A Friend Indeed: GiveCamp invites nonprofits to apply

Tell us about your organization: GiveCamp NWA is a 501(c)3 organization that serves other nonprofits in our area by providing free technology tools. We are also working to expand our reach by offering tips, insights and other information related to technology and marketing for nonprofits throughout the year.

• Mission: The mission of GiveCamp NWA is to enrich the missions of fellow nonprofits by implementing or enhancing free technology solutions.

• Services provided: We host an annual event where we gather volunteers from the creative and technology industries to build free technology tools for approved nonprofit organizations. Usually the need is a new website, but we have worked on other projects in the past. We are working on an idea to expand this beyond the annual event.

• Who is eligible? Any 501(c)3 organization that is based in Arkansas and somehow serves the Northwest Arkansas area is eligible to apply.

• How can services be accessed? Nonprofits must apply for our event on our website, and they will go through a vetting process. We offer tips and insights on our website and social media. We hope to expand into more education at a later time.

• What are your organization's most pressing needs? Our most immediate needs are related to our upcoming event, which is Oct. 2-4. For the first time ever, we are planning for the teams to work virtually.

We need nonprofits to apply no later than Aug. 7. Go to our website and click on the "Nonprofits" tab. From there, you will be guided to the process and application pages. The nonprofits page tells the requirements, the process page provides info about what to expect, and the application asks for basic information about their organization and their technology needs.

We will need volunteers (writers, project managers, designers, developers) to apply in mid-August. Qualifications and requirements are on our website.

We need sponsors to help us with in-kind and financial donations. We are trying to provide generous swag bags this year as we are not meeting in person and therefore will not be providing meals. We have established a Registry for Good on Walmart.com and are also accepting direct financial donations to defray other costs.

• Are there volunteer opportunities in your organization? What are they?

The biggest need is for our annual event. As we grow, we plan to provide more opportunities to serve nonprofits, which will require volunteers with similar skills that are needed for our annual event. We could also use consistent help on our communications and possibly developing new programs in the future.

• What other ways may people help? As simple as it sounds, follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram) and subscribe to our newsletter. Engage with our content and help share the information. Help share our story as we help nonprofits better tell their story through technology enhancements.

• Why do you work or volunteer for a nonprofit organization? Do you have a personal connection to the mission? If so, what is it? I was first approached to volunteer as a writer six or seven years ago by our now board president, Chris Whittle. In 2018, a group of us decided to become an official 501(c)3, and I became a board member. I continue to volunteer as a writer and often project manager. This is a perfect way to use my skills to serve a number of nonprofits in a focused way. I love the variety of organizations we see each year.