Event payments now live on BigTent

Today’s a big day at BigTent, as we unveil a suite of upgrades that will improve your group’s online event management experience. Here’s what we have in store:

• Groups can now charge members to attend events. With no additional setup for members or the group, BigTent makes it easy to collect credit card and PayPal payments for your next function.

• Groups can sell T-shirts, raffle tickets, and other related items for events. You can raise more funds by making it easy for members to purchase their group gear.

• Better tracking for RSVPs, volunteer shifts, and requested items. We’ve built out the sign ups area so it’s easier to see who’s attending, who’s signed up for a volunteer shift, and who’s bringing the potato salad. Plus, we’ve taken user feedback and added a few popular requests, such as the ability to turn off “maybe” responses.

BigTent’s new event features are designed to give busy volunteers peace of mind. If you’re curious to find out more, check out our YouTube video or start organizing your groups with BigTent today!

BigTent group named Neighborhood of the Year

Congratulations to the Sylvan-Old Auburn Road (SOAR) Neighborhood group for award-winning community service! Last year, the Citrus Heights, CA, neighborhood hosted “SOAR to Healthy Heights” Senior Health Fair, an event aimed at providing health and safety tips and entertainment to local senior citizens.

The fair staffed over 50 information tables and drew over 200 attendees. For this impressive turnout and months of dedicated planning, SOAR received the 2009 Neighborhood of the Year Award at the Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) Conference.

Congratulations to the Sylvan-Old Auburn Road (SOAR) Neighborhood group for award-winning community service! Last year, the Citrus Heights, CA, neighborhood hosted “SOAR to Healthy Heights” Senior Health Fair, an event aimed at providing health and safety tips, healthy snacks, and entertainment to local senior citizens.

The fair staffed over 50 information tables and drew over 200 attendees. For this impressive turnout and months of dedicated planning, SOAR received the 2009 Neighborhood of the Year Award at the Neighborhoods USA (NUSA) Conference, held May 20-23 in Spokane, WA.

Pictured above from left to right are Lorraine Furry, SOAR Member, Elton Gatewood, NUSA President, and Dr. Jayna Karpinski-Costa, SOAR Neighborhood President and Citrus Heights Vice Mayor.

SOAR also participates in the Citrus Heights Collaborative on BigTent. Way to go! Our team is proud of you and all that you do to enrich your community.

BigTent welcomes homeschool groups

We have seen an increase in the number of homeschool support groups on BigTent and we’re working hard to nurture this growing interest. Here are two quick updates for you:

1. We’ve launched the Homeschool Leadership Collaborative, a free online group aimed at homeschooling parents and leaders of homeschool organizations.

The group is a great resource for getting support, sharing best practices, and learning from colleagues with various homeschooling philosophies. We welcome your ideas and hope to see you in the group soon.

2. For homeschoolers in Washington state, come meet BigTent this Friday and Saturday. We’ll be in Puyallup at the 2009 Washington Homeschool Organization (WHO) Convention.

This convention is the largest event of its kind on the West Coast, and we’re excited to participate. Look for us in Booth 2003.

Best,

Archana and the BigTent Team

New BigTent features: Find a group and more

Our latest release is out, and we’ve got two new upgrades to share:

1. Group directory is finally here!

Potential group members, start your search engines! Today we’ve unveiled our shiny new BigTent groups directory, which helps our groups raise awareness about their BigTent presence and attract new members like you. Any group that opts into the directory and has at least 5 members will show up in search results, so go ahead and take a peek.

2. Increased Classifieds visibility.

Previews of Classifieds listings now show up on the group “buzz” page and the “my bigtent” page, the first page users see when they log in. This should make it easier to unload that used couch or stroller that stands between you and a clutter-free garage:

As always, we hope you enjoy our new features and welcome any feedback you may have. See you in the Tent!

Best,

Mia & the BigTent team

BigTent debuts on YouTube

Whether you’re an avid user of BigTent, a new group leader, or are just browsing the site, the videos on our new YouTube channel will give you greater insight into the inner workings of our site. From an introduction from our founder, Laney Whitcanack, to tours of the calendar and membership management, there’s something to be discovered in each clip.

Our most popular video, the quick tour of our entire site, can be viewed here:

Please stay tuned for additional updates on color and layout customization, dues and donations collection, and other great features that BigTent has to offer. We look forward to seeing you on YouTube!

Best,

Mia and the BigTent team