Nonprofit Drupal Community: A Haven for Open-Source Enthusiasts
Non-profit organizations utilizing Drupal or professionals working with non-profits on Drupal-related projects have a dedicated community group tailored to their needs.
The "Non-profit Drupal" community group offers a platform for individuals and organizations in the non-profit sector to come together, collaborate, and discuss topics at the intersection of Drupal and non-profit work.
The co-organizers of this group include Jess Snyder, Johanna Bates, Corey Brown, and Karen Horrocks, each bringing their expertise and commitment to creating a thriving space for non-profit Drupal enthusiasts. The community welcomes individuals from all corners of the non-profit world to join their discussions and contribute to the collective knowledge base.
"I first heard about Drupal in 2003, when I was attending NTEN.org events. I was a self-taught web developer and grant writer in a healthcare advocacy non-profit, and I was educating myself through NTEN's awesome resources. I chose Drupal for my org in 2004 (version 4.7, I think?) and started an NTEN listserv for non-profit Drupal users. Over the last two decades, that group has morphed into an email list and standing monthly Zoom call, which is free and open for anyone who works with Drupal and non-profits to attend."
(about her introduction to the CMS and the community).
In a conversation with The DropTimes, she underscored the enduring preference of non-profits for Drupal, a testament to their commitment to open-source software. With its long-standing reputation as one of the premier open-source content management systems alongside WordPress, Drupal offers non-profits the advantage of complete ownership over their website code, design, and database content. This choice ensures portability and freedom from reliance on any singular, proprietary vendor, aligning perfectly with the non-profit ethos of transparency and self-sufficiency.
One of Non-profit Drupal's primary activities is its monthly community chat held every third Thursday. During these sessions, participants engage in discussions covering various aspects of Drupal in non-profit contexts.
Sponsored by NTEN (Non-profit Technology Network), these chats are open to all interested parties, regardless of their NTEN membership status. The group maintains a collaborative notes document for these calls, providing access to a wealth of discussion topics and archives.
"With some of the members of this non-profit Drupal community, I also helped run the first Non-profit Summits at NYCCamp and then at DrupalCon NA. At the annual Non-profit Technology Conference (which usually happens about a month before DrupalCon NA), we host a session for Drupal users to connect in person at the conference. When we attend DrupalCons and camps, we present sessions and/or have non-profit BoFs."
Interestingly, she also met her now business partner, Erin Fogel, with whom she founded and runs DevCollaborative through this non-profit Drupal - NTEN crossover community. DevCollab builds Drupal and WordPress sites exclusively for non-profit organizations.
Jess Snyder announced the resumption of the monthly "Non-profit Drupal" community chat after a summer break on September 20. The event was scheduled for September 21 at 1 p.m. ET and welcomed non-profit Drupal developers and users of all experience levels. The discussion centred around Drupal and its applications within the non-profit sector.
Between monthly calls, members of the "Non-profit Drupal" community group can connect on their email list and the #nonprofits channel in Drupal Slack. This vibrant community aims to foster knowledge-sharing, problem-solving, and networking opportunities for those passionate about leveraging Drupal for non-profit endeavours.
"What I love about the non-profit Drupal sub-community is how much its participants care, both about the Drupal project itself, about open-source projects, and about using Drupal to help ease web communications work for folks who've dedicated their careers to progressive, mission-driven work. In the long transition from non-profit staffer to freelance developer to agency owner, I have continued to meet partners, collaborators, employees, and like-minded folks in this community. My career and DevCollab itself are all grounded in this non-profit Drupal sub-community, and we continue to prioritize giving back to it via volunteer facilitating, maintaining a module (Maxlength), and sharing our starter theme, LightShip, on Drupal.org."
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