This month at Nonprofit Marketing Guide, we presented a series of webinars aimed at helping you get more creative with your nonprofit communications, including using metaphors and humor. I heard from many people who want to guest blog for me, so you’ll see more creative ideas here in the coming months.

For now, here is a roundup of some recent blog posts to get you thinking more creatively. This roundup is also the August edition of the Nonprofit Blog Carnival.

Creative Uses of Technology

Many nonprofits are contemplating creative ways to use mobile technology. Jason Dick presents Mobile Giving Research and Opinion posted at A Small Change- Fundraising Blog, along with How Does Mobile Giving Work? and Text to Give Pricing.

You should also check out Pew’s latest report on the use of social media by older adults and keep an eye out for a report coming next Thursday (September 9) on Pew’s first-ever look at “apps culture” – who has apps on their cell phones, which ones, and how they use them.

Jennifer Saksa presents IVR at the Museum posted at NCH Software Blog, sharing a look at the creative way museums have started using Interactive Voice Response telephone software systems to help teach and spread information to people, with less staff or volunteer time required.

Toying with using more personalization of your email communications? Read what Devin T. Mathias has to say about When Personalized Data Go Bad… And Go Right posted at through non-profit eyes.

Creative Content Ideas

The Agitator suggests you listen to your donors for your best creative ideas in Who Made Your Best Ad?

Looking for some creative ways to connect your blog to the greater blogging world? Woman Tribune presents Blogging is Activism — 6 Blogging Events to Get Involved In.

Community Media Workshop urges you to look beyond the typical, tired ways you frame up stories for the media in Reframing Stories of the Great Recession. (Thom Clark from Community Media Workshop is doing a webinar for us next week on being a good spokesperson for your cause.)

Marc Pitman reminds us to stay curious if you want to be a good fundraiser.

When to Play it Straight

Jake Seliger at Grant Writing Confidential cautions you against creativity when grant writing. When writing grant proposals in response to RFPs, Jake says, “Most of the time, you’ll be given a box, and if you step outside it, you’re not going to be praised like a precocious high school student. You’re going to be treated like a cat who’s decided to show its creativity by ignoring the litter box. The RFP is your litter box. Ignore it at your peril.”

Maybe doing things the same old way works just fine . . .  or does it? See what Katya Andresen says in ‘Old” donors give more – so do we stick to the same ‘old’ fundraising?

Read a blog post lately that got your creative juices flowing? Share it in the comments.

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