NetSquared recently followed up with the N2Y3 Featured Projects to develop these short case studies, with the goal to expand the knowledgebase of best practices for applying social media in the nonprofit context. We interviewed participants from the N2Y3 Featured Project teams to gain a better understanding of the way they used social media to increase their reach and carry out their missions. We are very happy to bring you their stories!

Today's spotlight: The Extraordinaries!

Project Details:

• Name of Organization: The Extraordinaries
• URL: www.theextraordinaries.org and www.youtube.com/theextraordinaries
• Location: San Francisco, CA

Project description:

The Extraordinaries is smartphone software that makes it easier for people to volunteer, or participate in opportunities for social good. It helps to facilitate these opportunities for engagement for when people are on public transport or sitting in traffic, and it aims to fit short social good actions or social good experiences into their free time.
 

Social media tool or tactic used:

Smartphone (widget) (for iPhone, Blackberry, Google Android).

How was it used?:  

Not on the market - Prototype is still in development, then controlled group will then be tested.

Outcome:

Still prototype - Still in development phase.  

Lessons Learned:

• Writing is really important, as in getting thoughts onto paper. This makes these concepts easier to understand for people. It takes a while to get people to understand a new way of thinking. It's a new approach - hard to get across in a couple of paragraphs.
• Volunteering is seen as a sacrifice - Our approach is to revolutionize the way people use their spare time.

• See the full list of N2Y3 Featured Projects here.    
• Read all of the N2Y3 Case Studies as they are published.

The work to create this case study series was funded by a grant from the Packard Foundation.