YouTube on a Shoestring (for Nonprofits)
	Posted by Jordan Viator at Jul 23, 2008 05:48 PM CDT Categories: Nonprofit Trends , Social Media

Many nonprofit organizations and advocacy groups want to embrace online video but don't have the internal resources or budget to do so - or so they think. Again, compliments of Ramya at YouTube, here are a few handy tips on how you can use shoot, edit and successfully incorporate video online without hiring a professional or going over budget.  

If you don't have a video pro on staff...

1. Ask the YouTube community for help. There are lots of people on YouTube who have video production skills and want to do good. Make a call-out video for the YouTube community, asking for help in creating videos for your channel, or search for and contact specific YouTube users in your area who might be willing to help you out. It never hurts to ask…
2. Delegate to your interns. Many of them are already familiar with uploading content to YouTube, so are comfortable with the process.
3. Look for production companies or advertising agencies with a social conscience. You might be able to get pro bono services or a lower rate.
4. Give it a go yourself. Shooting video is easier than you think – and you don’t have to have a glitzy piece to tell a compelling story. Check out the YouTube Video Toolbox for best practices on how to shoot, edit and upload you videos.
5. Partner with other organizations on YouTube who are working toward the same cause. They may have resources that you don’t, and you can work together to get the right video messages out there that benefit both organizations.

If you’re strapped for cash…

1. Apply to join the YouTube Nonprofit Program to get increased branding, upload capacity and the opportunity to be featured in promoted areas of YouTube, at no cost to you.
2. Use a digital camera or even your cell phone camera. You wont be able to store that much footage, but shorter pieces tend to play well on YouTube anyway, as do pieces with “organic” production values.
3. Think about investing in a Flip Video Camera (~$100), which comes with basic editing and video publishing software. Also, Flip Video Spotlight is a program that gives nonprofits access to Flip Cameras at a discounted rate.
4. Embed a Google Checkout button on your channel to help drive your fundraising effort. On your channel, talk about specific things that you’re trying to raise money for, like a megaphone for an upcoming rally or video camera to make YouTube videos.
5. Use digital pictures to make a slideshow of images that make your case and post the piece to your YouTube channel.
6. Edit your videos at the local cable access station – a small membership fee usually gets you access to some great editing software that’s just too expensive to install on your home computer.
7. Feature videos on your channel that you didn’t create but that fit your organizations mission. YouTube is chock-full of video content, so highlight pieces that promote your cause. Favorite these videos so that they show up on your channel and create themes playlists to demonstrate the broader communities that are rallying around similar causes on YouTube.  

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