GlobalGiving
Encyclopedia
GlobalGiving is an online marketplace that connects donors with grassroots projects in the developing world. Potential donors can browse and select from a wide offering of projects, organized by geography or by themes such as health care, the environment, and education. Once a donor chooses a project, he/she can contribute any amount, using a credit/debit card, check, PayPal, or stock transfer. Gift registries can be set up for special events, and donors can "give" any project as a gift. GlobalGiving funds itself by requesting the donor add a 15% donation to GlobalGiving to their gift, and taking a 15% transaction fee from the amount pledged to the charity otherwise.
These contributions directly support the entrepreneurial work of project leaders throughout the world, who are bringing innovative, empowering solutions to challenging social problems at the local community level. To create an interactive relationship between the project and donors, project leaders send regular updates to their donors regarding the progress and impact of the project and donors are invited to submit comments.
All donations made to projects go through the GlobalGiving Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 entity, and are fully tax-deductible in the United States.
Companies can use the GlobalGiving platform to allow their employees, customers, partners, or foundation entities to donate directly to grassroots social and economic development projects around the world. And non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
, and International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
use the system to load projects designed by grassroots groups that they stand behind.
Major funding for the launch and early stages was provided by the Omidyar Network
, the Skoll Foundation
, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
, and the Sall Foundation.
In September 2007, former U.S. President Bill Clinton
endorsed GlobalGiving in his book Giving.
http://giving.clintonfoundation.org/node/65 GlobalGiving's approach is also touted in William Easterly
's acclaimed book "White Man's Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good". In a world of development dominated by a "bureaucratic, supply-push approach", Easterly says he favors projects like those listed on GlobalGiving which address local demand for change with accountable, locally-developed solutions.
The UK version of the website was launched in September 2008.http://www.globalgiving.co.uk It provides the same service as the original website but to givers in the UK. The UK website will also feature projects from partner UK charity organizations.
. While in that post, they created the first-ever Innovation Marketplace
for Bank staff in 1998, an internal competition in which Bank employees pitched their own ideas for fighting poverty worldwide. The winners received grants to make their ideas happen. The competition resulted in some of the most innovative ideas and effective programs the bank has done.
In 2000, they took the concept and competition to the outside world. The Development Marketplace enabled any social entrepreneur in the world to compete for Bank funds. The program was extremely successful - finalists from all over the world gathered in Washington, D.C.
, and $5 million was awarded to the 44 most innovative projects.
Based on the Marketplaces' success, Mari and Dennis created an Internet-based platform to facilitate a broader range of social and economic investments in developing countries. In October 2000, they left the World Bank
, and on February 14, 2002, GlobalGiving (formerly DevelopmentSpace) was launched.
GlobalGiving as a web-based fundraising platform is fundamentally different from the World Bank Development Marketplace
because it is based on social networks and real-time feedback between donors and grassroots social entrepreneurs (what they call "project leaders"). Each organization pitches one or more development projects
to prospective donors on the website. The funding decision for each project is crowd-sourced to the public, rather than determined by a team of experts, as in the Development Marketplace. However, in practice, organizations that promote themselves through email and social media campaigns vastly improve their fundraising potential. Each project depends on evangelists
(literally, meaning people who spread good news) in order to flourish. However, the funding and project update history for each project is public and acts as a form of reputation system
for the organization implementing the project.
These contributions directly support the entrepreneurial work of project leaders throughout the world, who are bringing innovative, empowering solutions to challenging social problems at the local community level. To create an interactive relationship between the project and donors, project leaders send regular updates to their donors regarding the progress and impact of the project and donors are invited to submit comments.
All donations made to projects go through the GlobalGiving Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 entity, and are fully tax-deductible in the United States.
Structure
The GlobalGiving Foundation (GGF) is a non-profit organization that individuals and companies can donate to through the website globalgiving.org. It is supported by a network of implementing, corporate and institutional partners. GlobalGiving was launched as collaboration between the GlobalGiving Foundation and ManyFutures, Inc., and in December 2008 ManyFutures became a formal subsidiary of GGF and all operations were placed under direct Foundation management.Companies can use the GlobalGiving platform to allow their employees, customers, partners, or foundation entities to donate directly to grassroots social and economic development projects around the world. And non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public is a nonprofit organization based in Arlington, VA, supporting the field of social entrepreneurship. Ashoka was founded by Bill Drayton in 1981 to identify and support leading social entrepreneurs through a Social Venture Capital approach with the goal of...
, and International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative is a global not-for-profit, public-private partnership working to accelerate the development of vaccines to prevent HIV infection and AIDS. IAVI researches and develops vaccine candidates, conducts policy analyses, serves as an advocate for the field and...
use the system to load projects designed by grassroots groups that they stand behind.
Major funding for the launch and early stages was provided by the Omidyar Network
Omidyar Network
Omidyar Network is a philanthrocapitalist investment firm established in 2004 by eBay founder Pierre Omidyar and his wife Pam. To date, Omidyar Network has committed more than $290 million to for-profit companies and nonprofit organizations that foster economic advancement and encourage individual...
, the Skoll Foundation
Skoll Foundation
The Skoll Foundation is a social entrepreneurship foundation based in Silicon Valley, California, with a mission to drive large-scale change by investing in, connecting, and celebrating social entrepreneurs and other innovators dedicated to solving the world’s most pressing problems...
, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is a private foundation, established by Hewlett-Packard cofounder William Reddington Hewlett and his wife Flora Lamson Hewlett in 1967. The Hewlett Foundation awards grants to support educational and cultural institutions and to advance certain social and...
, and the Sall Foundation.
Recent developments
In Fall 2006, GlobalGiving formed a partnership with Pandora, the online music DJ service, to promote projects that support music education.In September 2007, former U.S. President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
endorsed GlobalGiving in his book Giving.
http://giving.clintonfoundation.org/node/65 GlobalGiving's approach is also touted in William Easterly
William Easterly
William Russell Easterly is an American economist, specializing in economic growth and foreign aid. He is a Professor of Economics at New York University, joint with Africa House, and Co-Director of NYU’s Development Research Institute. He is also a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings...
's acclaimed book "White Man's Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good". In a world of development dominated by a "bureaucratic, supply-push approach", Easterly says he favors projects like those listed on GlobalGiving which address local demand for change with accountable, locally-developed solutions.
The UK version of the website was launched in September 2008.http://www.globalgiving.co.uk It provides the same service as the original website but to givers in the UK. The UK website will also feature projects from partner UK charity organizations.
History
Prior to founding GlobalGiving Mari Kuraishi and Dennis Whittle were heads of strategy and innovation at the World BankWorld Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
. While in that post, they created the first-ever Innovation Marketplace
World Bank Development Marketplace Award
The Development Marketplace Award is a competitive grant programadministered by the World Bank. Since 1998, the DM has awarded morethan $46 million to some 1,000 early-stage, innovative projects worldwide.Projects are selected based on:* Innovation...
for Bank staff in 1998, an internal competition in which Bank employees pitched their own ideas for fighting poverty worldwide. The winners received grants to make their ideas happen. The competition resulted in some of the most innovative ideas and effective programs the bank has done.
In 2000, they took the concept and competition to the outside world. The Development Marketplace enabled any social entrepreneur in the world to compete for Bank funds. The program was extremely successful - finalists from all over the world gathered in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and $5 million was awarded to the 44 most innovative projects.
Based on the Marketplaces' success, Mari and Dennis created an Internet-based platform to facilitate a broader range of social and economic investments in developing countries. In October 2000, they left the World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, and on February 14, 2002, GlobalGiving (formerly DevelopmentSpace) was launched.
GlobalGiving as a web-based fundraising platform is fundamentally different from the World Bank Development Marketplace
World Bank Development Marketplace Award
The Development Marketplace Award is a competitive grant programadministered by the World Bank. Since 1998, the DM has awarded morethan $46 million to some 1,000 early-stage, innovative projects worldwide.Projects are selected based on:* Innovation...
because it is based on social networks and real-time feedback between donors and grassroots social entrepreneurs (what they call "project leaders"). Each organization pitches one or more development projects
International development
International development or global development is a concept that lacks a universally accepted definition, but it is most used in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development — the development of greater quality of life for humans...
to prospective donors on the website. The funding decision for each project is crowd-sourced to the public, rather than determined by a team of experts, as in the Development Marketplace. However, in practice, organizations that promote themselves through email and social media campaigns vastly improve their fundraising potential. Each project depends on evangelists
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
(literally, meaning people who spread good news) in order to flourish. However, the funding and project update history for each project is public and acts as a form of reputation system
Reputation system
A reputation system computes and publishes reputation scores for a set of objects within a community or domain, based on a collection of opinions that other entities hold about the objects...
for the organization implementing the project.
See also
- DonorsChooseDonorsChooseDonorsChoose.org is a United States based nonprofit organization that provides a way for people to donate directly to specific projects at public schools ....
- JustGiving
- KivaKiva (organization)Kiva Microfunds is an organization that allows people to lend money via the Internet to microfinance institutions in developing countries around the world and in the United States, which in turn lend the money to small businesses and students...
- MicrophilanthropyMicrophilanthropyMicrophilanthropy is a model of philanthropy that is based on smaller, more direct interaction between "helpers" and "doers." Because of this finer level of granularity, it provides greater potential for feedback. It uses the definition of philanthropy as "love of humanity", which is broader than...
- WokaiWokaiWokai is an organization that allows people to contribute directly to microfinance institutions in China, which in turn lend the money to entrepreneurs in rural China...