Non-profit of the week: GlobalGiving

By Dan Estabrook - November 18, 2008

Want to help grassroot causes from around the world and see instant impact (and a report back) on how your donation was used?  Want to make sure your money is being used wisely?  Will it have long-term impact? Our Non-profit of the week - GlobalGiving - may be your answer.

GlobalGiving’s mission is to “Unleash the potential of people around the world to make a positive change happen.”  The site helps connect people doing amazing work in local communities with individuals who want to support them.  It is an online marketplace for all things good - and has been called the “eBay for international philanthropy.”  Donors will find causes ranging from education to human rights, poverty and education.  Project staff update donors regularly so that they have a peace of mind that their donations are making a difference.  They even have a guarantee - if donors are not satisfied with their experience on the site (and with the projects), they can get refunds (sort of a “credit voucher”) to apply to another project.  Since 2002, donors have contributed over $6 million to 900 high-impact projects all over the planet.

Here’s How the Process Works

• Project Leaders post their causes and details about what they need on GlobalGiving.com - giving you an inside look at the project’s unique needs and work being done.
• You browse the website, research causes by topic or location, and pick the one that matches your interests and passions.
• You make a tax-deductible donation and we combine your giving with other generous folks doing the same thing.
• We ensure that 85-90% of your donation is on-the-ground within 60 days and has an immediate impact.
• You get regular updates telling you what a difference your gift is making and the results that have been achieved.
• If you’re not satisfied with your donation for any reason, the GlobalGiving Guarantee provides you with your money back in the form of a voucher for the amount of your original donation. Learn more about the GlobalGiving Guarantee.

The site is easy to use, and will help you identify a project in minutes (if not sooner).  I searched on education in North America (focused on the U.S.) and found three interesting projects:

One is empowering 150 college students to help 30 non-profits with consulting services; the second is educating international development leaders in the U.S.; and the third is mentoring 50 at-risk U.S. teens from dropping out of school.  Pretty amazing!

This peer-to-peer philanthropy is, in Tonic’s opinion, the wave of the future.  So, surf it now at GlobalGiving!

Tonic’s Non-profit of the Week is a regular feature at Tonic News. If you would like to nominate a non-profit for consideration, please email dan[at]tonic.com. The non-profit must be an accredited 501(c)3. We look forward to your submissions!