We all know how important conferences are to the non-profit and foundation sector. But  all too often, the conversation dies once the conference closes its doors. How can we extend the impact of these gatherings, ensuring that the messages and ideas generated there will spread?  At PhilanthroMedia, we’ve seen first-hand how the application of Web 2.0 technologies can extend the life, and further the good, of conferences and professional gatherings.

Our most recent engagement was with the National Conference on Citizenship which held its annual gathering at the Library of Congress on September 9, 2009.  Leading up to their conference, NCoC already had big hits in the media world, with such resources as the New York Times and the Huffington Post taking note.  Given this fact, Pm had to figure out how to be a video partner that would keep the media ball rolling.  After grounding ourselves in the issues, and pouring over America’s Civic Health Index, we came to the event ready to produce a variety of new media projects that would tell NCoC’s story, and engage an audience that was already captivated.

Live Video Streaming- Pm had a video director on-site at the Library of Congress, directing a live 3-camera feed of the conference, which went out onto the web (and was recorded for archival purposes). With over 500 live hits, the stream doubled the number of “attendants” by giving full access to people who weren’t able to attend the event live.

Summary Video- NCoC requested Pm make a video that would sum up the energy and dialogue of their conference for those who weren’t there. Our team of socially-active film editors pulled together a summary video, distilling 15 hours of tape into a four-minute piece, before the staff returned to their office the next morning.

YouTube Clips- We put together a library of nine clips that we posted on a custom, Pm-built NCoC YouTube site. NCoC volunteers worked with us to choose the most effective and dynamic parts of the conference to share with the public. What’s more, we turned these around within 12 hours of the event, so that NCoC was able to catch people’s attention while the conference was still fresh in their minds. Check out this example of Micah Sifry of Personal Democracy Forum speaking at the conference.

Custom Content for Participants- In order to gain placement of NCoC’s message on the sites of partner organizations, we produced custom videos that featured that organization’s leader as the star. This technique helped to get NCoC’s name out there, and encouraged cross-posting of conference content. Win-win? We think so. Below is an example, wherein Barbara Bush speaks for Global Health Corps.

The Right Attitude- The Pm team is made up of activists who believe in the power of non-profits and foundations, and have worked for years in a variety of grass-roots organizations. We care about NCoC’s goals, and wanted to create new media that would help spread their message, through any (and every) means necessary.