User Guide

User Guide

This guide provides some basic information about Connect, PEAK Grantmaking’s online community.

About Connect
Welcome to Connect, the online community for PEAK Grantmaking members. Here you can share ideas, discuss challenges, post questions, connect other PEAK Grantmaking members, and more. Full access to this essential resource is for PEAK Grantmaking members only; non-members should be encouraged to join to receive the full benefits of using this platform.

Getting Started
There are a few basics you should understand to use this tool most effectively.

All PEAK Grantmaking members are members of the Connect Open Forum, as well as the communities for your Regional Chapter and Sector Group(s).  You can read and post messages online, or from your e-mail inbox.

The main sections of Connect are:

  • Latest Discussions: the most recent posts and responses
  • Recently Shared Files: files posted to the community libraries
  • Member Directory: a list of members, plus multiple ways to connect with colleagues
  • Most Active Members: this section highlights member activity
  • Profile and Preferences: from the top right corner icon, you can access your profile and set your preferences. Your profile includes your picture, biographical information, and your contact information. Under the “My Account” tab, set your e-mail preferences and community notifications (see below for more information), and create your message signature.  You can also send messages to other PEAK Grantmaking members and review your community contributions.

You’ll also find help materials, PEAK Grantmaking blog posts, job listings from the Career Center, and a list of upcoming events, as well as links to other resources on PEAK Grantmaking’s main site.

Receiving Notifications
You were initially subscribed to the daily digest of messages posted to the Open Forum, Regional Chapter, and Sector Group(s) on Connect, which means that you’ll receive one e-mail each morning for each community containing all of the previous day’s posts in an easy-to-read format.  

You can change your preferences (which can be different for each community) to--

  • “Real Time” to receive messages as they are posted;
  • "Consolidated Digest" to receive messages from your communities in one email per day (you may select which of your communities to include);
  • "Consolidated Weekly Digest" to receive all messages from all your communities in one email per week (you choose the day); and
  • “No Email,” and you won’t receive e-mails from the community, but you can still view and participate in discussions online.

Manage your subscriptions by going to Profile Icon >> Profile >> My Account >> Community Notifications.


Posting a Question
Post to the Open Forum by sending a message to gmnetwork-openforum@connectedcommunity.org. This address is also posted as a downloadable vCard on the Open Forum page.

OR

Log into Connect and go to the Open Forum (Communities >> Open Forum).  Click the “Add a New Post” button next to “Latest Discussion Posts” to post a message. You may also go to Participate >> Post a Message, and select the community you want to post to.  Or, go to Browse >> Discussion Posts and click the green “Post New Message” button, then select the community.

Responding to a Post
To respond to an existing post, 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.


Catching Up with Previous Posts

Click the “View Thread” link at the bottom of a message to see the original post and all replies.


Finding Grants Management Colleagues

Take a moment to find your colleagues by clicking "Directory" in horizontal navigation bar, then doing a search and clicking the “Add As Contact” button. You can also connect with someone by using the “Action” menu beneath their photo in a post (online) or by clicking the link under their picture to access their profile (e-mail).

Use your Networks to find members in similar situations. Go to Profile Icon >> Profile >> My Connections >> Networks. These networks are based on the information you’ve provided to PEAK Grantmaking about, for example, your location, the grants management system you use, and your type of organization.


Adding a File or Link to the Community 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.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Need help? Send a message to connect@peakgrantmaking.org or call 202.870.0189.