A Change in Social Networking
Posted on February 14, 2007
Change.org recently launched and I love the concept. The guys behind Change.org have created a social networking tool specifically geared toward non-profits. The usual social networking elements that we all know and love are there but they have added new elements specific to non-profits.
Users can rally around certain “changes” (groups) which can be anything from ending global warming to preserving net neutrality. Once people rally around changes they want to see take place they can then find charities that are working on those changes and “become friends” with them. If they want to, Change.org will even process donations to those charities. No money, no problem. You can head to the “actions” section of the site and find volunteer opportunities in your area posted by charities and other users.
Change.org will take 1% of every dollar donated as their revenue and they also hope to support the business through promotional campaigns that non-profits will run on the site.
Check out Change.org when you have a chance and start making a difference!
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Another company that works toward social change is Firstgiving.com. Firstgiving is a website that helps anyone create a free personalized fundraising page for any non-profit that is registered with GuideStar ( a registry of nearly 2MM non-profits). After setting up your fundraising page you can market it on your blog or social networks (Facebook, MySpace, etc) with a widget or a fundraising badge. A widget will give a real-time representation of your fundraising page and let your supporters know how close you are to your fundraising goal. It’s a great way to get into contact with your online network and gain support from your friends (on networks that they are already on) for a non-profit that you are passionate about.
A new nonprofit website, www.ChangingThePresent.org, is changing the world, one gift at a time.
The site lets you choose exactly what you want to do to make the world a better place. For just a few dollars, you can choose from among such opportunities as:
• preserve an acre of the rainforest;
• provide cataract surgery to make a blind person see;
• provide a child with her first book;
• fund an hour of cancer research;
• shelter refugees;
• feed the hungry
• and many more
Browse by cause, see what experts or friends suggest, or search by name for your own favorites. With thousands of specific donation opportunities addressing virtually every cause, you’re sure to discover something that moves you.
When birthdays, weddings and holidays roll around, donation gifts made in a friend’s name offer a wonderful way to show we care, instead of buying yet more stuff. After all, how many of us really want another fruitcake or fuzzy slippers? Imagine, for one delicious moment, how much we could accomplish if even some of the $250 billion we spend each year buying presents went instead to donation gifts that do good. Wish lists and registries ensure we get the perfect gift, while personalized, printed greeting cards announce this more meaningful way of showing our love. The site is both a tool to facilitate and also a catalyst to promote this social norm.
Profile pages with favorite causes and favorite nonprofits let us share our enthusiasm and passions with others. Giving becomes more than a transaction; it becomes a way to share your interests and passions with others.
The deep expertise behind ChangingThePresent is seen in a Board of Advisors with over 150 prominent leaders from the nonprofit sector, as well as innovators from the worlds of business and technology. Among them are the heads of:
• Ashoka
• Center for Global Development
• FINCA International
• Grameen Foundation USA
• International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
• Lance Armstrong Foundation
• Rainforest Alliance
• Sesame Workshop
• Sierra Club
Finally, be sure to visit the Stupid Gift Hall of Shame, which memorializes those gifts we hope never to receive. Submit your favorite for a chance to win a sweet prize: pints and pints of Ben & Jerry’s.
A final word on the efficiency of alternative donation portals: ChangingThePresent has the lowest fees, so more of your money gets to the nonprofits you want to fund.
NetworkForGood 4.75%
Change.org 4.5%
ChangingThePresent 3% and 30 cents
There’s an error in the post on Change.org. It says they take 1% of every dollar. They ALSO charge another 3.5% for processing, so the total fee is 4.5%, which is higher than some alternatives.