This year the gala will honor Ray Bradbury, author of “Fahrenheit 451,” with the premier performance of his novel, directed by Wynn Handman and performed by Rich Orlow. The program will conclude with readings of very short passages from other works of great literature by distinguished guests. Register for the event and see Meryl Streep reading a passage from “Fahrenheit 451″ at http://2009literaturetolifeawards.eventbrite.com/.

Literature to Life is a performance-based literacy program run by the American Place Theatre that presents professionally staged verbatim adaptations of significant American literary works. The program gives students a new form of access to literature by bringing to life the world of the book with performances that create an atmosphere of discovery and spark the imagination. This program is delivered to over 30,000 underserved students annually in New York City and in 72 cities across the country.

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Workshop topics include: Mastering the Fundamentals: focuses on helping you understand the fundamentals of community building organizations, such as finding funding, sustainable growth, and attracting & keeping great talent.  Big Ideas: What are the most important ideas in community building that few people are talking about?  Success Stories:  will inspire you with behind-the-scenes accounts of successful programs. And Cross-Sector Collaborations:  showcases how to work together to tip over the silos (government, business, nonprofit organizations) and build pipelines that can make long lasting impact on your community.  See the full schedule.  Register now to attend the 2009 Craigslist Foundation Non-Profit Boot Camp.  Browse more events in Berkeley.

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ArtSpan is one of the most influential and important non-profits in the San Fransisco art scene.  Their programs contribute directly to the vitality of the arts community in the Bay Area by providing art education to children and by creating opportunities for emerging artists to pursue their creative ambitions and sell their work.  The ArtSpan Benefit Art Show and Auction is an annual event that raises money to support the various ArtSpan programs.  Members of the public are invited to bid on more than 140 works, ranging from paintings to sculpture to mixed mediums, from some of the most talented and “undiscovered” artists in the Bay Area.  VIP participants will also enjoy cocktails and catering courtesy of Thomas John Events, as well as an exclusive sneak preview of the artworks to be offered for auction.

ArtSpan 2008 pictures.

Proceeds from the auction will help fund ArtSpan programs including Art for City Youth and San Francisco Open Studios, the largest free visual arts event held each year in San Francisco featuring more than 800 artists.

Attend the ArtSpan Benefit & Auction. Donate to ArtSpan.  Become an ArtSpan Member.

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Street food is a big part of New York City food culture.   The Vendy Awards (now in their fourth year) recognize excellence in the field of mobile food preparation and vending.  The event features all you can eat food from an assortment of this year’s finalists and culminates with the announcement of the year’s best street food vendor.  Epicurious called it “One of the most bizarre and exuberant food events this city has ever seen.”  Proceeds benefit The Street Vendor Project, a New York City-based non-profit advocacy for street vendors.  The Vendy Awards are on Saturday, October 18th.  TICKETS.

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There’s little doubt that non-profits as a group are better off because of the Web. The advent of the medium has meant, for many of them, the difference between near-total obscurity and nominal “success”. But it seems, these days, that just having a .org website and a PayPal button isn’t enough. The availability of cheap hosting and free CMSes made it easy for orgs to get their sites up and to begin engaging their audiences online. For many of them, it was a bit like being led into a house with plumbing and electricity from a neolithic cave. And though this was a quantum leap, it seems doubtful that non-profits have kept up with their for-profit counterparts, in terms of their exploitation of the Web for revenue growth. Part of the reason for that disparity is simple lack of resources. Non-profits run lean. They can’t offer the kinds of salaries the best (or even any) online marketer would expect. But I think the bigger impediment is fear of being able to deliver a sustainable return on investment. Until there is both the capacity to adequately measure the effects of online investments and the willingness to make those investments, opportunities like SEO, paid search marketing and the social web will remain untapped.

To answer the need for greater information and understanding among non-profits of the online opportunity, Washington DC-based Weinberg Consulting is launching a new seminar series called Non-Profit 2.0. Each seminar will address specific areas where organizations can benefit and learn from tools, techniques and best practices of the new web. The first seminar, “General Strategy and Best Practices” (scheduled for October 27th), will be focused on broad themes in web 2.0 and social media.

“Non-profits have a unique relationship with their audiences and constituents and they have not thus far been able to take advantage of the social web as a marketing channel.” said Dave Weinberg, president of Weinberg Consulting.  “I created this seminar series to serve as an entry point for non-profits who may be curious about these new techniques but may not have the resources to invest in an online marketing consultant.”  Very cool.

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I can’t remember the last time I saw a “Save the Whales” bumper sticker.  Our collective attention may drift to other causes and other issues, but there can be little doubt that the fate of the earth’s largest mammals remains dubious.  Now in its 11th year, the American Cetacean Society’s international conference “Whales in a Changing World” offers answers and a look at how whales, dolphins and porpoises are faring in these uncertain environmental times.  Scheduled for November 13th to the 16th, the conference encompasses multiple activities including a whale watching cruise in Monterey Bay and a symposium featuring some of the world’s foremost marine biologists and whale experts.  In their own words: “American Cetacean Society conferences have a long tradition of presenting the latest findings and news about whales and other marine life. We also work to promote discussion and thought about the role and conservation of whales in an ever-changing world, and leave attendees motivated to work together for the good of the whales. American Cetacean Society conferences are open to everyone – you don’t need to be ‘in the field’ to participate. So come, be energized and enlightened.”  Recommended.

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On Tuesday of this week, in the Cabbagetown section of Atlanta, a speeding car driven by one of the city’s top emergency services officers plowed into the storefront of a non-profit pottery studio. Many pots were broken. The studio is operated by Cabbagetown Clay and Glass Works “Atlanta’s non-profit artist cooperative”. In their own words: “This is devastating to us in regards to sales and usability of our studio and we are reaching out to our community to join us at our fundraising event to help us get through this.” To help rebuild, the Cabbagetown Clay and Glass Works is holding a Spaghetti Supper Fundraiser on Saturday Sept 6th. What an awesome idea. That’s a lot like making lemonade, isn’t it. Great poster, guys.

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The West Village in New York City is far from the greenest place on earth. But, thanks to the efforts of Futurehood, a NYC-based non-profit that uses outdoor events to drive awareness of important community and environmental issues, it’s going to get a little bit greener. As part of a program called “GELL” (for Greenroof Environmental Literacy Laboratory), PS41 is slated to acquire the first full green roof on a New York City public school. Described as a planted oasis, the 22,000-square-foot roof will provide a laboratory for the elementary school students to study plants and nature, and will also help keep the school cool in summer and warm in the winter. Part of the budget is being allocated to the purchase of butterflies! To help support the greening of PS41, Futurehood is hosting an outdoor event featuring music, food and a rooftop presentation. All proceeds benefit GELL and PS41’s Greenroof.

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Spark Reproductive Justice Now is a rad non-profit espousing good messages and doing good things in the Atlanta, Georgia area. In their own words: “SPARK Reproductive Justice Now fosters a dynamic, collaborative model of leadership, collective action and discourse for reproductive justice throughout Georgia and the South. SPARK collaborates with communities to build and sustain a powerful reproductive justice movement throughout Georgia and the South. We use creative grassroots strategies to build knowledge, shift power and advance the reproductive justice discourse.” Right on. Sex, Wine and Chocolate is Spark’s 2nd annual sex-positive cabaret fundraiser event. “I’m really excited about this because too often, it seems like nonprofit activist type gatherings are so somber and boring – which always struck me as a terrible way to raise money for a cause. Instead, why not have a big party that says, “This is the good stuff our organization is working for in the world!” — wrote one observer of last year’s debut event. Best of luck, Spark.

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