This document summarizes Larry Blumenthal's presentation on how the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is using social media to build partnerships and generate new ideas. It outlines some of the top reasons organizations hesitate to use social media, and describes several social media platforms the foundation has launched to engage the public and crowdsource ideas, including blogs, Twitter, and idea competitions. It concludes with lessons learned, such as starting conversations and connections through baby steps and a different strategic lens.

1. Breaking Down Walls:
Using Social Media to Build
Partnerships and Generate Fresh
Ideas
Larry Blumenthal
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
June 30, 2009
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-USW36-318

2. Top
Reasons
for Not Using
Social Media
Collection of National Media Museum
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3. Top Reasons
for Not Using
Social Media
 Don’t have time
 Too much work
 Don’t have resources
 Senior staff don’t see
value/not sure of ROI
 May face criticism
 Loss of control
Collection of National Media Museum
 Not relevant to my
work
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4. -4-

5. What We Do
• Give Ideas Wings
• Build Partnerships
• Help Set Agenda
• Share Knowledge
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, LC-B2- 2542-5
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6. Launched:
August 2006
Goal:
Generate conversation,
feedback and
new ideas to pursue
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7. Launched:
April 2009
Goal:
Join the
conversation
on health
reform, provide
perspective
and context
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8. Launched:
December 2008
Audience:
More than 1,000
followers
Goal:
Connect with others
who can make a
difference on our
issues
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9. Launched:
April 2009
Goal:
Share our story
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10. Launched:
December 2008
Goal:
Tap into the
wisdom of the
crowd
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11. Launched:
June 2009
Goal:
Tap into the
wisdom of the
crowd
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12. Launched:
Earlier this
year
Goal:
Pilot new ways
of generating
ideas from field
Results:
285 entries
from 21
countries
History:
Five
competitions
so far
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13. Projected Launch
Date:
July 2009
Goal:
Pilot new way of
Interacting with field,
generating ideas
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14. Lessons Learned
•Strategy is helpful
•Baby steps are OK
•Start conversations
•Create connections
• Harder than it
The New York Public Library. New York Public Library Archives. looks
•A different lens
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15. Discussion
George Eastman House Collection
Larry Blumenthal
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
www.rwjf.org
lblumenthal@rwjf.org
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