The best Czech Internet projects are announced

The Center for Online Media (CPOM) and Vodafone Czech republic Foundation announced the best non-profit Internet projects today. The winner in the best blog category was the POSLEPU blog, the most interesting fundraising project was sanceprodraha.cz, the top non-profit community was the Self-help forum for eating disorders, the best micro-site was fotomaraton.sk and the best multimedia project was awarded to the Inventura association.

The winners in individual categories were announced by a professional panel of leading experts in each area during yesterday’s conference, “Online Marketing for non-profits“ dedicated to interesting Internet trends and opportunities for non-profits on the Internet.

“With the contest, we especially wanted to showcase individual tools that can be useful to non-profits. Czech non-profits are catching up on a certain gap and only now are beginning to learn how to work with Internet tools, that’s why we were looking for those who use the new tools in an interesting manner and then present them as an inspiration to others,” says Adam Javůrek, the competition’s organizer. Inga Kaškelyte, director of the Vodafone Czech Republic Foundation, who financially supported this event, added: “The contest and conference about online marketing for non-profits is the peak of Adam Javůrek’s year-long project, as the first winner of “A Year Differently”, which each year enables selected professionals to spend a year working for the non-profit sector.

The best online non-profit projects:

Blog Category: poslepu.blogspot.com, o.p.s. Tyflocentrum

The POSLEPU blog by Radek Pavlíček deals with the problematic access to information and communication technologies for users with serious visual impairment. Currently it consists of a single regularly-updated information channel in Czech. The POSLEPU blog’s author, Radek Pavlíček, is a well-known expert in the area of information and communication technologies for the visually-impaired and in the area of Internet accessibility.

Internet fundraising category: http://www.sanceprodraha.cz/ o.s. Vaváky

One of the first real attempts at online fundraising, the organization strives to conserve old state-owned pastures called “lanes” that have been in decline since socialism. The results of its first year of operation are: 3,376 visitors, 97 donations in the amount of CZK 45,075. The site is transparent as to where the money is allocated.

Community project category: http://www.idealni.cz/pokec_rooms.asp, Self-help Association for Eating Disorders

The largest discussion forum dealing with anorexia, bulimia, and overeating on a portal with guaranteed professionals. The forum links to information for those sick and their loved ones and contacts to professional help. The project unites all of the advantages of a community project on the Internet: it allows for anonymous solutions to problems, and aside from the professional advice, it encourages individual members of the community to participate, and the entire community benefits.

Video / audio / multimedia category: http://inventura.org/ , o.s. Inventura

Www.inventura.org is the first Internet portal that displays the creative works of the mentally handicapped in the Czech Republic (photography, audio and video projects, short animation, etc.). The web pages reflect the years-long creative work of the Inventura team with people with mental and social handicaps and activities focused on connecting them with other like-minded organizations in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The web content exposes the viewer to a different type of intelligence than what society is accustomed to. The web also serves as an information resource for the professional and general public.

Micro-site category: http://fotomaraton.sk/, o.z. Zaostri

The official micro-site of the Bratislava Photomarathon, whose goal is to take pictures related to 12 specific themes, within a limited amount of time. This year 600 photo fans competed and almost 1000 attended the resulting concert. The number of people discussing photography on the forum continues to rise. The site is well organized and the content is excellent. The site contains concrete answers to frequently asked questions and information about the association and contacts to its organizers. All of this is underscored by its relevance and attractive design.

You can find more information about the contest winners and the members of the panel of judges at: http://konference.vozovna.cz.