Mashups with Social Impact for the NetSquared Mashup Challenge

 

Via Britt Bravo

Do you have an idea for how a mashup could be a tool for social change?

Can you imagine a way to combine data that would increase awareness around an issue?

NetSquared, a project of TechSoup, is awarding a share of $100,000 in prize money, and a trip to the NetSquared Conference, to the top 20 winners of the NetSquared Mashup Challenge.  You don't need to have tech expertise to submit a project to the Challenge, just an idea for a change you want to make that could be facilitated by a mashup.

Wikipedia defines a mashup as, "a web application that combines data from more than one source into a single integrated tool."  So, for example, MAPLight.org brings together campaign contribution data and legislators' voting records to raise awareness about the connection between money and politics.

Submit your idea for a mashup with social impact by MARCH 14, 2008 at 5 PM PST.  Submission forms are available at http://www.netsquared.org/mashup

As you know, I do the weekly roundup of NpTech for NetSquared and they've just asked me to work on another project related to this MashUp contest - to pull together a resource list.   

So, if you were teaching a workshop called "So You Wanna Build A Mashup?,"  what resources would you include on a organized list of resources?   Some categories:

• General definitions and examples: 
• API sources: (point to places where one finds open APIs)
• Data Sources: (pointer to open data sources that would be relevant)

 

Comments

[adam nicholson]

This is great...

It might not be what they intended, but I would love to have resources around mashups that were directed to non-designers. I would love to integrate mashups with my advocacy work, I just can't figure out how and if the cost/benefit is worth it re: my time.

[Nathaniel Whittemore]

Hi Beth,

I saw that you were writing about the Netsquared Mashup challenge and I wanted to share a little bit about our Mashup Challenge entry: Assetmap.org/uganda. You can read more at http://www.assetmap.org/uganda

The question behind the project is this: with peace on the horizon after 20 years of war in northern Uganda, and the big NGOs soon heading off to other war zones, who is going to support community organizations and northern Ugandan civil society as it transitions to peace time?

By mapping information about ongoing community-led philanthropic partnerships in northern Uganda, assetmap.org/uganda helps American citizens aggregate their resources to support post-conflict transformation.

We hope to facilitate collaboration among American donors and volunteers by providing a digital tool that:

•maps project locations so you know who's working where
•tags information about the specific issues projects and organizations seek to address
•links tagged and mapped projects to the facebook and LinkedIn profiles of participating donors or volunteers

If you're interested in supporting us, please visit and vote for us here:
http://www.netsquared.org/2008/conference/projects/assetmap-org-uganda

Thanks!

Nathaniel Whittemore
Director, Northwestern University Center for Global Engagement
www.mycge.org
globalengagement at gmail