Google’s doodles may be a total time suck for employees (maybe that’s a good thing?), but the inspiration behind them is totally worth emulating. That and more in today’s Social Media Roundup.

A big boost for innovation

Take note! The #ASAE Foundation Innovation Grant Program launched today. http://t.co/uHDlmknm

— Aaron Wolowiec (@aaronwolowiec) September 20, 2012

As noted by Event Garde LLC’s Aaron Wolowiec, ASAE’s new Innovation Grants Program just started, giving associations focused on innovation the opportunity to win travel and exploration grants of up to $10,000 each. The ASAE Foundation provides the funding and says the innovation “can be incremental or radical, but it basically comes down to this: any new idea that gets successfully implemented.” Have you signed up yet? (By the way: Wolowiec’s Event Garde just launched a new website today. Check it out!)

Google Doodles: Worth emulating

Do the Google Doodle – Why associations should emulate @google doodles. #assnchat http://t.co/KdyJKXCw

— Tori Miller Liu (@torimillerliu) September 20, 2012

Ever hear that you need to think like Google? Well, it might be time to take a cue from its doodles. Tori Miller Liu, the director of information systems and communications at Global Cold Chain Alliance, suggests focusing on the more whimsical part of the company’s offerings. “In the association world, we constantly search for ways to engage members. Usually, it’s through education and resources. But what if we focused on fun?” Learn from Google’s process for creating doodles, which come from internal discussions and external tips. It’s her way of giving things a sense of whimsy.

“After all,” she says, “associations are about relationships and no one wants to spend time with the boring kid.”

See anything cool today? Shoot us a comment!