Giving to charity through online websites is transforming the game of philanthropy. Now donors of any means can connect with good causes and be sure that their donations, even when small, will have a decisive impact on the world.
Nonprofits can now reach many more donors with inexpensive methods that connect them with millions of potential supporters.
My Space,
FaceBook, and
YouTube offer virtual property to nonprofits on their sites. MySpace even gives "Impact" awards to the favorite causes of individuals who have successfully used the website to "make a difference."
Facebook's online donation application, Causes, empowers anyone with a Facebook page to raise money and awareness for a cause. During its first year, Causes has reported that more than $2.5 million has been raised for some 80,000 nonprofits.
This popular site provides an easy way for donors to give to their favorite charity, keep all their giving records in one place, and spread the word about those charities to friends. For nonprofits, it is a cost-effective way to receive donations online.
A "razoo" is a coin of the smallest value. This site believes that it doesn't take millions of dollars to make a difference—the greatest opportunities for change lie in the hands of "everyday philanthropists" who want to use their resources for the benefit of others. Nonprofits can set up giving pages and network with their supporters. One of the few donation sites that charges no processing fees. One-hundred percent of each donation goes to the nonprofit.
At this website, you can learn about social causes ranging from global warming to women's rights. You can join a cause, take an action or donate, and recruit your friends to do the same. There is also a page for each one of the 1500 or so member nonprofits.
At Global Giving you can give to individual projects by topic (animals to technology) and by world region (Africa to the Caribbean). There is a huge range of projects, each of which gives the donor the feeling of helping someone quite specific. Plus there are as many ways to give and levels of giving as one can think of. The only problem with using this site is just making up your mind.
Jolkona is a new entry into the micro-charity space. It is aimed at young people who often can donate only a small amount. On this site your donation of even $5 is treasured. You can pick from projects around the globe and share what you are doing with your friends. My favorite page on the site is the "Featured Donors," where there are personal stories from young donors and activists.
DonorsChoose.org enables individuals to donate to specific needs in public schools. For instance, you might give $50 to Ms. G's classroom to help buy some books. In addition, DonorsChoose has been very popular with bloggers and even sponsored a
"Blogger Challenge."Kiva invites donors to make interest-free microloans to entrepreneurs in poor countries all over the world. It has been so popular that, at times, it has run out of entrepreneurs to fund. The appeal of this program is that you can directly see the impact your funds have.
GiveMeaning.org provides free pages to individuals who wish to raise funds for their causes. In the site's own words, "At GiveMeaning, we believe in the 'Power of Plenty': That many people giving small amounts in support of a common goal can make big changes in the world."
