement.

From the introduction of the 54-page ebook:

“We are now more connected than ever before. Power in numbers — especially online — has become our everyday reality. Rallying, organizing and motivating are no longer hurdles, but life-changing opportunities. Passions become movements. Movements make impacts. Impacts re-shape our world. In the spirit of connecting for good, Microsoft’s Bing and Hotmail teams brought together luminaries within the tech industry to help DonorsChoose.org address its ongoing technology and marketing challenges. Deep Focus attended the event and distilled the best ideas, tactics and creative solutions into an in-depth analysis that can serve both nonprofit and for-profit companies with corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.”

Download the free book

Also check out Microsoft’s Citizenship efforts: Microsoft.com/Citizenship website; @msftcitizenship on Twitter and Facebook.com/MicrosoftCitizenship on Facebook.

Bing post on the Goodness Engine.
Interview with DonorsChoose founder Charles Best (Socialbrite)

JD Lasica works with nonprofits, social change organizations and businesses on social media strategies. See his profile, visit his business blog, contact JD or follow him on Twitter or Google Plus.