Go Rogue to Find Inspiration

I am not a huge shout-out person but am going to offer a big one today, using it also as an example of communication/marketing resources and as an affirmation that good ideas can be found in all sorts of places. You don't have to find all your inspiration in education, nor do you have to follow only those organizations the same size, scale or scope as your institution. You just want to find like-minded people and organizations that are working the same as you to build community. And when they know your marketplace as well as you it's a huge bonus.

Our local source of inspiration is called the Minnesota Council of Non-Profits, the largest state association of non-profits in the country. I don't pretend to know how a similar organization might operate in the larger markets, but I can tell you this one runs lean and mean, and they really pay attention to their clients: state agencies and non-profits. We have become huge fans - and consistent attendees - at their Tech & Communications conferences, as well as their monthly brown bag lunches, when we can make it. (They hosted a recent brown bag lunch around the topic of social media and the crowd overflowed the conference room and the questions and ideas were strategic, funny and useful.)

Blake is fairly large as it relates to size of resources (compared to many, but not all, of the other non-profits in the association) so we actually are able to offer back a fair amount of tips and tricks and success rates based on our work. But we whenever we gather with the MCN crowd, we always get back more than we give, in terms of ideas and innovation. It's been quite remarkable.

If you have a similar organization in your market, I highly recommend you check them out. It may be a bust but you won't know until you visit. Just because they are not all in education doesn't mean they don't have something to offer.

What other non-educational organizations do you follow and or get good ideas from?