After searching the Internet for nonprofit blogs through Technorati, the Nonprofit Blog Exchange, Operation Link Love, BlogPulse, and Google it was found that 174 nonprofit blogs exist and 114 nonprofit organizations host blogs. This number continues to grow; therefore the amount of nonprofit blogs is not constant. From those 174 nonprofit blogs, twelve were randomly selected of those initial twelve five were selected for the case study. The blogs were chosen because they represented a range of organizations and uses. Each organization was contacted via e-mail to ask for consent.

The purpose was to uncover how nonprofit organizations are using blogs as communication tools and determine best practices. The following nonprofit organizations are represented in this case study; Center for Global Development, Smithsonian Museum of American Art, United Way of Southeastern Michigan, Girls for a Change, and Easter Seals: Alabama’s Special Camp for Children and Adults (ASCCA). All of the blogs reviewed offer RSS, comments are open but moderated, all but one are of the filter genre, and branding is used throughout the blog. The most apparent uses include raising awareness about the organizations programs, mission and goals, providing information to target publics, and to engage in dialogue with constituents. This can be seen in all of the above listed blogs. Significantly, blogs are helping organizations raise awareness about its mission and the constituents affected by their work. Easter Seals Camp ASCCA and Girls For A Change’s blogs are prime examples of how an online presence via a blog can engage primary audiences, but also communicate to broader audiences raising awareness about the organization ultimately supporting their mission and goals.

Other nonprofits are also using blogs in similar aspects. For example, Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota hosts six different blogs for particular program areas; film, performing arts, education and community, new media, visual arts, and off center. For them blogs are social tools to reach and connect with audiences not using the Internet (R. Dowden, personal communication, December 07, 2005). Greenpeace and the Sierra Club utilize blogs to inform individuals about the environment’s health and other social concerns as well as incite action from concerned publics. March of Dimes embarked on social media with Share Your Story blogs, which allows families of premature babies to start blogs and share their experiences. Some nonprofit organizations are using blogs as a place to post organizational news releases along with continual updates, such as the Covenant Partners, National Alliance For Public Charter Schools, and the Alliance for Justice. Conclusively, nonprofit organizations are employing blogs as an additional or alternative to traditional communication materials.