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Penguin Days provides a forum for nonprofit organizations to learn and share ideas, options and concerns with using Free and Open Source Software (F/OSS). F/OSS is liberally licensed software that allows access to its source code so users can change or improve its design. This approach to software has been steadily growing more popular in recent years and can become a valuable tool for nonprofits.

The idea for Penguin Days was established by three nonprofit technology organizations, Aspiration, Nonprofit Open Source Initiative (NOSI) and the LINC Project of the Welfare Law Center. The organizations envisioned meetings between open source developers and technology support staff for nonprofits to discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by F/OSS.

F/OSS could have numerous benefits for nonprofit organizations. From better handling large amounts of data, publishing content and engaging supporters or providing easier access to information, F/OSS is an affordable and flexible way for nonprofits to expand their reach in the community or around the country.

Held in Philadelphia in 2004, the initial Penguin Day brought together over 100 F/OSS developers and nonprofit technologists for a day of exchanging information and ideas about scaling capacity and successful examples of nonprofits using F/OSS. The meeting's agenda included:

• Building new and enhanced relationships between key constituencies in the open source and nonprofit communities;
• Being a venue for learning and information sharing about development processes and nonprofit software needs;
• Helping participants develop a clearer understanding of where there are gaps and opportunities;
• Challenging developers to provide flexible and appropriate open source solutions for non-profit mission-critical applications;
• Empowering non-profit users and support providers to better communicate their needs and serve as active partners in the development and maturation of open source technology for nonprofits;
• Increasing energy and passion to fuel ongoing collaboration.

Over the years, Penguin Days have been held across the country from Washington, D.C. to Portland. They have also made stops in Toronto and London. Upcoming Penguin Days include Chicago in the fall of 2008 and San Francisco in April of 2009.

At the Penguin Day in Seattle, a full day of activities and seminars were scheduled for participants, including a break for yoga. Seminars taught by knowledgeable IT specialists included:

• Introduction to Free and Open Source Software
• Introduction to Free and Open Source Desktop Applications
• How Users Can Influence F/OSS Development
• Helping Techies and Non-Techies Communicate and Cooperate
• Free And Open Source Online Advocacy: Tools And Best Practices
• Business Models for F/OSS developers and providers

Penguin Days are designed to be understood by all participants and not limited to IT specialists. Events explain open source software in plain language and seek to establish networks among nonprofits technology users and community members motivated by social issues.

"I had a wonderful time at Penguin Day Seattle. It was one of the best IT related conferences I've been to. I'm definitely in a position to help my current and future non-profits with much needed tools." -Steve Garrison, SolarBoy.org

An example of F/OSS spurring innovation that helps the nonprofit community's efforts is the Knight Foundation challenge. The Knight Foundation is offering $5 million for F/OSS ideas that "develop local, community, and neighborhood information/news distribution projects, services, and programs". Guidelines for the proposals are:

• Use or create digital, open-source technology as the code base (can include telecommunications, wifi, mobile, etc).
• Serve the public interest through media (however you define it)
• Benefit one or more specific geographic communities.

The deadline to submit proposals is November 1, 2008.

A resource to teach nonprofits about F/OSS and its potential benefits is available from NOSI.