A huge thanks for taking the time to not only think through suggested strategies for Social Actions but especially for sharing your thoughts online. I thoroughly champion and applaud everything All for Good will accomplish to inspire more people to get involved in supporting causes they care about. To paraphrase Holly Ross from NTEN, anything that shifts the conversation to volunteering is VERY welcome.

At the same time I’ve been a bit saddened by a few aspects of All for Good’s entrance into the online philanthropy space, and one of them has been to have moved so many important conversations over the past many months offline. Your post is an important indication to me that an online discussion is again opening up, which is incredibly welcome.

So, lots to appreciate and think about in your suggestions. I really do want to encourage tons of brainstorming around what Social Actions as an initiative AND community could-and-should be doing next, and have alot of listening to do. One quick thought, though: I can’t say phrases like “own a market” and “go after” fit with my ideas of what Social Actions is about. As Peter’s often said, too, Social Actions is interested in lifting this space, not owning it. The Social Actions API has grown to its current depth and breadth by intentional openness and inclusivity, nothing more. That’s about creating a positive outcome for everyone committed to engaging more people in taking action. Social Actions’ development as an organization is just one of many side effects of that commitment.

Looking forward to folding more of my own and others’ ideas into this out loud discussion.

Christine Egger
Social Actions
@christineegger

I’ve also left you my google.com email if you want to reach me– but best to go through the normal support channels, since I’m often buried, sometimes on vacation, and will likely re-route you anyway (just to preserve some amount of sanity).

best wishes,
adam
http://www.linkedin.com/in/adamsah (among others)