How To Set Up a Google 'Federated Search' For Membership/Association-based NPOs
Categories:
For fun, I created a 'federated search' for personal use at my org.
My Beta: http://www.namac.org/federated-search-beta
It was easy as pie to set up in under 5 minutes:
- Get csv/xls spreadsheet of URLs you want to search (in my case a list of NAMAC's Member Orgs)
- Set up Google Custom Search: http://www.google.com/coop/cse/ and login
- Paste your orgs in the 'list of URLs to search'
- Save the URL to go to to perform the search or grab the generated code to paste anywhere you like.
Easy. I use it to monitor/search what our Member Orgs are writing as well as as look for specific resources WITHIN the NAMAC network -
3 Ways to Use It:
- Search for 'funding partners' to see where money is coming from/going from funders + what kinds of projected competitors/members and 'frenemies' are getting funded
- Search for 'directory' to see if more info can be aggregated/mashed up;)
- Um... I'm not sure yet, but maybe you've got an idea or two?