We want to believe what we read, what our friends share with us, and the many heartfelt stories of women, children, and families in need. But then why do we keep getting burned by scams like Maddie’s Fight Against Pancreatic Cancer? How many more times will you give before you say enough is enough? Technology has advanced us in so many ways. We can search for answers to any questions, connect with individuals near and far and stay in touch with broader networks of people than ever before. But why haven’t we been able to give a donation and truly trust that the individual on the other end of that donation is doing what they promised with those funds?
Getting to the root of the problem
How do we bring trust back into crowdfunding donations? How do we make sure our donations are actually going to real individuals who are urgently in need? We’ve read stories in the news about how people have taken advantage of unsuspecting do-gooders. They have raised money only to pilfer it away on their own self-interest instead of helping the person or cause they were fundraising for. Even though this is the exception, with every news article we read, we get increasingly skeptical with each new donation we consider making to a neighbor, stranger, or cause we care about.
What does the Recipient really need?
How do we get to the root of helping? One way could be to bring visibility into what the individuals or causes actually need. In order to ensure we are funding those most in need with what they need in a way that we are confident as donors that our donation will be used for good? Instead of asking just for cash donations, what if an individual or organization was able to ask for donations for a specific item or category? I need: (1) clothes and groceries for my children; (2) I need transportation to get to work, and (3) I need a hotel room to house my family during the hurricane.
Increase donations and donor engagement and get the funds that they need
When a donor funds stories like this they now would have insight into how the funds were being spent which will increase their confidence and trust. The donor could even have visibility into when the recipient spent those funds. The more confidence the donor has in their donation the more likely they will share it on their networks and with their friends. And when the recipient updates their story with how they are doing with the donations, the engagement with the community around them would increase tenfold. This isn’t a dream. We are building towards this in the social good tech sector.
- Fundraising for Clothing and Supplies for My Kids 85%
About the Author
Annie Rhodes
CEO
25 years in the social good + tech sector with a passion for transforming technology solutions to do good better guiding individuals and organizations towards improving efficiency, transparency and impact.
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