We’ve mentioned Xero before now as an accounting system community organisations should look into. One feature it does not share with other accounts packages is that it’s an online system, meaning the accounts are available to any authorised user at any time from anywhere.

On the Xero website there’s: Xero | Case Study | New Zealand Drug Foundation —

Ross Bell is executive director of the New Zealand Drug Foundation, a charitable trust committed to reducing the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol.

… “We were using MYOB and it was too difficult for me to use. It was on our finance manager’s computer, so I never really had access to it. The finance manager would print off reports for me that were already out of date when I got them and they were quite hard to follow,” says Ross.

… “With Xero, it’s easy to login and see everything all at once. It’s fantastic for me to do that whenever and wherever I need,” says Ross.

“Because Xero is online it gives us greater transparency. Our trustees have really come to depend on access to Xero. The reporting makes everything so clear, which has given the board greater confidence in what we’re doing.”

One enormous benefit of the Internet is that it allows members of organisations to share information more easily. Having the accounts ‘locked away’ on a single computer can be a real drawback.

Has you organisation looked into Xero? Are you using it? Have you rejected it? What do you think? Please share your thoughts through the comments below.

[Via : Xero | Case Study | New Zealand Drug Foundation.]

Disclaimer: After doing some work for Rod Drury earlier this year I receive a discounted rate for a Xero subscription for my business.

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Update: Monday, 30 June 2008, from the Xero newsletter:

We offer special pricing for community groups - half the usual rate - so you pay just $24 per month for a complete and fully-functioning Xero.

On July 16 and 17, Xero is offering free presentations to community groups in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. This series is an introductory seminar open to anyone with an interest in discovering how Xero will benefit your charity or community group.

If you’re interested, please register here.

[end update]

Xero online accounting is running a free presentation in Auckland specifically for community groups.

I’ve switched to this online accounting package for my small business and am finding it excellent. One feature that really works for me is having the accounts package available on the Internet, so it doesn’t matter what computer I’m using when I need to access my accounts.

16 July 2008: 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

Join us for a free presentation on using Xero for community groups.

Xero is an affordable and complete accounting package ideal for community groups, charitable trusts and clubs.

• Shared online access means full transparency, accountability and seamless handover
• Anywhere, anytime access for people you designate
• Highly secure & cost effective

Auckland seminar 16 July 5.30pm - 6.30pm

Xero, Level 1, 20 Beaumont St (view map)

Register now…

[Via Xero News: Xero for community groups | Auckland | July 16.]

Disclaimer: After doing some work for Rod Drury earlier this year I receive a discounted rate for my Xero subscription.

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Another tool that looks interesting, though I haven’t had time to explore it — Zoho People:

Zoho, best known for its suite of free productivity and collaboration online tools, a direct competitor to Google Apps, has just launched Zoho People , a free online Human Resources Management Application. It’s designed for small and medium-sized businesses, but Zoho People could be just as useful for a nonprofit that needs an efficient way to manage a workforce of volunteers.

[Via Wild Apricot Blog: Manage Your Nonprofit's Human Resources Online With Zoho People.]

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The Wild Apricot Blog mentions an interesting US research finding:

… In 2007, the Internet adoption rate for American adults aged 50 and over, with a post-secondary education and household income of $75,000 or more, was up by 20% over 2006, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

…Further, online donors appear to be more generous in the size of their gifts than donors who contribute through other methods — in 2006, for example, the median revenue per donor was $114 for online donors and $82 for non-online donors. Online donors tend to be well-educated and well-heeled, and although all age groups are represented, those who give through online appeals are generally younger than the 65+ age group that responds most strongly to direct mail.

While I haven’t seen statistics for New Zealand, I would think they’d at least be similar. Community groups need to keep ‘online’ in mind for more and more of their activities — raising funds, recruiting volunteers and supporters, reaching out to potential clients and members. As Simon Hendery says in If it’s not on the web then it’s out of the loop:

If it’s not on the web then it’s out of the loop … New Zealand businesses spent around $2 billion last year advertising in print and over the TV and radio airwaves.

When the precise ad-spend figures for 2007 are totted up, however, they are certain to show the traditional heavyweight mediums’ share of advertisers’ budgets slipped while an upstart alternative - online advertising - grew rapidly.

There is a clear and distinct move online in countries such as New Zealand and the US.

Katya Andresen continues with the importance of capturing useful information:

… Noble and Weiner address the How of online fundraising, with a discussion of best practices for building a mailing list and reaching out to prospective donors by email. “Collect email addresses constantly,” the authors advise. “Ask for email addresses in all communications — direct mail, surveys, at events, on website,” making it easy to register and offering incentives to do so. It is vital to make it equally easy for people to opt out of email communications, however — and a clearly-stated privacy policy is essential.

Meanwhile Hendery offers six ways local businesses can get the most out of online advertising and marketing. Community groups should take note too:

1. Don’t ignore the shift online
2. Search engine optimisation
3. Search engine marketing
4. Business blogging
5. The power of YouTube
6. Public relations 2.0

While I don’t think that search engine optimisation and marketing are the be-all and end-all of an online ‘presence’, it’s certainly worth noting this particular point:

Media releases are now often written in language aimed at achieving a prominent placement on news aggregation websites and search result listings. At the same time, the PR industry is grappling with how best to get messages out to not just the traditional mainstream media outlets, but also the myriad of less accessible bloggers who can now also influence the public’s perception of their clients.

At the very absolute least every single community organisation should have a web page with contact details, a few words explaining what the group is about and a contact email address inviting interested parties to contact them and perhaps join a mailing list.

Even the tiniest and least-funded group can easily achieve this with a free website.

Online is where things are going.

[Via : Wild Apricot Blog : Online Fundraising 101, and If it's not on the web then it's out of the loop - 30 Jan 2008 - NZ Herald: Technology News and reviews from New Zealand and the World.]

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