FAQs
What is NPC?
NPC is an acronym for the
Non-Profit Commons, a community of non-profit organizations residing, together (viturally), under the auspices of TechSpoup Global. Thank you Penguin and Glitteractica!
What is the TechSoup group and TechSoup Global?
The in-world group is an extended community of nonprofits that expands beyond the virtual boundaries of NPC's resident-organizational community. TechSoup Global is the parent organization of NPC. Due to the tremendous size of this group, it serves NPC as an excellent resource for reaching a large audience. If you are interested in networking (i.e. sending announcements to the larger nonprofit community in SL, or broadcasting messages about your activities and events) the TechSoup Global group is available to your organization. Special Note: Being a resident of NPC is not a requirement for posting to this group. All non-profit initiatives are welcome to join and post to the group.
What is the difference between the in-world Nonprofit Commons Group and the in-world TechSoup group? The in-world Nonprofit Commons Group is a residents-only group. Announcements sent to that group should either pertain to the sim itself (like technical updates or NPC-office related questions) or they should be announcing events that will be for the NPC community and would occur on the NPC sim. The hope is that you all start having your workshops and events in your offices or around the NPC sim and announcing them through this list. By the way, the SLurl to the café is
http://slurl.com/secondlife /Plush%20Nonprofit%20Commons /154/228/26 It’s a nice place to meet (quiet) and would be great for small group workshops.
Why can't I join the Nonprofit Commons in-world group?
The in-world TechSoup group is a more general Nonprofits group for nonprofits in SL. This was our initial group and it’s very large. If you want to send announcements to the larger nonprofit community in SL, or to broadcast messages about whatever activities you are having in SL, please feel free to use this TechSoup group for that purpose. You do not need to be a resident to post to this group.
Where can I find the NPC and/or TechSoup logo?
What's the process for becoming an NPC tenant? Is the process the same for each location? Answer
What are the different group roles at Nonprofit Commons?
Here are some of the roles/ways people enter the group:
This is the main contact associated with an organization who has completed the MOU process, has contributed mission statement and organization information, contact information, and logo, and is ready to move into an office. This is any secondary contact in the organization that the main contact would like to grant build and parcel privileges to. Note, all of these people should have complete contact/identifying information before they are granted tenant active status, and the request to promote any additional people to this status should come from the main contact person.
Tuesday sets this status, with info from BethF. Tuesday notifies tenant they are ready to move in, asks them about what status additional contacts in their group should have.
This is only a main contact person. This person has expressed serious interest and is working on completing getting initial information into us. This person has already contacted Susan and is into the MOU process. This person is working with BethF to submit initial mission/logo/contact info, and office space request.
BethF sets this status
This is either a person associated with a specific org, that wants to participate but should not be allowed to change parcel information. This is a person who wants to help and is not affiliated with a specific organization. I can see that there might be two kinds of volunteers, one with permissions to build and rezz and one without.
What are your thoughts about this? Tuesday sets this status
This is a person a tenant active is hiring to build out their space. Their association is time limited until project is complete. They need build/rezz privileges. Do they need parcel changing privs?
Tuesday both sets this status and deletes it when association is over
These are area heads, people who can step in an help out when online. Currently these include BethK, Susan, Sandra, Matthew, Tom.
Tom sets this status
These are the group owners. They currently are Susan, BethK, Tom.
Tom or Susan set this status
This is a person with an interest in NPC goings on. They may not be able at the present to participate. They may be interested in the concept, they may just want to be in the loop and receive notes about what is going on with the group. [This is just my opinion, please feel free to contradict. I think if we have a good path for how someone is marked tenant active status, and the documentation is all transparent (google spreadsheet) we have the luxury of allowing supporters and fans to feel that they are participating, even if in a very small way. For many of us NPOs, friend-raising is one of our major tasks.]
How can I access and edit the wiki/blog?
Suggested questions follow and please feel free to contribute, if you have access: (a) Is there a notecard or blurb about each island and more information about Nonprofit Commons? (b) What's the process for becoming an NPC tenant? Is the process the same for each location? The weekly meetings are at a time that I can almost never make. Can I still be involved? Can we have the meetings at a different time? Who runs the Nonprofit Commons? How is TechSoup related to the Nonprofit Commons? I want to volunteer, what can I do? How does it work with donations to the Nonprofit Commons?
How do I convince my board members/supervisor/organization/etc. that
Second Life is worthwhile?
