Category Archives: Updates and Admin
Use FPF to Recommend Local Businesses
Front Porch Forum takes our members’ privacy seriously. When members post to their Forum, they know that what they write will be visible only to the members of their own FPF and of immediate neighboring Forums. This allows members to engage freely in conversation about local issues, which is central to FPF’s community-building mission.
There are a few situations, though, where it might make sense for members’ postings to be more broadly visible. One of these is when a member recommends a local business or nonprofit on their Forum. Recommendations on FPF are an important resource for our members, and making them more broadly available helps support the nearly 12,000 local businesses and nonprofits that are members of FPF.
With this in mind, FPF recently launched a new feature: Recommendation postings for businesses or nonprofits now show up on the business or nonprofit’s listing in FPF’s Community Directory! Those postings are visible to any FPF member who views that listing, even if they aren’t a member of the Forum where the recommendation originated.
So if you are a business owner or nonprofit leader, ask your customers and supporters to post a recommendation for you on their Forum. (While you’re at it, ask them to “favorite” your listing as well!) When it shows up on your Directory listing, FPF’s 220,000 members all over Vermont will be able to see how much FPF members value what you do!
Sales & Marketing Director Job Opening at Front Porch Forum
Do you love leading growth in a dynamic company? Are community connections and a thriving local economy important to you? FPF wants YOU to join our team! This position will fuel FPF’s work to strengthen communities statewide. Help lead a seasoned team of 24+ VT staff.
FPF Seeking Software Developer
Want to put your coding skills to great use for a successful mission-driven Vermont organization? Help us deliver high-quality software as you develop new features and maintain the Front Porch Forum web and mobile apps.
We’re hiring a full-time, primarily remote, full-stack developer to be part of our seasoned tech team and growing staff of two dozen employees.
FPF’s 2021 Public Benefit Report
Front Porch Forum is a Vermont public benefit corporation. To that end, our social mission (aka public benefit) is front and center in all our work.
Each year, per state law, we publish a report about our progress in helping neighbors connect and build community in our territory.
Take a look on our About Us page or find the report right here. Feedback is always welcome.
An opportunity to connect and share
Read your FPF by email? Prefer the website? Are you a mobile app aficionado? However you connect with your neighbors online, FPF has gotten some major upgrades this year, including a new look across the board and new features to make reading and posting even easier. Here’s how some FPF members have responded to the changes:
“The great thing about FPF is anyone is welcome to post on subjects that are important to them; for some people it’s Doggy Play Dates or Free Plants, and for others it’s Community Health Issues. The new format and bold subject field enable you to peruse the page, read the posts that interest you, and skip the ones that don’t (or maybe be exposed to a different point of view.) Thanks, FPF for the opportunity to connect and share.” • Joseph in Waterbury Center, Vt.
“I used the “Edit post” option for the first time just now. It may have been there for a while but I just happily discovered it and wanted to pass along my excitement for the service Front Porch Forum is providing to our communities!” • Elly at Lamoille Regional Solid Waste
“We just moved to Vermont from California and I am looking forward to using this forum for resources!” • Holly in Williston
Redesigned Website Makes FPF Easier to Use Than Ever Before!
Go to FrontPorchForum.com and experience the newly upgraded FPF website! Each Forum issue is easier to find, search and read. You can also browse and search postings from neighboring communities! And posting is simpler too.
Now you can read your daily Forum via email, website or mobile app… your choice. Customize your email and notification preferences by logging into your account at FrontPorchForum.com
Front Porch Forum is working everyday to fulfill the mission of helping neighbors connect. The Web Forum redesign is intended to make FPF even more accessible, highlighting member postings, local businesses and nonprofits, and events that allow neighbors to join in common interests. Other recent steps we’ve taken to improve our service include:
- Email Forum Redesign
- Launched a mobile app, making FPF easier to read from a smartphone
- Expanded our service to parts of upstate New York and the Berkshires
- Became a Vermont Public Benefit Corporation
- Celebrated our 190,000th member (and counting!)
- Continuing to grow our in-house team of software engineers and online community managers
- Serving as essential civic infrastructure during the COVID-19 crisis
We continue to work to bring value to Front Porch Forum members, and look forward to announcing our next series of upgrades and new features ““ stay tuned!
By the way… did you see FPF mentioned in The New York Times and Forbes recently? Click here to see this and more.
Keep up daily using FPF’s mobile app
Did you know FPF has a mobile app? Compose a posting, search the archive, and more… all in one place!
“Wow! Hyped about the app keep up the incredible work, team. Love Front Porch Forum, always find what I’m looking for using it ” • Zach in St. Albans, Vt.
“Downloaded the app instantly! I’m so happy there is an app now. Its aesthetically pleasing, easy to use, and elegant in it’s simplicity – great work to all of you who developed it and my sincere gratitude!” • Melissa in Rutland
“Get the App…best thing since sliced bread. I will now be able to keep up with it daily. Thank you FPF“ • Tammy in Morrisville, Vt.
“FPF has come of age! Love the ease of mobility when I want to check out other forums.” • Paul and Rosie in Burlington, Vt.
“Thank you! What a delight to use!” • Mary in Starksboro, Vt.
“Great idea about the FPF app! Just downloaded!” • Rebecca in Berlin, Vt.
“Took me about 30 seconds to upload and sign on. Looks like a great way to get this daily information.” • Marie in Shelburne, Vt.
Ready to get the mobile app? Find it in the Apple® and Google Play® app stores.
Front Porch Forum Expands Engineering Team
Front Porch Forum’s tech team is growing! Two more software engineers, Noah Harrison and Aaron Lipman, have joined FPF to continue upgrading and expanding our custom-built mobile, web and email platforms to better serve our social mission.
Since 2006, FPF has been helping neighbors connect and build community by hosting a statewide network of online local forums. Out of Vermont’s 260,000 households, FPF has more than 190,000 members. As part of FPF’s 20 staff members, our software developers play a crucial role in providing high-quality service and developing relevant new features for members across all of Vermont and parts of surrounding states.
New Hires: Aaron Lipman and Noah Harrison
Noah and Aaron each work closely with Lead Engineer and Tech Team Manager, Matt Barry, and tech advisor, Jan Schultz. Together they maintain and improve FPF’s unique web and mobile applications, which are used by more than half of the households in Vermont on a daily basis. Stay posted for new features and updates!
Noah, who is working with email integration and web browser technologies, says “I really enjoy the direct appeal that FPF forums have to many of my friends and neighbors.”
Noah comes to Front Porch Forum after ten years as a software developer and project manager consultant for various companies, including projects for NBCUniversal and on a 3D globe projector. He earned a degree from Dartmouth College, having studied Classics, Religion, and Computer Science.
On his new role, Aaron remarks “I consider myself privileged to work on a platform that helps Vermonters work together in weathering events from Hurricane Irene to the current COVID-19 pandemic.”
Aaron has a background in electoral data modeling and a passion for writing software that strengthens communities. Outside of Front Porch Forum, Aaron contributes to several open source projects. When not writing code, Aaron enjoys road biking.
Front Porch Forum is an award-winning Vermont Public Benefit Corporation. Our mission is to help neighbors connect and build community, leading to more resilient communities. FPF hosts regional networks of online local forums where neighbors, small businesses, nonprofits and municipal officials post about a wide variety of topics. This daily neighborly exchange leads to people feeling more invested in their communities and getting more involved.
Job Opening: FPF Online Community Manager
Front Porch Forum is hiring! We are seeking an Online Community Manager to join our team. The position is 32-40 hours/week, including weekend shifts, working from home. Help us fulfill our community-building mission.
FPF Got a Makeover! Access your Forum three different ways
Since Front Porch Forum released the email forum redesign in June, we’ve heard lots of great feedback from members! See what some of your neighbors have to say about the new formatting:
“Way to go FPF! You are a star in our communities. As a generator of two posts a week, I find FPF an ideal forum to keep our communities informed. You Rock!!!!” • John H. from Charlotte/Shelburne, Vt.
“The great thing about FPF is anyone is welcome to post on subjects that are important to them; for some people it’s Doggy Play Dates or Free Plants, and for others it’s Community Health Issues. The new format and bold subject field enable you to peruse the page, read the posts that interest you, and skip the ones that don’t (or maybe be exposed to a different point of view.) Thanks, FPF, for the opportunity to connect and share.” • Joseph C. from Waterbury Center, Vt.
In addition to the email forum redesign, FPF has taken more steps to make the forum cleaner and easier to use. Last year, we released a mobile app, which can be download from the Apple® and Google Play® app stores. It’s changing the way many FPF members read their forums!
“Get the App…best thing since sliced bread. I will now be able to keep up with it daily. Thank you FPF”
• Tammy W. from Morrisville, Vt.
Lastly, FPF members can access their forum by logging in from our website https://frontporchforum.com. Submit a posting, search the archives, access the business directory, and more!
About Blog
Ghost of Midnight is an online journal about fostering community within neighborhoods, with a special focus on Front Porch Forum (FPF). My wife, Valerie, and I founded FPF in 2006... read more
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