As we launch the new www.donorsforum.org, we are pleased to introduce the Donors Forum Blog.  The focus of the blog is found in its tagline: for and about philanthropy and nonprofits in Illinois.  We will use this space to put a spotlight on resources, stories, research, knowledge, and news that will  1) enhance the work of funders and nonprofits in Illinois and 2) help donors, the public, legislators, the media, and others understand the value and impact of the nonprofit and philanthropic sector in Illinois. 

You can keep up with this blog one of several ways.  You can::

• subscribe via email or via an RSS feed (you can also sign up with the forms at the right)
• become a fan on our new Facebook fan page
  
• follow us on our new Twitter account
• check the Twitter widget on the home page of our new website. 

We are very deliberately using three social media platforms — a blog, Facebook, and Twitter — to share the same information.  We know you're busy, and we don't want you to feel that you have to check all kinds of different websites to keep up; you can use the tool that you like to use best: email, RSS, Facebook, or Twitter. (On Facebook and Twitter, we will also converse a bit with others, so if you follow us on either of those channels, you will receive links to the blog plus access to the conversations we are having.)

Of course, we invite comments to our posts (see the link below each post).  And toour Donors Forum Members, Associate Members, Partners, and collaborators, we would like to extend an invitation to contribute guest posts to the blog.   Our current list of categories offers insight into the kind of topics we will cover:

• communications
• economy
• fiscal + systems reform in illinois
• fundraising
• governance /boards
• grantmaking /philanthropy /funding
• management/operations
• news from DF associate members (advisors to funders)
• news from DF forum partners (nonprofits /fundraisers)
• news from DF members (funders/ grantmakers)
• news from Donors Forum
• nonprofits
• promising practices for funders
• promising practices for nonprofits
• public policy
• research

As you can see, we will focus on topics that would be helpful to grantmakers or nonprofits — or both — in enhancing their ability to fulfill their missions. Thanks for your interest in Donors Forum and its mission to strengthen Illinois philanthropy and nonprofits.  And please check out the new website if  you haven't yet. 

~ Celeste Wroblewski, blog editor  on behalf of the Donors Forum Team

(Email the Donors Forum Team)