This weeks photo comes from The Gulf Restoration Network. The image was taken at a Step It Up 2007 shindig. Stepitup2007.org is the first open source, web-based day of action dedicated to stopping climate change.

Part of our mission has always been to democratize online advocacy. We want to break down financial barriers and allow groups--even the smallest ones--to be able to access our tools platform, Salsa.

The Empowers grant gives full access to Salsa to those groups who need it most. These groups use the tools to customize their user experience while efficiently engaging their supporters. Sending out action alerts, creating dynamic content pages, easily sending emails to representatives, processing online donations, creating reports, and planning events are just the beginning. Once a group received the Empowers grant, they're a part of the DIA community and can share tips, attend trainings and events, and collaborate with the progressive community to make change. For this round, we focused on groups working to better the lives of those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

This week's photo is from the Flickr pool of DIA buddies New Era Colorado. Join our DIA community group on Flickr--they did!

Once again, we've assembled an assortment of gift-giving options that span the gamut of DIA's members and their respective causes. There are many awesome gifts available through our community that you can feel good about giving.

The gift-giving ideas are seperated into easy-to-navigate categories. Make sure to visit them all!

This week's photo comes from a solidarity event in Seattle to raise awareness for DIA members US Campaign for Burma and other Burma-focused groups.

Yes, it's been many, many weeks since our last photo.

Onward! This week's photo comes from CIVIC Worldwide, and the caption reads "It's still winter in the mountains of Afghanistan. But it's thawing quickly, which means ISAF (NATO's forces in the country) will be launching a new offensive against the Taliban."

P.S. If your organization is doing the Flickr thing, why not join our group?

Last week, I went to the New Media Marketing Conference offered by DMAW. My reason for going was that I wanted to see what for-profit's were doing with marketing in the days of web 2.0 goodness. Fear not, nonprofits; they're trying to figure out what we've been up to for the last few years.

Most of the conference was about the basics of "new media". Should you have a blog? Answer: probably. The most rousing contribution came from CC Chapman*, who delved into just how wide the reach of digital media is for for-profit companies. People are blogging, posting, Twittering, and Facebooking about YOUR company. Angry is better than silent, so pay attention.

Is your organization doing work to better the lives of those affected by Hurricane Katrina? Or do you know of groups who are?

Well then, may I direct you to our DIA Empowers grants?

We're offering another round of DIA Empowers Grants to commemorate the two year anniversary of Katrina and to highlight and support the efforts of the nonprofits working to revive the Gulf Coast. Grantees will receive one free year of DemocracyInaction's advocacy platform, Salsa.

Get on it! Deadline for entries is October 15th.

Wild Apricot Blog is rockin' a case study of The Humane Society of the United States in a discussion on how using both Myspace and Facebook to promote advocacy work is relevant, but even more important is knowing the difference. Kind of like the difference between apples and...apricots.

I think it’s a little too early to tell, but so far, we’ve seen more success with fundraising on Facebook, and advocacy on MySpace. This is mostly because of the third party applications that are available on Facebook, which make it easier to participate in group fundraising...Our advocacy banners are very popular on MySpace, but people don’t really have any place to put them on Facebook.

Last week we announced the recipients of our first DIA Empowers grants. You can read all about the new kids on the block.

We're tickled pink that programs like this one are possible, and already planning for our next round of grants.