Target audience: Nonprofits, cause organizations, foundations, NGOs, social enterprises, video producers, marketing professionals, general public.

Every spring about this time TechSoup does an amazing thing for the nonprofit community: It reminds us about the importance that visual storytelling plays in advancing causes and missions. And it helps us discover and tell our own stories by showcasing the best of the best in its Digital Storytelling Challenge. (The contest prizes aside, the acclaim that comes with being awarded one of the top award winners is certainly worthwhile.)

If you have a great video that you’ve created over the past year, or if you think you can pull one together on short notice, be aware that you have nine days left to enter your video in the contest.

As TechSoup says about the competition: “Without a good story, you’re just another cause in the crowd. But a good story also needs to be told in just the right way. Digital storytelling amps up your message with technology and powerful images.”

The rules are simple: Create a short video (up to 90 seconds) or a five-image slide show and enter it by April 30 to win prizes.

TechSoup will celebrate all your hard work, great stories and new skills at an awards gala at PARISOMA in San Francisco and live streamed online – all courtesy of Wix and Eventbrite.

Not convinced yet? Megan Neff of Next Step, a 2012 challenge winner, had this to say:

“Our digital story has been invaluable in explaining what we do in a short but powerful format. We’ve used it time and again in communications with potential and current funders.”

TechSoup is using the month of April to provide intensive learning around visual stories as part of nonprofits’ marketing and fundraising strategy. On Tuesday morning, look for the Storytelling and Social Sharing tweet chat by following the hastag #TSdigs.

I hope you’ll enter the TechSoup’s 2013 Digital Storytelling Challenge to bring your cause into focus. Remember, the deadline is April 30!

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