Connect FAQ

FAQ

General Information

Communities

Discussions

E-mail Notifications

Connecting with Other PEAK Grantmaking Members

Libraries and Shared Files



General Information | Top

What are my username and password for Connect?

Your Connect credentials are the same as the ones you use to log into the PEAK Grantmaking site. If you cannot recall your login, use the “Forgot Your Password?” link on the login page.


Do I need to log in every time I want to reply to an e-mail?

No. If you have logged into your account once from the same device, you can simply reply from the e-mail message without having to log in again. You will need to go online and log in to access community discussions that are not directed to your e-mail inbox, or to upload documents directly to a library, add contacts, or conduct searches. (Manage your subscriptions by going to Profile Icon (top right corner) >> Profile >> My Account >> Community Notifications.)

How do I control what information is visible on my profile?

Go to Profile Icon (top right corner) >> Profile >> My Account >> Privacy Settings. You may choose to have individual profile items available to all members, just your contacts, or just you. Connect content, including profiles and the directory, is not available to the public. Be sure to save your preferences.


How do I edit my discussion signature?

Go to Profile Icon >> Profile >> My Account >> Discussion Signature. Click among the available variables (green links) on the right to add signature elements. You can also remove variables from the default signature box (on the left) by highlighting and deleting them. Items listed in the default signature box will automatically populate your message when you create it on Connect.

If you are posting a message from your e-mail inbox, the signature will be your regular e-mail signature.


How do I edit my contact information?

Go to Profile Icon >> Profile. Click the pencil icon next to “Contact Details” under the profile picture. Your contact information in Connect is the information you’ve provided to PEAK Grantmaking and that lives in our member database. It may take up to 30 minutes for changes to your information to appear in Connect due to the syncing schedule between the two systems. If you don’t see the changes after 30 minutes, please contact PEAK Grantmaking’s e-learning and content manager at connect@peakgrantmaking.org.


How do I add a photo to my profile?

Go to Profile Icon >> Profile. Click the "Actions" button beneath the avatar/photo box on the left. Click "Change Picture," and follow the prompts to upload a photo.


How do I update the bio, job history, education information, honors and awards, and professional associations sections of my profile?  What about the social media accounts displayed in my profile?

To to Profile Icon >> Profile. Click the pencil icon next to these profile sections to add or update information. Don’t forget to save your changes. Clicking the trash can icon will delete individual profile items. Use the “Actions” box next to “Social Links” to choose social media accounts to add to your profile.


How do I update my chapter, grants management system, job band, job level, the date I entered the profession, organization type, total giving, and total assets?

These items are saved in the member database and are sent to Connect, much like your contact information. To edit one of these items, click the pencil icon next to the item you want to update, or use the "add" button to enter new information. You'll be directed to the member database to make the change. It may take up to 30 minutes for the change to appear on Connect because of the syncing schedule between the two systems.


How are the "Most Active Members" selected?

Many activities on Connect, such as posting and responding to messages, uploading and viewing Library files, updating your profile, and adding contacts, generate engagement points. Members who have generated the most points over the last 7 days are listed as the "most active members." Information about the most active members is displayed to encourage participation in the community.

 

Communities | Top

What communities are available for PEAK Grantmaking members?

The Open Forum is a community of all PEAK Grantmaking members. There are also communities for each PEAK Grantmaking Regional Chapter and for each Sector Group. PEAK Grantmaking volunteers also have communities for their use. Conference registrants are part of the conference community that is active in the months leading up to the event.


To which communities do I belong?

Click on the “Communities” menu and select “My Communities” to see which communities you belong to. Based on your PEAK Grantmaking membership, you are automatically a member of the Open Forum, your Regional Chapter community, and your Sector Group community (ies). PEAK Grantmaking volunteers are subscribed to the Regional Chapter Officer community so they can network and share information with other officers.


How do I join other communities?

Subscriptions to communities are based on your information in our member database. You are welcome to join additional Sector Group communities, based on your interests. Please send an e-mail to membership@peakgrantmaking.org to have any additional Sector Groups added to your member record, and this will trigger your subscription to additional Sector Group communities.


How do I leave a community?

Your membership in the Open Forum and your Regional Chapter and Sector Group communities (and any volunteer community) is based on your information in the membership database, and you cannot unsubscribe from those communities. If you don’t wish to participate in those communities, you can set the community notifications to “no e-mail” for one or more of them. Go to Profile Icon >> Profile >> My Account >> Community Notifications to make those changes, or visit the community and click the "Settings" button to set the notification schedule.
 

Discussions | Top

How do I post a message?

Go to Participate >> Post a Message. Choose the community you want to post to, enter your message in the WYSIWYG editor, and click the “Send” button. Your default signature will post with the message.

OR

Navigate to the community you want to post to, and click the “Add a New Post” button that’s next to the “Latest Discussion Posts” header. Enter your message in the WYSIWYG editor, and click the “Send” button. Your default signature will post with the message.

OR

To post to the Open Forum from your e-mail inbox, use this address: gmnetwork-openforum@connectedcommunity.org. The signature that will post with the message is the one saved in your e-mail system.

How do I respond to posts others have written?

Use the “Reply to Group” link (e-mail) or “Reply to Discussion” button (online) in the message to send your reply to everyone in the community. (We encourage you to do this if your response will help others and add to the PEAK Grantmaking body of knowledge.) Use the “Reply to Sender” option to send a private message to the author of the post.

If you reply within Connect, your default signature will be included in the message. If you reply from e-mail, the message will include the signature saved in your e-mail system.


I see a response to a previously posted message, but want to see the whole thread. How do I do that?

If you’re on the Connect site, find the appropriate community, go to the “Discussion” tab and find the subject line you’re interested in.  Click through to see the list of messages. If you’re already viewing one of the messages in the thread, scroll up or down to see previous and subsequent messages.

If you’re looking at an e-mail message, click the “View Thread” link that is at the bottom of every posted message.


How do I search for posts?

Enter your search term(s) in the search box that's located at the upper right of the Connect screen, above the gray navigation bar and below the social media icons. Each search result is labeled by format (discussion post, discussion thread, discussion reply, library entry, library file, event, web page). Results can be sorted by relevance or by date.

Search results can be narrowed by selecting one or more criteria in the left margin. Criteria include type of content, community, tags, and date.

Users may also search specific tags (tag:[tag name]), although results will not be limited to just results with that specific tag. More information about tags and a list of tags can be found here.

Detailed instructions for searching Connect can be found here.

How can I see a list of posts in a particular community?

Navigate to the community, and click on the “Discussion” tab.

How can I see my previous posts, uploaded files, and responses?

Go to Profile Icon >> Profile >> My Contributions >> List of Contributions.

How can I see the contributions of other members?

Navigate to the member's profile, and go to Contributions >> List of Contributions.

 

E-mail Notifications | Top

How do I control the frequency and format of e-mails I receive?

To set notifications for messages posted to communities, go to Profile Icon >> Profile >> My Account >> Community Notifications. Select the preferred e-mail schedule for each of your communities—real time, daily digest, or no e-mail. You may also elect to receive a consolidated daily digest for some or all of the communities you are subscribed to.

You may also visit a community, click the "Settings" button, and set your notification schedule there.

To adjust settings for messages that are administrative in nature, go to Profile Icon >> Profile >> My Account >> E-mail Preferences. Make selections for general e-mails and other communications (e.g. invitations, contact requests, comment notifications).

Watch this short video to learn how to consolidate your digest into one daily or one weekly message.

I’m having trouble viewing HTML e-mail messages. How do I fix this?

If images are not appearing, your e-mail program may be set to suppress them. Review your e-mail program’s security and/or viewing options.

 

Connecting with Other PEAK Grantmaking Members | Top

How do I find and connect to other members in Connect?

Click "Directory" in the horizontal navigation bar. Use the basic search to find members by name, company, or e-mail address. Use the advanced search to find members by location, chapter affiliation, grants management system, job band, job level, etc. Click the “Add As Contact” button in the list of search results to add a member to your contacts list. View the list of members who have accepted your contact requests by going to Profile Icon >> Profile >> My Connections >> Contacts. You can send a direct message to any member by clicking the “Send Message” button by their name in list of search results or in the contact list.

You may also navigate to a particular community and click on the "Members" tab to see the list of community members and conduct a basic search of just that list of members.


How do I send a message to a member that is not in my list of contacts?

You can send a direct message to any member by clicking the “Send Message” button by their name in list of search results in the member directory.

What are “Networks”?

Networks are groups of members with common characteristics. They are automatically created based on the information you’ve provided to PEAK Grantmaking. There are networks for chapters, cities, states, and several other categories such as grants management system, organization type, and job title. To see the Networks you belong to, go to Profile Icon >> Profile >> My Connections >> Networks.


What are the benefits of connecting to other members?

Use your Networks (Profile Icon >> Profile >> My Connections >> Networks) to identify members in your geographic area, or those with similar interests or situations. Contact these members to seek advice or to network.

Your contact list (Profile Icon >> Profile >> My Connections >> Contacts) is a custom network that you create based on your needs. Members on your contact list are easy to get in touch with directly to get feedback on particular issues or to follow-up after an event. 

 

Libraries and Shared Files | Top

What is a Library?

A Library is a collection of resources in a community. These resources may be contributed by members or by PEAK Grantmaking staff. The Library for a community can be found by clicking the "Library" tab in the community.


What is a shared file?

A shared file is an individual resource contributed by a member or by PEAK Grantmaking staff. Shared files are collected in community Libraries. Members may contribute documents (e.g. Word documents or PDFs) or html links, either by including them with a post or by uploading directly to a library.


How can I see the list of Library documents (shared files) uploaded by other members?

Go to Resources >> Shared Files to review the list of uploaded files.

OR

Navigate to the community of interest. Go to the “Library” tab to review the list of uploaded files. The list is viewable in folders (default) or as a list of files.


How do I upload a document to a Library?

Go to Participate >> Share a File. Enter a title for the entry (e.g. "Job Description Sample for Grants Manager") and a brief description or comment. In the drop-down menus, select the community name and a folder (if applicable/desired). In the "Entry Type" field select "Standard File Upload" (or "Hyperlink" for a website link) and then select "Next." Choose a file to upload and then select "Upload the File(s)," or enter the link. Click "Next." For files, enter a title and a brief description. On the next screen, enter one or more descriptive tags, then click "Finish."

OR

Go to Resources >> Shared Files. Click the "Create a Library Entry" button. Enter a title for the entry (e.g. "Job Description Sample for Grants Manager"), and a brief description or comment. In the drop-down menus, select the community name and a folder (if applicable/desired). In the "Entry Type" field select "Standard File Upload" (or "Hyperlink" for a website link) and then select "Next." Choose a file to upload and then select "Upload the File(s)," or enter the link. Click "Next." For files, enter a title and brief description. On the next screen, enter one or more descriptive tags, then click "Finish."

OR

Navigate to the community you want to post in. Go to the “Library” tab. Click the "Create New Library Entry" button.  Enter a title for the entry (e.g. "Job Description Sample for Grants Manager"), and a brief description or comment. In the drop-down menus, select the community name and a folder (if applicable/desired). In the "Entry Type" field select "Standard File Upload" (or "Hyperlink" for a website link) and then select "Next." Choose a file to upload and then select "Upload the File(s)," or enter the link. Click "Next." For files, enter a title and brief description. On the next screen, enter one or more descriptive tags, then click "Finish."

OR

Attach the file to a message and post it to the community. The file is automatically added to the Library for that community.


What are tags and how do I use them?

Tags are terms (words or phrases) used to describe shared files in a Library. They enable users to refine search results by a specific topic area after an initial keyword search. Users may also search specific tags (tag:[tag name]), although results will not be limited to just results with that specific tag.

One or more tags can be added to a Library entry as a file is being uploaded to the Library. Tags cover grant management practices, as well as organizational management terms and resource types.

A list of tags may be found here. If you have a suggestion for a tag, send an e-mail to connect@peakgrantmaking.org.

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Other questions? Send an e-mail to connect@peakgrantmaking.org.

Updated 10/12/17