Online Discussion Groups
One of the most convenient means to get quick, useful advice is to join a free, online discussion
group in which to pose your questions. There are 1,000s of these groups and that number
continues to grow rapidly. There are a variety of names for the groups, for example,
listservs, egroups and eforums. Some people have strong feelings about which name should be used
and why the names are different. Usually, groups have a home page which includes description of the
purpose of that group, and how you can participate in it.
Groups use a wide range of technologies to support discussions.
One of the first types was Usenet, or newsgroups, usually having
names with words separated by periods, e.g., "alt.activism" or "soc.org.nonprofit."
Often, these groups need special types of news readers, many of which are available for free
on the Internet.
The following lists by no means includes all groups. However, many of the major
ones are listed below. New ones are often announced in some or all of the following,
as well.
Sections in This Topic Include the Following
For-Profit and NonprofitNonprofit-Specific
Learn More in the Library's Blog Related to This Topic
For-Profit and Nonprofit Groups
Indices -- Each Having Long Lists of Groups
The following sites pertain to both for-profit and nonprofit topics.
Discussion groups about human resources
Yahoo listing of many types of groups
Infinite Ink's Finding News Groups
L-Soft's list of listservs
Network Computer newsgroups: Introduction
lists of 100s of news and usenet
groups
Some of the Most Common Groups (That Can Have Subgroups, As Well)
Facebook
Google Groups
Instagram
LinkedIn
Pinterests
Twitter
Social
Media Platform Comparison - comparison of those most common groups
Also consider
All
About Social Networking
60+ Social Networking
Sites You Need to Know About in 2018
Nonprofit-Specific Groups
Indices -- Each Having Long Lists of Groups
Strategic Planning for Nonprofits
(requires LinkedIn account)
Nonprofit Consultants
Forum (LinkedIn)
Alliance for Nonprofit
Management (LinkedIn)
Nonprofit Governance (LinkedIn)
Nonprofit Network (LinkedIn)
Nonprofit Professional
Forum (LinkedIn)
Chronicle of Philanthropy
(LinkedIn)Coyote
Communications' Discussion Groups List
TechSoup
Community (nonprofit technology forum)
Coyote
Communications' list of Internet/Online Communities/Discussion Groups
Social Enterprise World Forum