GivingCity is the guide to doing good in Austin. The blog and digital magazine offer actionable community content with the goal of connecting more Central Texans to philanthropy and improving communication and collaboration across the nonprofit sector. Through stories, profiles, first-person essays, and in-depth features we offer volunteers, donors, philanthropists, nonprofiteers, and anyone interested in civic engagement the information – and inspiration – they need to do good.
Download the latest digital issue and find photography, video, and content you won’t find on the blog.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this “digital magazine” thing?
Lots of publishers are launching digital versions of magazines, but I think we come at it from a totally different angle. First of all, we don’t create a print magazine, then ask you to read it on-screen. That’s like trying to get you to watch a TV show by broadcasting it on the radio – totally different mediums that require different structures. We also don’t use one of those fancy digital magazine publishers yet, the ones make a Flash file out of the entire issue. We use the good ol’ PDF and structure the content so that it’s easily read and navigated on screen – no zooming or moving page corners here.
How do I read this magazine?
To get an issue of GivingCity, just click on the download link or a magazine cover, wait a few seconds, and the PDF of the entire magazine appears in your browser. Navigate it just as you would a PDF. Click on links to take you to nonprofit or advertiser Web sites. Save it to your computer, print the pages you want, or send it to a friend. It’s your magazine to keep.
Why don’t we just make it a Web site?
I hear you. But here’s why we’re doing the digital magazine thing.
We love the Web, don’t get me wrong. But it’s so data oriented and ugly. In fact, the Web can feel like one big file cabinet – yours for the browsing, yes, but kind of overwhelming and impersonal. A magazine stores lots of data, too, but it’s data that’s been sorted, edited, and designed to keep you engaged. Web sites are designed to keep you clicking and to get more clicks. Magazines are designed to surprise and delight. And I know that sounds goofy, but think about how excited you are when you receive the latest issue of your favorite magazine in the mailbox. That’s what we’re trying to give you.
Who is the audience?
Our readership includes nonprofiteers, volunteers, donors, funders, young professionals, and community leaders and philanthropists. Readership is growing every day. (Thank you, readers!)
Is GivingCity a nonprofit?
Good question. What do you think we should do?
How do I get the next issue?
Now you can see new posts and hear about the latest issue by email. Just CLICK HERE to start receiving updates.
Thanks for your support!
Wow! What an incredibly appropriate idea for our time – Giving City!
This is a great contribution to Austin and our many, many non-profit organizations – pun intended.
Dear Monica,
Thanks for sending this. It’s the first issue I’ve seen, and I like it. After editing The Good Life magazine for 11-1/2 years –before crashing and burning after putting out the January 2009 edition, due to the economy–I can really appreciate your labor of love in starting up in a new and far cheaper format. I wish you the best of luck in this new venture.
I’m starting my own new venture, The Austin Bulldog, an initiative of the Austin Investigative Reporting Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity. It will be online only, doing investigative reporting focused on Austin. It will be my third startup publication, my first nonprofit, and I’m really excited about getting back to my roots in hard-nose investigative reporting.
Thanks again for what you’re doing with GivingCity.