SXSWi

SXSW Interactive is just wrapping up here in Austin. I wish that I could have gone because there were so many different amazing resources for nonprofits and other geeky things that I am interested in. There were a lot of panels and talks on social media and the ways that nonprofit organizations can use them to their advantage.
Last year, the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas decided to do something unique during SXSW. Using a 4 person street team and 50 Bloggers, Twitterers, and Facebook users they were looking to increase donations to the CAFB. Tyson Foods said that it would donate 100 lbs of food for every person who went to a specific website and filled out a form.
Neither Tyson nor CAFB knew what would happen next. Over 4800 people signed the pledge! Additionally, 714 people who signed the pledge gave an additional $28,000. 95% of these donors were first time donors!!
One of the most amazing things was that one single Tweeter was the source of 967 visits to the website to sign the pledge. Who would have thought that one single person could drive so much traffic?
The age of social media is here and nonprofits can clearly be successful by using it. SXSWi may be a unique case because it attracts techie, social conscious people. This was a perfect thing for Tyson and for Capital Area Food Bank to launch last year.

This year, Capital Area Food Bank just came out with an iPhone app. I was curious what the “iPheedaneed” app was all about, since they are one of the first (possibly only?) nonprofit to have an app. The app includes news and facts about CAFB and their mission, recipes and events. One of the most innovative things is a game called “Catch the Can”. I tried to play it and failed miserably, but kudos to CAFB for having something interactive on the app!!