Well, I'm with you both on this one. Even some of the most 'successful' charities (in terms of income) struggle to move more than 2/10 first time donors into regular givers. I fear too many are still looking at giving in a narrow view of what they've been used to and what worked in the past. Those that will do well in the future will understand not just the techniques that bring in only money, but the magic that powers 'community'.

I love Anna's "Spots of Time" concept. It is where much of my own thinking is right now - e.g. http://www.stevebridger.com/2011/05/shall-we-flow-making-connections-in-the-moment/ Thank you for your wonderful writing in recent months.

Thanks very much for the kind words, Craig. Much appreciated. Keep up the good work here.

Great post, David. Coincidentally, I was giving this talk in London on Monday. It covers much of the same ground - and I use one of your graphics (you gave me permission a year or two ago) in the process. http://www.slideshare.net/mexicanwave/techforgood My context is the nonprofit sector where the opportunities to release employees from their chains is even more obvious. However, most charity leaders view digital through the lens of the current limited (financial) return, without realising that the (porous) walls have already been breached. I'm already noticing that some staff are jumping ship from orgs in deep freeze. I'm convinced that this is the current battleground; in fact, in many ways we need to reframe digital/social/whatever as a talent / capability agenda.

Anna - thank you for sharing this - and thank heavens you are on the mend / mended. I hope lots of people get to read what you've written here - because frankly, it beats going to many conferences on the issue (bar one, the #nfptweetup, obviously). Even though you were adept at this stuff before your recent accident, your use of the phrase "social media epiphany" really resonates with me. I'm pretty sure that most people need to experience a similar epiphany (preferably less painful though) to fully 'get' social media (or whatever we'll call it in a few years time). Even though I'd been blogging for two or three years (indulge me for a moment), I had my own 'epiphany' with social media with a little project I curated in 2005 / 06. I've written about it here: http://www.stevebridger.com/2009/10/blogging-a-crisis/ We need to create the conditions for the people we work with (in charities, fundraisers...) to share this 'feeling' (it goes very deep and can make you cry), and some incredible things will happen.

Congrats Robin! I can't keep up with the goings on at Edelman and Dachis Group.

Josie - Luis just took the words from my mouth. Lucky Leicester, indeed. Look forward to hearing more :)

Totally agree. Reminds me of the refrain - "stop interrupting me while I'm ignoring you." This is the trouble when an profession becomes too siloed. People give as a means to and end; it is not an end in itself. Where do you draw the line with the 'right to ask'? You quickly get into the position of defending the indefensible, IMHO (like the worst overbearing street fundraisers). Look at some MPs' defence of their worst misdemeanors: 'we were following the rules' (i.e. not using their common sense).

Beth, Geoff, Kami... wishing you all well with your new venture from the other side of the pond.

Nice one, Richard; there is a lot of truth in this. Do you think there's a 'line' though - particularly on a 'professional' community? At what point does "off topic" become an issue? I like the idea of a 'welcome board', or a place where members can get to know each other better (so to speak). But I once ever-so-gently chided two individuals for an extended exchange on a thoughtful thread where they went way off topic (and learnt a bit about each other). I feel this was a mistake, and learned from it. Again, just one of those things a community manager 'feels', once they know their community well, etc.