MAP for Nonprofits just published a report (Unleashing Innovation: Using Everyday Technology to Improve Nonprofit Services); it includes nine case studies featuring Minnesota nonprofits making good use of technology. All of the examples require some level of broadband. Interesting many of them require mobile broadband. While the focus is technology in the nonprofit sector, I think that there are plenty of tips and lesson for business, especially small business, as well.

Here are very abbreviated accounts of the case studies; I recommend folks check the report for more details.

1. Domestic Abuse Project, Minneapolis, MN – selectively open up their database to probation officers so that they can get the info they need in a timely fashion and staff can work on other things.
2. United Way of Olmsted County – created a community wide shared database for human service organizations to track information on clients and reduce duplicative efforts for staff and clients served. Less time on paperwork means more time with clients.
3. HOWA Family Center, Walker, MN – needing to reach high school kids and finding that the phone and email were no longer working, HOWA turns to text and Facebook.
4. Headway Emotional Health Services, Richfield, MN – moves field staff to smartphones so they can access calendars and case files as well as communicate in the field easily.
5. Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, Golden Valley, MN – created a database to collect data to help prove the business case – that their services were protecting children and strengthening families.
6. Community Thread, Stillwater, MN – uses social media to attract new volunteers are keep all volunteers engaged. Efforts paid off last year when many volunteers were needed when the nearby St. Croix River flooded.
7. Minnesota Child Care Resource & Referral Network’s Eager-to-Learn Program, St. Paul, MN – developed online learning programs for childcare providers.
8. Lifetrack Resources, St. Paul, MN (Minnesota Hands and Voices Program) – archived closed-captioned webinars to provide just in time training to families with children who are deaf or hard of hearing, many of whom live in rural Minnesota.
9. Lifetrack Resources, St. Paul, MN (Customer Service Training Program) – incorporated opportunities for students in their customer service training to become guest bloggers as an opportunity to also pick up writing and social media skills.