Nonprofit Commons Celebrates Fourteen Years

 

The Nonprofit Commons describes itself as "A community-led project, providing space to meet and network, all to create a cooperative learning environment and foster outreach, education, fundraising, all in a virtual environment." Part of Second Life for most of it's history, on August 20 it celebrated it's fourteenth anniversary. Gemma Cleanslate was there at the event, which was not just a celebration but a reminder of what the NPC was and has been doing over time.

Read Gemma's story in People.
 

Linden Lab Responds to Coronavirus Crisis: Cuts Prices For Nonprofit And Eductional Sims

In real life news, the number one story is the global Coronavirus epidemic. A few months ago, it was limited to China. But in a matter of weeks it has spread around the world. The result has been no shortage of panic and confusion. Travel bans are being set up, and major events are being postponed or canceled. "Social distancing," or avoiding large groups of people, is the best way to avoid catching and spreading the virus. But this means that schools are being closed, as well as charity events. So people are asking how do you educate people and raise money for charity if you can't meet up?

It's a question that those familiar with Second Life have long answered: take it online. And on Friday March 13, Linden Lab announced that it would "Expand Support and Reduce Prices for Education and Nonprofits."

We’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about how Second Life can help organizations, events, and conferences continue to safely and efficiently operate during the coronavirus outbreak.  

Many individuals and organizations are being affected by this unprecedented public health crisis, and we recognize that Second Life can provide an important and valuable way for people to stay in touch with their friends and co-workers amidst new social distancing protocols, mandated remote work requirements, and other precautionary measures.

The Lab has cut the tier for sims that qualify for education and nonprofit discounts down to "a flat $99/month." This "limited-time" offer is effective immediately as of last Friday.

The Lab is also letting businesses, colleges and universities, and charities know that, "We’re also here to assist you if your organization is exploring options in Second Life for new remote solutions for conferences, events or classes. Our support team is standing by to answer questions about how to get quickly started with a new private or public meeting or event space in Second Life. "

The Lab has set up a new webpage, or "micro-site" as it calls the page, "Remote Work and Event Solutions."

Second Life is the Internet's leading user-created virtual world that's been enjoyed by millions of people and organizations across the globe. For the past 17 years, major companies and education institutions have used Second Life for remote meetings, conferences and collaborations.

There would be a link to a page of videos of "case studies," such as Draxtor Despress' video of Istanbul University.

To view the blogpost in full, Click Here.

Sources: BBC News, USA Today  

Bixyl Shuftan

Linden Lab Brings Back Educational & Nonprofits Discount

Yesterday on July 24, Linden Lab announced on it's blog "an update to Second Life pricing for educational and nonprofit institutions." To educational institutions and nonprofit charities that qualify, the Lab is offering a 50% discount to setting up private sims and maintaining them.


Effective immediately, any accredited educational institution or any organization with a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit tax status (or equivalent) is eligible for a 50% discount on private region set-up costs and a 50% discount on private region maintenance costs.

Longtime users will remember the half-off price and tier was standard operating procedure with education and nonprofit groups in Second Life until October 2010, in which it was announced they would be paying full price in January 1, 2011. After that, a number of sims owned by such groups shut down, such as ISTE Island. Hamlet Au put the number of closings at "hundreds if not thousands." In Spring of this year, Linden Lab began quietly offering "a select number of nonprofit and educational" groups that let sims go the return of the discount if they returned. Now, the discount is back for all.

The response seems to be a varied one. At the Virtual Worlds Best Practices in Education conference, which opened that day, those I overheard talking about the announcement were pleased, considering the announcement timed with their conference. Daniel Voyager considered this development great news. Hamlet Au, not so much. He felt in the years since the discount's end, education and nonprofit groups have moved on to other places online that are much less expensive. Readers commenting to Hamlet's article had mixed opinions. Some called it good news, or at least a step in the right direction. Others felt Linden Lab's move had ruined the trust education and nonprofit groups once had in them, "it's not just about price, it's about trust and stability," and saw the move was too little too late on bringing back the groups which had left the Grid. In the SL Universe Forum thread on the topic, some posters wondered if the abuses of a few had helped contribute to the discount's end.

But for education and nonprofits that remained in Second Life, such as Virtual Ability and the Relay for Life, this move is good news and will help ensure they stay.

Sources: Linden Blog, Daniel Voyager, New World Notes, SL Universe Forums  

Bixyl Shuftan

Nonprofit Commons to Celebrate Five Years in Second Life

Nonprofit Commons announced on their blog a few days ago that on Friday September 21st, they will be celebrating their fifth anniversary. Events are scheduled at their Aloft and Plush sims throughout the day. Among them is a meeting at their amphitheater at 8:30 AM SL time in Plush to discuss their history and give awards, and a "Meet and Greet" dance party at 3:30 PM in Aloft.

Nonprofit Commons, or NPC, describe themselves as "managed by a community of volunteers, under the leadership of TechSoup Global. Nonprofit Commons was designed to lower the barriers of access to Second Life, to create a community of practice for nonprofits to explore and learn about the virtual world, and to investigate the many ways in which nonprofits might utilize this unique environment. Through this community, we provide free office space to qualifying groups, meet and network, create a cooperative learning environment and foster outreach, education, fund-raising, all in a virtual space." Meetings are held every Friday at the Plush amphitheater.

Source: Daniel Voyager