The charity profile is the "face" and "voice" of the nonprofit organization on StayClassy.org. We have built one of these pages for EVERY charity in the United States, and allow ANY nonprofit to register and claim administrative control for free (you can pre-register here). From there, they can build it out by adding fundraising projects, events, volunteer opportunities, etc. Non profits can also connect this page to their Facebook and Twitter accounts, so that all of their online communications can be run through StayClassy.org.

The idea is to give nonprofits a centralized platform for communications, donor management and fundraising events. Below you can see the development of the new charity profile page from concept to final product (almost).

White Board Sketch - Aug 2009

Power Point Mock Up - Sept 2009

Wireframe - Sept 2009

Photoshop Illustration - Oct 2009

We are set to release a brand new website in January of 2010 - one that FAR exceeds the capabilities of the current website. If you are new to StayClassy, a sentence description of what we do is in order:

We provide an innovative online fund raising platform for non-profit organizations, allowing them to expand their donor base, effectively communicate with their members, and raise more money, faster.

There are two types of people who use our website:

1) People who work or volunteer for a charity.
2) Anyone in the world who wants to support a charity by hosting or attending a fundraising event

With these user groups in mind, our goal was to greatly enhance features on the current site, like creating/hosting fundraising events & campaigns, purchasing tickets, and meeting and communicating with nonprofits. The current website was designed specifically for our own company-hosted events, like the Elemental Experience. The new website gives our users the ability to run their own events and fundraising campaigns, without the involvement of StayClassy staff (although we are always there to help!). The idea to give anyone in the world the ability to support their favorite cause by hosting an event or fundraising campaign. For nonprofits, we have built a very slick donor management system so that they can keep track of all these new supporters! To summarize, we are enhancing features of our online community, that serves to connect non profits and people across the globe.

We started mapping out the new site over 5 months ago, one rainy evening in our San Diego office (rain added for dramatic effect - it doesn't rain here!). Below is one of those initial sketches in powerpoint that shows how the site is laid out at a very high level.

Basic Architecture & Functionalities - StayClassy 3.0

As you can see (kind of), the site is broken down into three main categories: Events, Charities, and Members. There are pages for each individual event that has been created on the site, there are pages (profiles) for each charity who has registered on the site, and there are profiles for each member who has signed up. Going too deep into the architecture is boring (for most), so we'll end it here, and follow up with a few posts that show the differnet parts of the new site.

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OUR WEBSITE HISTORY:

Sept 2006: Web contruction begins on StayClassy 1.0

Jan 2008: StayClassy 1.0 is released (yes, it took us well over a year - yikes!)

The Next Day, 2008: Contruction begins on StayClassy 2.0

Jan 2009: StayClassy 2.0 is released (we're getting better at this point)

June 2009: Concept drawings & basic architecture for StayClassy 3.0 begins

August 2009: StayClassy moves over to the Zend framework & programming begins (insert shovel in ground here).

September 2009: StayClassy partners with Digital Telepathy to help with user interface and experience desgin.

October 2009: NOW - we're going strong!

What a perfect night for San Diego Twitterers to gather together all in the name of charity. This past Saturday the San Diego 2009 Twestival took place on the rooftop bar JSix, of Hotel Solamar in downtown S.D. There was live music, a live Twitter feed and a Padre game to spy on. But it wasn't just a entertaining night, it was also a successful night for charity. The San Diego Twestival raised funds for the Campaign for Abandoned Youth, a charity that will eventually build a homeless shelter for the thousands for San Diego's youth that are left out in the cold.

The event kicked off at 5 in the evening with live music from Alyssa Jacey, Lou Evans, Gregory Page and Jesse LaMonaca. Then evening progressed and then closed out with the killer beats from the likes of Stevie D, DJ Schugar, Jackson Glass and Brazzabell. The rooftop was the perfect atmosphere for mingling, talking charity and Tweeting. There were two projectors that posted an up to date Twitter feed, connecting all 200 cities involved in the global twestival event.

NBC San Diego covered the event, so click here to view more videos and see some pics

While it was a muggy morning in beautiful La Jolla and Pacific Beach this past Sunday August 23rd, that didn't deter over 2000 runners to particpate in the 2009 FireRun hosted by Stay Classy and Kathy Loper Events benefiting the San Diego Fire Rescue Foundation. The four mile stretch of road was jam-packed with participants of all sorts of shape, sizes, genders and paces and from all around the country. There were participants from Nevada, Arizona, Utah and many others, there was even a participant from Germany (Wolfgang Kruger)! The youngest participant was 2yr old Eddie Ortega, and the oldest being Hank Webber at a spry 85 years old! The fastest runner, Murat Kayali age 21, clocked in at a mere 19:50! (Holy COW, that is 5 minute miles!!!) The fastest woman 36 year old Grace Padilla clocked in at 22:58. Both winners received a $500 prize. The top master runners (over 40), Laura Stewart, 24:36, and Gray Mavhera, 20:35, aslo received a $500 prize. To view more times and places please visit Kathy Loper Events

The fun didn't stop when the running ended, that festivities continued on inside PB Bar and Grill where all participants (21 and over) were awarded with 2 free beers and great breakfast specials. Participants also received great Fire run 2009 Dri-Release race jerseys as momentos of their accomplishment!

The Fire Run did much more for our community than just raise our heart beats and get our bodies moving, it also raised thousands of dollars for our local heros of the San Diego Fire Rescue Foundation. The SDFRF provides state of the art technology and training for our San Diego County Fire Fighters, Paramedics, EMT's and Lifegaurds.

Click the NBC Logo to see more pics & video

2009 San Diego Twestival to be held on the rooftop of Hotel Solamar!

Want to help plan & promote the event with us? Email us at twestival@stayclassy.org, or tweet us here @stayclassysd or here @SD_Twestival

To visit the official Twestival website, click the link below:

http://twestival.com/

While it was a sizzling hot summer day this past Saturday, so were the beats and bodies flowing in and out of the 2009 Millerlite Tailgate. Great music, plenty to drink and eat and a Padres game to watch, is there a better way to spend a summer day in San Diego? We think not!

Located in San Diego's beautiful downtown from 6th to 9th street on J street, directly adjacent to Petco Park, the Tailgate was the place to be. Many props go out to those sponsoring the tailgate this year, Miller Lite, 91X, Pacific Magazine, Fleetwood and Sustainable Waves for providing two solar powered stages. Not only was the Tailgate a total blast it was a very successful, with over 3000 people in attendance the Tailgate raised over $5,000 for The Campaign for Abandoned Youth.

Check out NBC San Diego site and Discover SD for pics and vids

CLICK HERE TO SEE PICS FROM DISCOVERSD.COM

CLICK HERE TO SEE PICS FROM NBC SAN DIEGO

There were two music venues for tailgate this year, The Petco Stage and the Fleetwood Stage. The Petco stage had the killer spot of being located in the Park in the Park with plenty of space for the crowds to gather. The Vokab Company got it started off right at 2:00. They were followed by a Stay Classy favorite The Kneehighs, who ramped it up for a crowd favorite Cage the Elephant, who despite an allergic reaction scare only a few hours before, put on a savage show that inspired quite a few stage crashers and crowd surfers. Del tha Funky Homosapien wrapped up the line up for the Petco stage, with crazy beats and crowd pumping energy, (but the highlight of his set was Del's tater-tot of a son rockin out on stage not phased at all by the throng of people pulsating in front of the stage.

While the Petco stage wrapped up at 7 for the Padres game, the Fleetwood Venue was just getting started for a night full of cheap thrills and debauchery. While the block long beer garden was of course a draw for San Diego's young and restless it was the unexpected stars of the Fleetwood Stage that got and kept the Tailgate going into the wee hours. Pushing Rope was for sure a new crowd favorite, and definitely win the award for "where did these guys come from?"With their stand up base, banjo and fiddle. The DJ's started at 11am and didn't let the beat drop till midnight, then the party moved inside the Fleetwood to finish the day out.

While the music and beer was main attraction there was plenty entertainment for the entire family too. With a free street fair full of great vendors, the worlds largest boombox being painted and a Padres game, there was a little bit of something for everyone, and hey, the Padres walked a way with a win against the Rockies, 3-1. Oh yeah baby!

So all in all the Miller Lite Tailgate put on by Stay Classy was of course a classy event but totally brought the house down. With each year the Tailgate is only going to get more epic. We can't wait....

San Diego Metropolitan Magazine named our CEO, Scot Chisholm, to the 10th annual "40 under 40". This is the only program in San Diego that recognizes and honors young entrepreneurs, professionals and civic leaders. Scot was nominated by the readers of the magazine and then selected by a panel of judges that are separate from San Diego Metropolitan. There were hundreds of nominees that were stiff competition, but the impact that this 28 year old has had on this beach town is nothing to be missed or messed with. Scot will be honored along with the 39 other nominees on Friday September 18, 2009 at an awards luncheon. To view last years winners, see their profiles and learn more about San Diego Metropolitan's top "40 Under 40" go to www.sandiegometro.com/2008/sep/40under40/index.php

Scot has worked tirelessly to promote volunteerism, philanthropy and connecting the community of San Diego with local and national charities. We here @ Stay Classy are sure proud of Scot and pumped that he's receiving this honor! Coincendentally, a portion of the proceeds from the 40 Under 40 Awards program will benefit the YWCA of San Diego County and its social services, including Becky’s House for battered women and their children.

If you’re interested in supporting an honoree or participating in the event, contact Cyndi Meeves from San Diego Metropolitan Magazine at (619) 398-8926, cyndi@sandiegometro.com.

My my my... what an event! It's taken everyone at Stay Classy about a week (or more) to recover (a lot of sleepless nights of preparation). This blog will serve as the official event recap. Below you can find event statistics, including final numbers and fundraising, and links to many photo & video galeries. Let's hit the numbers first...

The Event Stats

People in attendance (est): 5000+

Hours of Music: 10

Number of Bands & DJs: 20

Number of Porta Potties: Not Enough (don't worry, we'll never make that mistake again :)

Fundraising (Campaign for Abandoned Youth)

Pre-Event Fundraising (SC Pre-Parties & Member Fundraising): $35,948

Donations from Elemental Experience Ticket Sales: $15,000

Total Raised So Far: $50,948

We are 10% of the way there towards our goal of building a shelter for homeless kids in San Diego. While we obvioulsy did not hit our goal of $500,000 through this one event, we promise you that we will keep hosting events throughout the year (or longer) until we do. The Elemental Experience Music & Arts Festival was a ground-breaking, refreshing, event for the beach area. It took a lot of hard work and politiking to even be able to put on the event in such a "sensitive" spot; but from the feedback we've received so far, we are extremely happy we fought to make it happen. Our vision is that the Elemental Experience becomes one of the largest fund raising events in San Diego - we've got a lot of work to do, but we think we're off to a great start (we hope you agree!)

As Paul Hernandez of the Daily Aztec put it nicely, "During the past decade, the festival circuit has blossomed into a lucrative business venture and exposure has grown across the United States, with events such as Coachella, Bonnaroo and others getting mainstream success. With this new pop-festival market growing exponentially, it’s becoming more of a challenge to find a unique festival to pilgrimage toward … unless you happened to attend last weekend’s Elemental Experience."

POST -EVENT ARTICLES (so far)

San Diego State Daily Aztec - May 7, 2009

Elemental Experience Yelp Page

NBC Article - Elemental Experience is Staying Classy

EVENT PHOTO GALERIES

Discover SD Photo Gallery

NBC San Diego Photo Gallery

Karhton.com Photo Gallery

SeenSD.com Photo Gallery

Snugmug.com Photo Gallery, by Natacia

San Diego Photo Factory

VIDEO COLLECTION (so far)

The 1st Annual Elemental Experience went off on Saturday in Mission Bay Park! Stay Classy is busy collecting all of the photos and videos that were taken throughout the day, but until check out photos and videos posted by our media partner, NBC! If you took pictures at the event, we encourage you to post them to Facebook and tag "StayClassy.org" so that we can consolidate all of the pictures on facebook! We hope you had a great time, and we'll be posting all the recap info on the website very soon!

Writen by Scot Chisholm, Founder & CEO of StayClassy.org.

Recognize a problem, and keep working until you solve it better than everyone else.

We didn't wake up one day and say, "You know what a great idea for a company would be? A website that allows people to host fundraising events for any charity in the Country". That would have been pretty cool if we had, but it definitely wasn't the way StayClassy took shape over the past few years; however, the story of how things got started may actually be more interesting than a mere epiphany (at the same time, maybe not, so I apologize in advance if you disagree).

The Earliest Days (but, only four years ago)

Like so many other companies, StayClassy started by trying to fill a personal need, and then recognizing that other people were looking to fill a similar need within themselves. In the Spring of 2005, I was living with 5-10 roomates (varied depending on the weekend) in a well-seasoned house on Mission Beach. We had just moved to San Diego from Boston, and one thing we took with us was our love for hosting, and attending, a good event - particularly a cool charity event. In fact, our friends in Boston had started an annual charity event for the Brain Tumor Association, that wasn't anything more than a Fanuel Hall Pub Crawl with shirt proceeds going towards the cause. Simple enough right? Good times every year with friends and family, and a meaningful (and personal) cause that we all felt great about supporting. One rainy day in March 2005 (rain added for dramantic effect), myself and a few roomates decided to replicate the Boston event here in San Diego. Since Cancer was the cause that most of us could relate to personally, we decided to create an event that benefited the American Cancer Society (me, with my Mother having Breast Cancer throughout my Highschool & College years). We dubbed the first event "The Stay Classy Pacific Beach Pub Crawl", and with that single creative moment, the company that would soon grow into StayClassy.org was born. I must mention here, that we still give full credit to our business partner, Pete Sternburg, for coming up with the name "Stay Classy", obvioulsy derived from the movie Anchorman staring Will Ferrell. I also have to mention, for any lawyers reading this, that we did in fact Trademark the phrase "Stay Classy" in multiple catgegories immediately after staking claim to the name.

About 75 people showed up to our first event, which we thought was pretty awesome at the time. We used Evite.com (an element of foreshadowing) to send out the invitations, and I'd have to say, we didn't know more than 25% of the people who ended up at the event. Nevertheless, the event went off great, and we were able to raise $1,000 towards the cause, which we then donated to the ACS. In the end, we took two things away from our first event: 1) we had a lot of fun and met a lot of new people, and 2) it wasn't so hard to raise $1,000 for charity. These two simple concepts would become the cornerstone for all of our efforts moving foward.

Year 2, A Company on Training Wheels

A little over one year later, in May of 2006, I went on to incorporate the company and make things official. At that time, I saw the potential for a company that helped raise money for charity through fun social events. It really wasn't the most impressive vision, but as I learned later, all you need is a spark. By the end of the year, the company had several notable events under its belt (including the 1st Annual StayClassy Tailgate, which is now a 3,000 person event inside PETCO Park - see right), and I had a few new business partners to help bring the vision to life: Patrick Walsh, Marshall Peden, and Patrick Scheffer. Myself and both Pats had gone to Engineering School together at the University of Massachussetts, Amherst, and I had met Marshall while working as a Management Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton. It was exciting to have a small team to talk shop with, and dissect each other's idea of where the company should go from there.

By the end of 2006, the company had already grown into a grassroots following in the thousands, which, in reality, was really just a "side-project" for all of us. Our numbers kept growing though, as we leveraged other social networks, particularly MySpace (more foreshadowing), to get our message out there to the young people of San Diego. In fact, we were one of the earliest adopters of MySpace, and our gamble on their idea as a promotional platform was a major factor in our early successes (on the flip side, we were also one of the earliest people to ditch MySpace (see "MySpace Graveyard"), for its more user-friendly cousin, Facebook. Our extensive use of online (and off-line) social networks, and our ever-increasing knowledge of the non-profit world, served as the catalyst in developing our own web concept - StayClassy.org.

Year 3 & 4, If you bite off too much, chew faster.

Everything is about timing. Tom Quinn, the inventor of the Nintendo Wii, recently told me that he waited 9 years for the public (and supporting technology) to be ready for an invention like the Wii. I think that's amazing... and not so much that the public wasn't ready to adopt his invention, but the fact that he waited patiently for 9 years until they caught up with his vision. In some ways, the concept for StayClassy.org is similar; the idea of social networking around causes was brand new, and was not entirely welcomed at first. Facebook Causes did not exisit, and companies like Change.org and Causecast were just getting off the ground like us (although those guys had a little bit of a head start). We were sometimes labeled as "hippies" for heavily supporting environmental initiatives in our earliest days, and many people complained about the fact that we wouldn't support any event that did not have a charitable component to it. Nevertheless, we charged forward with blind confidence in our idea. We believed, and still do, that StayClassy.org will revolutionize the way charities fundraise. By empowering others to host fundraising events on their behalf, we are drastically reducing the charity's cost of fundraising. This type of product is something that most non-profits need, and that every non-profit could benefit from. Our plan was to prove the concept in San Diego, then scale across the country, and eventually the world. Now... we just had to figure out how to build the website to do all of this.

None of us had ever developed a site this extensive (in fact, all of the founders, outside of our contracted programming team, had never even developed a website at all). Needless to say, the 1st round of development was lengthy and cumbersome, as we struggled to find the adequate amount of manpower for such an endeveour. The final product had great intentions, but in reality, lacked the "common-sense" design that it needed to really succeed with our members. It had taken us almost two years to finally launch the site, and by that time, we were all feeling a little overwhelmed as we saw it start to spin its own wheels. We had given new meaning to the word "debt", with literally no funds available to continue to improve our design. Furthermore, it became blatantly apparent that we needed to dedicate more resources (aka, a full time staff), to pull off launching an improved version 2 of the site. So, we did what any small start-up would do... we got a loan.

We couldn't get much, but it was enough for me to jump ship from Booz Allen and start working full-time on StayClassy in June of 2007. A quick year later, Pat joined me as the second employee. Together we were able to really think through our concept and web design. We sketched all of our new ideas onto scrap paper, of which I would then draw up in Adobe Photoshop. Next, enter Ryan Dranginis and Pete Nystrom, both of whom were critical in helping us turn these photoshop files into an actual website and vastly improve the computer code that was fueling StayClassy 1.0 (quick note: Ryan had been involved in the very early days as well in a smaller capacity). In Febrary of 2009, we launched the second coming of StayClassy.org to very positive reviews from our member base which had just reached 9,000 people at the time.

Primarily because of our creative web platform, StayClassy.org has quickly become a well recognized symbol of philanthropy in the San Diego community. Since February (written in Aug '09) we've processed tens of thousands of event tickets, doubled in size to 18,000 members, and raised almost $100K for local non-profit organizations. People are now using the website as intended - to host their own fundraising events for charities they care about. Additionally, the organization has amassed substantial press and media attention for it’s efforts, including a weekly show on one of the most popular radio stations in San Diego, dozens of online and printed magazine articles including MTV.com and MSNBC, and live television interviews on the NBC San Diego morning show. The best part is, we're just getting started.

StayClassy.org, To infinite and beyond.

Things are starting to move extremely fast, as interest in our idea grows on a national level. We currently have a full-time staff of five with many other part-timers. By the end of 2009, we plan to roll out versions of the website into ten major cities across the United States (in addition to San Diego); Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C, and Austin. Very soon, the millions of people who create events on sites like Facebook, Myspace and Evite, will be able to host their events on StayClassy.org - all while supporting a cause they care about.