In this episode

• How one listener's hunt for a live Brahms Double Concerto turned into a national concert calendar
• Why arts organizations posting seasons as images are invisible to search, and what that costs small ensembles
• "Listener agency" - letting people filter concerts by piece, composer, instrument, price, house-concert vs. hall, or sensory-friendly format
• Spontaneous Free Tickets: turning donated tickets into an audience-development loop, with post-concert surveys fed back to organizations that rarely hear from first-time attendees
• Shipping software on a volunteer dev team - corporate matching hours from Seattle tech employers, coding bootcamp grads getting public-facing portfolio work, and the slower build pace that comes with it
• Running programs manually for years before automating them, and partnering with a university tech-for-good program to build the first version
• Geographic expansion before new art forms, plus a corporate sponsorship model designed not to extract money out of the arts community it serves

"She sees that their concert season is a JPEG on their website and realizes like, Google can't scan this. Google has no idea that this concert is happening, right?" - Megan Ihnen on the problem that started Live Music Project

"But we're using technology to make that easy. Just make it easy to be curious." - Megan Ihnen

"This is a program in which their name can be on every single ticket, every single thank you and really reinforce that community level support." - Megan Ihnen on what corporate sponsors get from Spontaneous Free Tickets

Connect with Megan and the Live Music Project at livemusicproject.org - the concert calendar, Spontaneous Free Tickets, the weekend digest emails and the volunteer sign-ups all live there.

Fiesta Island Trash Cleanup by Rock N' Block

Kicking off our list is the Fiesta Island Trash Cleanup, organized by Rock N' Block San Diego. This event is scheduled for Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 10:00 AM. Volunteers will gather at 1519 Fiesta Island Road in San Diego to participate in this Adopt-a-Spot beach cleanup initiative. RSVP

Rock N' Block will provide necessary supplies, including gloves, bags, vests, and buckets. Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable attire, bring sun protection, and carry a water bottle. This family-friendly event welcomes friends, families, and even four-legged companions to help preserve the natural beauty of Fiesta Island.

To ensure adequate supplies, an RSVP is required. You can find more details and RSVP at their website.​

Litter Free La Mesa: Alvarado Avenue and Stormwater Channel Neighborhood Cleanup

Also on Saturday, March 29, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, I Love A Clean San Diego, in partnership with the City of La Mesa, is hosting a litter cleanup event. Volunteers will focus on diverting litter from local watersheds to prevent it from reaching the Pacific Ocean. Participants should wear comfortable clothes, closed-toed shoes, and bring sun protection. For more information and to register, visit I Love A Clean San Diego's events page.​

Compost Giveaway at Lake Murray Park

For those interested in sustainable gardening, there's a Compost Giveaway event on Saturday, March 29, from 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Lake Murray Park, located at 6320 Murray Park Circle, San Diego. This event is exclusively for City of San Diego residents. It's a great opportunity to enrich your garden soil while supporting the city's waste reduction efforts. Details are available on I Love A Clean San Diego's website.​

Sunset Sweep: Manzanita Canyon

Looking ahead, on Thursday, April 10, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM, there's the Sunset Sweep at Manzanita Canyon. Organized by I Love A Clean San Diego and the City of San Diego, this litter cleanup aims to protect our watersheds and prevent pollution from reaching the ocean. Volunteers should wear comfortable clothing, closed-toed shoes, and bring sun protection. More information can be found on I Love A Clean San Diego's events page.​

Please keep in mind that weather conditions can change, so it's advisable to check the latest forecast closer to the event dates.​

Participating in these community cleanups is a meaningful way to contribute to the health of our environment and foster a sense of community. Whether you're a seasoned volunteer or new to environmental activism, your efforts make a significant impact. For more information on these events and to register, please visit the respective organizers' websites.​

Thank you for tuning in to the Unscripted Non-Profit Green podcast. Until next time, let's keep our communities clean and green.

• Profit with purpose is essential for modern businesses.
• The workforce is experiencing unprecedented dissatisfaction.
• Marketing can be a tool for social good.
• Every business can incorporate a social impact element.
• Non-profits need to adopt a profitable mindset.
• There's lots of for-profit companies like Save Fry Oil who would love to boost their marketing reach by partnering with a non-profit.
• Brand equity is tied to social responsibility.
• The narrative around non-profits needs to change.
• Individuals should pursue what breaks their heart.
• Action is more important than intention in making a difference.
• Resources are necessary to solve societal problems.

Michael McDougald recently sponsored a beach based trash cleanup in Sarasota with Community Clean Links bringing 20 volunteers together on Siesta Beach to pick up debris from the recent hurricane.