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Great example of crowd-sourced question site to help answer a specific question about a CRM (client relationship management) solution for a small nonprofit.

Open APIs (application programming interfaces) are VERY important to look for when considering cloud-based solutions. Think about the implications for nonprofits selecting an online solution... would you want one with an API or not? (BTW... take a look at the APIs for both Google Apps online and Microsoft Office365 online. Let me know what you find.)

This is the video I showed during the 1/31 class re: APIs. (Cards vs. Candyland)

If you want to understand what the cloud platform is really about then read this. The connectivity of all computers is going to a new level. This might help you understand the vision.

How do you decide which cloud platform is right for your company? Well you could trust the cloud rep. implicitly or learn why one platform might be the best fit for your nonprofit or government agency to use. This PDF outlines many of the differences.

This is the alternate approach to buying software for donor management which theoretically is the better approach after a non-profit reaches a certain size

For a multi-platform cloud solution, SpiderOak seems like an interesting way to approach cloud computing for a small NPO or at home. The process seems pretty similar to Dropbox, although, the lack of Android support seems to be a major hole in their operation.

This article describes how one organization saved thousands on their technology budget by utilizing free services, using video conferences, working from home, and combining services (to name a few).

Microsoft Community Affairs and TechSoup recently hosted a webinar focused on how moving to the cloud can benefit nonprofits.

Technology pop quiz for business owners: What's more secure? A. Data stored in redundant back-up server installations (or "the cloud"), automatically updated and maintained, in a facility secured from outside threats. Or B. Data stored or backed up to an on-site tape or flash drive, whenever the company's controller or non-IT back-office staffer remembers to do it - then left in the drive? For many, the answer in theory is A, but in practice, it's B. Why is this important? Because studies have shown that 70 percent of companies go out of business after a major data loss and 60 percent of companies that lose their data will shut down within six months. Yet those unfamiliar with cloud computing still believe onsite back-up is a safe, secure solution. Therein lies one of the most compelling reasons to embrace cloud or ERP (enterprise resource planning) computing.

This article talks about why the cloud is good for non-profits.

The nonprofit sector is in a bit of a technology evolution/revolution. As the industry looks to reduce costs, increase efficiency and engage with constituents that are living lifestyles that embrace mobile, digital and social technologies as never before. It is here that the benefits and options that cloud computing brings to the table are clear.

Amazon launched it's Cloud Player and Cloud Drive service today, which lets you store files online and stream music to your computer or Android phone. We spent some time with it this morning, and despite some missing features, the service is an amazing value and pretty easy to use. Right off the bat, Amazon gives you 5 GB of free storage, which is already more than the free 2 GB Dropbox has.

Survey tools automatically collect and tally responses in "real time," which means you can watch the results come in as they're being submitted. Results are often organized and presented graphically using charts and tables. Most tools will even produce reports based on the survey results. You can share the results with members of your staff, and even with survey respondents. post date:  Feb. 1, 2011

this article is multiple pages, 13 in depth looks at different clouds

Clarification - the description is an excerpt beginning with the 4th paragraph of the article. Not my words. "My problem is that for as long as I have tried to figure out, Dropbox made some bold claims about how your files were encrypted and how nobody had access to them, with statements like: All transmission of file data occurs over an encrypted channel (SSL). All files stored on Dropbox servers are encrypted (AES-256) Dropbox employees aren't able to access user files, and when troubleshooting an account they only have access to file metadata (filenames, file sizes, etc., not the file contents)."

A new commission on the leadership opportunity in US deployment of the cloud is going to provide the Obama administration with reccomendations of how to deploy the cloud better.