Take a look at Put First things First, an article by Darcy Olson of the Goldwater Institute offers tips on ensuring that those big projects within your institute get accomplished, in spite of the additional demands on your time.

I’d also suggest Plans make the World go Round by Daniel Erspamer of SPN, which highlights why goals, lists and processes help increase the effectiveness of your organization.

Anyone who’s been involved with fundraising for their organization recognizes the multi-level development challenges that typically arise. HCPR’s “21^st Maine” program has an answer for several of these challenges, many of them creatively involving the number “8” – the number of key projects the center is focusing on for 2009.

• It offers a bit of Maine history as a teaser to attract involvement –The 21st Maine pays homage to the famous “20th Maine” Civil War infantry regiment of the Battle of Gettysburg.
• It helps to expand its base of donors by asking for a minimum monthly donation of $8 – who can turn that little amount down?
• It reduces bureaucracy and outreach costs by securing the funds via electronic fund transfer.
• It offers a small menu of 8-minute ways to volunteer for the organization – 21^st Maine recruits agree to become more involved with MHPC’s work by participating in monthly action requests like writing a letter to their state legislators or bringing a guest to an MHPC event – each monthly action takes a maximum of eight minutes to complete.
• In keeping with successful fundraising campaign models, the program offers a measurable goal — When MHPC reaches their goal, it then has an additional $8,000 in  steady monthly income.

All in all, it’s a fabulously simple program that gives people a chance tobecome engaged in making a difference in their state.

For more information about MHPC’s grassroots efforts, see the article Grassroots Grow Deep in Maine, or check the MPHC’s website

For the sixth year, more than 1,000 top opinion makers, political practitioners, technologists and journalists will come together to network, exchange ideas, and explore how technology and the Internet are changing politics, democracy, and society.

So far, there has been a lot of talk about using technology to make government better. Unfortunately a vast majority of the attendees are sympathetic to the state, but there is a lot of interest in using online tools to make government more transparent. This, to me, is a reform that could lead to an avalanche of future reforms- once people finally learn what governments are doing in their name.

I’ll be covering the Personal Democracy Forum on this blog and will be tagging my conference tweets with#PDFFR33 along with (the few) other free-market attendees. You can view them here.

Thanks to the State Policy Network for sponsoring my attendance this year.

Tune in, watch live, and send in your questions!