NPCFriend2020

** Member Profile: 2020Vision Obviate of Johnson Center for Philanthropy **

401 Fulton St. Grand Rapids, MI 49504
 * Real Name/SL Name: ** **Ashima Saigal/2020Vision Obviate**
 * Organization: ** [|Johnson Center for Philanthropy @ Grand Valley State University]

**Position:** Director of Technology

**Is your work here in Second Life as an individual or are you representing a foundation?** I am representing the organization, not as an individual.

**Brief Summary of your organization:** Established in 1992, the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership is an academic center that enhances the impact of foundations and nonprofit organizations, improves the quality of community decision-making, and develops the habit of civic engagement among students and faculty at Grand Valley State University. The Johnson Center strives to provide current information, accurate data, and services relevant to the changing needs of the philanthropic sector.

**How did you find out about NPC and why did you get involved?** Probably a posting somewhere from TechSoup. We are involved so we can further our mission which is to improve communities by the application of knowledge, which unleashes the power of nonprofits, foundation, and individuals.

**Some say the professional networking opportunities in SL have been extraordinary. Have you found this to be true? If so, what advice would you give someone for effective networking in SL?** Yes, it has been interesting. Most of the networking I’ve done has been in the Nonprofit Commons thus I know typically I’m speaking with someone with similar interests. Outside of Nonprofit Commons I’ve only met a few individuals. I think one piece of advice is to strike up a conversation with someone you are passing by in SL. You never know who it might be.

**Why do you think virtual worlds such as Second Life are valuable for nonprofits?** Because it provides another avenue of communication. For us, in particular, it allows us to reach an entirely different audience and share our resources in a less traditional setting.

**Do you think every nonprofit should have a presence within SL or is it only appropriate for particular types of organizations?** Not all nonprofits will benefit from SL, but it is really dependent on the individuals at the organization and if the organization has the staff, capabilities and technology to make it work. We feel strongly that a plan on using SL is critical to success.

**More than likely you are fairly new to SL. Since there is a learning curve, what advice would you give to make being in SL easier?** I’m not that new to SL, but have been teaching some of the staff. It’s best to spend time practicing and experimenting. If you notice something interesting, ask other avatars about it.

**Upcoming projects/events?** We’ll be launching the AvOD (Avatar on Duty) in our Second Life offices on June 16th. The schedule will be posted in our offices and we plan to promote the launch via various web sites and resources. The AvOD will be available to answer a variety of nonprofit and foundation effectiveness questions.

**Current/On-going needs (RL or SL)?** Getting the office nicely decorated  has been a challenge and I could use some help in this arena, if at all possible. It’s very sparse, but it’s because I really don’t have an eye for such things. Secondly, I need a script that is a book with pages and each page can link to a web site. I don’t even know if its feasible to do, but I could use some advice on such matters.

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