Cultivating community is a key way to keep a group in engaged around an idea or cause. In this session Regina Walton talked about building and growing community in a group that meets in person around a central idea: technology for social good. You'll learn about SFTech4Good, the largest of the many worldwide Netsquared groups and NTEN 501 Tech Clubs, and how they keep their member count growing, keep events fresh, and the tools they use to effectively communicate with their large and growing group.

1. Cultivating Community:
How to Build an Active and Engaged Group
Regina Walton
SFTech4Good, organizer, and
Marketing Director, Pole To Win International
@ReginaWalton on Twitter

2. What is SFTech4Good?
Founded in 2006 is the first Netsquared group. We
meet to discuss the intersection of tech and social
good.
• I’ve been an organizer since 2011
• Grown from 1600 members to over 3,800

3. SFTech4Good
• One venue to over ten:

4. Netsquared - sponsored by
“NetSquared gathers together nonprofits and
activists, tech leaders and funders, and
everyone who's interested in using
technology for social change.”

5. 501 Tech Clubs - sponsored by
“501 Tech Clubs are informal, local groups of
nonprofit techies that get together for regular
in-person gatherings”

6. The Netsquared groups and 501 Tech Clubs
have similar missions, so we merged in
2013 and changed our name from
SFNetSquared to SFTech4Good.

8. Tips for keeping a group engaged
around an idea or cause.

10. • Be involved
Align yourself with a mission you're vested in.

12. • Be consistent

14. • Listen and pay attention

16. • Use your personal network to grow your
community and spread the word

18. • Experiment
Be open to change and churn; it happens

20. • Share and repurpose
“Give members who can't attend a way to participate
from afar - Livestream, Hashtag(s) for the event,
Storify afterward.
Definitely post photos that people can share and tag
afterward.” – @Amy Vernon

23. • Steal and share great ideas
• Other events and Meetups
• Social posts: Twitter, Facebook,
Instagram, etc.

24. .

25. “Know that there are some online community members
who are never going to come offline. And that's fine.
There also are some offline community members who
will never be active (though they'll be paying attention)
online. Accept that.” – Amy Vernon

26. “Nurture those online community members who are
really into what you're doing. Empower them as
leaders and give them responsibility that they're
interested in/willing to take on.” – Amy Vernon

27. Thanks, Amy!
Find out more about her company,
Predictably: http://www.predictable.ly/,
and check out her site: http://www.amyvernon.net

28. Any questions or comments?