Posts by Alex Field
QUIZ: First Quadrennial Burness Presidential Election Trivia Contest
The moment you weren't waiting for has arrived! That's right, it's time for the First Quadrennial Burness Presidential Election Trivia Contest (or as we call it around the hallways at Burness, the FQBPETC).
Nonprofit Guide to the 2016 Internet
Across digital platforms, recent small improvements mean big things for nonprofits. Whether you care about websites, media, design, social, or video, there’s a little something in this post for everyone .
Medium for Nonprofits, Explained
I’ve been using Medium personally and I’m blown away by the inspiring ideas that are shared each day — in stark contrast to the no-brain share-drivel that occupies our feeds. I’ve also helped my nonprofit clients use Medium effectively over the last couple years, so I wanted to share some guidance if you’re thinking about jumping in.
Always Go to Dinner, and 6 Other Things I’ve Learned
It has been nearly a decade since I started my career in communications at Burness. And, I’m lucky enough to have worked with some of the brightest and hardest working communicators on behalf of inspiring people who are tackling poverty and improving health — the “almost famous,” as Andy Burness likes to say. I thought I would share some accumulated “wisdom” that could help people — whether you’re a recent grad, an aspiring communicator, or someone who may need a little affirmation that this world is for them.
Behind the Scenes: Building a New Burness.com
This week we launched a new website after months of work with a demanding, challenging, and occasionally cranky client: ourselves. Let me back up. During the Polar Vortex of early 2014, we came to a conclusion: for all of the dynamic websites we had built, all the principles of simple user experience and responsive design we had encouraged for our partners, our own digital presence was not walking our talk. The website had long dropdown menus, performed poorly on mobile, and didn’t convey the breadth of our work. “It's time,” we agreed. “And we have to build the new site for ourselves.”
The Economist: Special Report on Feeding the World
How will the world feed 9 billion people? In a nine-part special report, The Economist’s John Parker scrutinizes the multi-faceted challenges facing the expansion of the global food supply—from science to culture to policy—and explores the seeds of solutions to … Continue reading The Economist: Special Report on Feeding the World
Two Years After CHIP
A new state-by-state scorecard reveals that the CHIP reauthorization and Medicaid expansions in the economic stimulus bill succeeded in preserving and, in some states, even expanding health coverage for kids, in spite of the economic downturn. That’s the good news.
Announcing BurnessDigital
BurnessDigital is new, but we’ve been crafting online strategy for several years: we have told the stories of exceptional nonprofits in videos, brought attention to their ideas with social media campaigns and dynamic websites, and worked to “move the needle” by crafting online strategies that advance their communications goals. This launch is the next step in the evolution of our communications approach.
SXSW 2010: CrisisCamp, Haiti, and Saving Lives with Technology
When a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, the call went out across the globe for relief to save lives in the impoverished Caribbean nation. For a group of technology pioneers in the U.S., that meant one thing: software. With skill, an understanding of the situation on the ground and a willing crowd of contributors, a networked few can make real impact – even from thousands of miles away.
SXSW 2010: Spot.us and the Future of Accountability Reporting
“There’s no silver bullet” to fix the decline of investigative reporting, says David Cohn. But the founder of Spot.us may be offering a bridge for journalism by handing editorial direction to the public.
