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The one closer to a 100% ratio would the get the grant!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_efficiency
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efficacy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithm
(*): Efficiency AND efficacy - "Doing the right thing" in the "right manner".
RICARDO Gomes de Paiva DE FARIA Attorney & Counsellor at Law
GPS: 22583288 S 43113359 W
ricardodefaria@ricardodefaria.com
http://www.ricardodefaria.com
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A group of fellows and I worked on similar ideas and conceived a model of such collective system for "local barn-raising" or "local crowdsourcing" we called TAVOS back in 2004-05. Our idea was to create a system to help underserved communities to address their own needs with their own hands and local resources through such a coordinating and pooling system. You could read some more here: http://telarideas.typepad.com/tavos/
Good luck with this. Will look forward to your learnings.
Cheers, jose
Congratulations My friend. For your altruism, but manly for GMAIL, I love gmail so so so much! Mi life changed 'couse Gmail, believe me.
I'm a programmer from 28 years ago, and I consider-me a test pilot of software, Gmail, is in the TOP of the TOP of software, and to think about my life without GMAIL is unthinkable... something like that, my english is bad, I apologize for this fact
Suggestion 1 - make sure the donations are used for the stated purposes of the organization - The IRS 990's will tell you how much goes to the organizations salaries and operations vs the real programs that get you interested in making a donation. It should be at least 75% to the stated programs.
Suggestion 2 - So much of our money goes OUT of this country - Why not require the use of it to be for US Projects. We have plenty of poor, uneducated and unfortunate people here that do not have a chance in life just as people in Africa and I'm not referring to people living in cities that have government monies and programs available to them actually they should be excluded.
As I write this I'm not sure what charities or programs actually fit this type of guidelines but there must be some as the US is now receiving missionaries being sent here from foreign countries now to help not asking for help- interesting scenario isn't it?!?
Although your comment sounds reasonable, I totally disagree!
Regarding suggestion 1 please check out this website: http://blog.givewell.net/?cat=6
Regarding suggestion 2 please check out this one: http://blog.givewell.net/?p=200
P.S. I'm not at all related to GiveWell.
Nice site you referenced though - unfortunately until they get some time and experience under their belts I can't personally give much creedence to their info except to add it to all the other info I gather before I give. Again though most all of what they talk about is International! We have enough poverty here in the US. Take care of your own first needs to be more of our motto. Keep the funds here in the US.
Separately, you may be interested in Donation Dashboard, which uses a system similar to Amazon's "people who liked x, also like y" system to recommend charities to you.
Good luck with the project!
If we create maps showing where people need help, and maintain databases of non profits working in those areas, then you and others who are looking to make a contribution could choose what cause you care about, then what country, state and zip code. Once you get to the zip code level, you'd only have a few choices (if any) of which organizations to support.
If those organizations have people helping them tell what they do, via a web site, then donors and volunteers could make decisions on who to support based on what you see on their web sites.
Such a system would lead to a better, and hopefully, more consistent distribution of resources into all of the places where people need help. The current system only rewards the rich, or those with high profile leaders.
If a company can make socks better and/or cheaper, they tend to grow. Their competitors shrink.
If a charity uses money relatively effectively, you might not even know about it. Even if you do, it's unlikely the charity will grow as a direct result of this.
A popular vote select charity will inevitably be a well known one but not one measured for effectiveness or seriously lacking in funding to begin with. It may even be a useless cause with no measurable impact on the world such as saving whales.
Some of my thoughts on why our traditional success metrics are not working are here: http://pepytours.com/lessons-learned/326-lesson...
Some friends in Cambodia and California are working on just such an NGO rating tool.... you should join us :-)
I love what you're doing! I'd like to suggest the Sharing Foundation which works with children in Cambodia. They are us-based charity - and do amazing work.
http://www.sharingfoundation.org
I am on the board and I have used social networks to raise money for them over the past 3 years. A small amount of money goes a long way with this organization. For example, using my blog, I raised $2500 and sent a young woman to college.
My blog is about how nonprofits can use social media effectively and write a lot about fundraising.
JC
By putting a "random" item on the top of the page, the bias is then set by randomizing routine.
Not sure what the correct answer is to eliminate systematic bias.
Great organization. Contact giselle (at) freespeech.org, if you'd like more information about the network's initiatives.
I'm not sure I understand this experiment. What does it do? It seems to me that this approach is likely to produce average wisdom rather then accumulated wisdom. For example, if Kiva gets lots of attention, what does that tell you? It's popular with the people that read your blog.
There is always (hopefully) some 'wisdom' generated in a discussion, but that's not the same as Wikipedia. It doesn't scale.
I'm not being hypothetical. You are a smart guy, especially in areas like this. I want to know what it is you see.
I am not sure if you had a chance to check Charity Navigator.
www.charitynavigator.org.
I believe their review of Charities is quite reliable, but again I think, you should search your heart and find the area that you want to support the most, then it will help you narrow your selection. Otherwize each person that will log into your blog will select the Organization they like the most.
I think charity should be driven by the compassion you feel for a given problem. I was moved by the condition of Congolese Refugees living in Rwanda who could not pursue their education, then I decided to provide my support, not necessary with money, but with a little forum of scholarships and jobs opportunities sharing.
John Wood was shocked by the lack of books in Nepal and evantually launched Room to Read. So I think you should narrow your selection, then select the organization that touch your heart the most and you will then really feel making a difference.
For Profit Success is measured by the number of '0' they have in their bank account. I believe true success is measured by the number of people that are better of because of you. No wonder why Ghandhi, Mandela or MLK are famous people; their actions paved the road to a better life for many people. Do you know that Ghandi was the master mind of the Indian Institute of Technology System. Today those institutes are making a strong difference in India and around the world. I think those are the model to follow. With your entrepreneurial mind, you can make a big difference and it might be just an idea that you develop and tirelessly work on.
All the best.
JC
for granted in the US, but without reading glasses most Americans over the age of 40 wouldn't be able to work! A lot of people these days are considering them to be one of the most influential social venture models.
I really like your idea. It would be neat to see some system develop for choosing the best organization to suit a donor. For what you describe, I think you would find my 501(c)(3) human rights advocacy group interesting.
Check out our website at www.imaniworks.net and our schedule of events at www.meetup.com/imaniworks.
I hope see you online,
Dena Lee, President
Imani Works!
I am not sure if you heard about the incident of African American Kids who were denied access to a swimming pool in Philadelphia. Tyler Perry paid for those kids to go visit Disney land, may be for a temporary psychological healing, but I was a little shocked, you will think that the American society has evolved to a level of electing a president with African Descent background will no longer have such event.
After this event I would say, you should support
www.myxworld.org, f
ounded by Josette Bonafino and Ian Cross. Their goal is to teach young kids on how to embrace diversity through Art. They are even based in philadelphia. They have been taking kids to student exchange program so they can learn more about other culture and run some great events to bring kids together. I guess, our friend who mentioned that there is a lot of stuff to fix here in the US first. He is right!
I would also ask Lee of Imani Works to look into this issue and let see how our faith can work toward building a more tolerant and global society.
You should also check out
http://www.one-economy.com/ourwork.
Rey Ramsey have been doing an incredible job helping low income family to have access to a broadband connection.
Stay blessed.
JC
http://www.kevinkatovic.com/2009/07/seven-googl...
http://www.kevinkatovic.com/2009/07/seven-googl...
Anyways, the world is becoming a small village with a global economy, and people who think like you, will be left out. You will be surprised how many of those you call "true americans" actually enjoy their lives in other countries.
My assignments to you: do a research and look at the numbers of professional immigrants (from India, China, and even Africa) who are going back to their native place for better opportunities, what's about Foreign Investors who represent a High Per centage in the US economy? I am not sure if you will tell them to "get out" If you knew that your mortgage or rental place was actually financed by them? Open up your horizon my friend.
JC
I am wondering what the status of this collaborative charity experiment? The reason is that I'm writing a book on the networked nonprofit -- how connectedness is changing the way nonprofits create social change. There is a chapter, of course, about fundraising. One part of that is about "free agent" fundraisers - those who are not a staff member, board member, or existing donor - using the social media to make their philanthropic decisions or to raise money for the organization/cause.
I'd love to have an interview with you about this. How can I reach you?
Beth Kanter
2009 BusinessWeek Social Media Innovator
2009 Scholar in Residence at the Packard Foundation
Author of Beth's Blog
________________________________
Also, all the charities that lost all their $ due to Bernie Madoff should get the rest.
He is working to get Saja a specialized wheel chair with a hydraulic lift, that costs $26,000.00. It is custom made. He is also in need of a wheel chair accessible van. They will need enzyme therapy that is extremely expensive but will be life saving and life extending for them as well as nurse care 24/7 following the surgeries.
Please consider "International Dwarf Advocacy Association (IDAA)" in your quest to find a charity. Russell is a good man and is doing incredible things for this family.
Thank you,
Craig Wheeler
CPT, US Army
Are you still doing angel investing? If so, what kind of companies do you look for...
If you really want to do this, I have many ideas how you could support health/education of many ADULTS AND/OR KIDS who are in desperate need for more financial support to get cured or gain basic or further education. That could either be donated in the UK for British people or in Balkans (Kosovo). The latter probably would be more appreciated as the government support is weaker owing to lack of sufficient budget to meet the demand. One example if appoint specific forum leaders for each capital city of the country in question and then back up the application request with proper credible/traceable evidence.
Best Regards,
What is the next step? Will you come to us if you like the response from Google or FriendFeed? Or will there be another way for us to get you more details?
Inspired by the work of Shri Param Eswaran, the Mahavidya Girls School was created by Sri Devanayagi Parameswaran to give a safe, loving environment for the next generation of Mothers in India
It is charity body in India that need help.
Our ask:
- We’re taking this model to the masses
- Would like your advice and guidance
- Collaborative Charity: http://paulbuchheit.blogspot.com/2009/06/collab...
This is what we believe:
- That philanthropy should be accessible and easy for everyone
- That people should be able to make informed and intelligent decisions about donating
- In the power of democracy as a foundation to make collective decisions
- That each person doing their small part can, as a community, have tremendous impact
This is what we are creating:
- The world’s first platform where crowds of people assemble online to evaluate charities and make donations to those organizations which perform best
- Relies on the collective wisdom of many individuals to research and then vote on which nonprofit organizations are most relevant at any given moment
- Invites individuals to vote for nonprofits to comprise a “portfolio” of charities that most deserve their support
- The portfolio then becomes the focus of the quarterly fundraising drive to which individuals around the world channel their fundraising efforts
- Every quarter, a new vote is taken, HC announces the portfolio of the most pressing nonprofits in the world, and the next fundraising campaign begins
This is our team and timeline:
- In development for nearly 2.5 years and scheduled for launch in early 2010
- Completely powered by the volunteer efforts of a worldwide team of almost 50 individuals: entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, marketers, branding experts, designers, professionals of all stripes
- Supported by an Advisory Board with leaders in the corporate and philanthropic sectors, many of whom specialize in applications of emerging technologies for social good.
My bio:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veer_Gidwaney
- http://www.gidwaney.com/veer.html
I hope to hear from you.
Jason
This weeks news about Ted Kennedys death has touched many people around the world. At 77 he is 1 of 25 million people who will die prematurely in 2009. Many of this 25 million will have passed away unnecessarily due to lack of access to basic essentials such as food and medicines
Do you know that...
- 25,000 kids die each day as a result of extreme poverty
- >1 million people die each year from Malaria [approximately 60% are children under 5]
- 25 million men/women and children have died from AIDs
and while we are all feeling the effects of the financial crisis, there are
- 2.5 billion people living on <$2 a day.. [it doesnt even get you a cup of coffee in NY]
In developing countries, approximately 2/3 of selected basic medicines are unavailabe in public health facilities resulting in these unnecessary deaths.
There are many reasons for this lack of access but one of the biggest reasons are weak supply chains. Efficient supply chains not only ensure a continuous supply of medicines but effective use of funds, [which is very important in developing countries where funds are a scare commodity]
However efficient supply chain require data to be collected and analyzed so it can be used to make the informed decisions that drive the supply chain, ensuring the right food and medicines are forecasted, procured at the right price and delivered on time to the right place in the right condition
Paul, it doesn't take alot of money to fix these issues through education and outreach. Some seed funding to develop and implement programs that not only save peoples lives through increased access but provides the local people the skills to manage supply chains that can be leveraged for other commodities thereby ensuring sustainability, increasing trade, jobs and the standard of living.
I have seen first hand what can be done through the Clinton Foundation [CHAI] moving mountains to sustainable results quickly..
You might also take a look at my new site, http://givv.org, which would allow you to pick lots of charities at once, and give to them all on a regular basis from a single donation.
People seem to be enjoying using it, and it might help you with the worthy effort you're undertaking...
Jason
please do visit also http://www.nikoganda.blogspot.com for $3 FOR BABY DANIEL project, for my friend.
We moved 1.5 Billion dollars of food, medical and goods across our system from donors to recipients last year with 30 people and a budget of under $3,000,000. No one can match that for non-profit effectiveness. http://www.aidmatrix.org
Would be glad to talk to you about how we could work together to do even more.
Trent Humphries
Further, we go into terrorist vetting and other key compliance which is necessary on the international level. But key to any review, we believe, must be qualitative and quantitative. It's not just about the numbers. It's why many companies are using us for their Global CSR programs, because we vet the NGOs on these multiple layers, providing tremendous value and investment as we determine the right NGOs. In this way they can strategically expand their giving programs internationally, and therefore, their positive global brand.
Pamela Hawley
Founder and CEO
UniversalGiving
http://www.universalgiving.org
Living and Giving
http://pamelahawley.wordpress.com
I think the biggest thing is to take care of your community first. And to think "outside of the box". There is a an invisible group of working poor that don't get the advantages of standard charities. They don't qualify for the food or the christmas presents, etc.,
Churches usually know who these people are. While food, clothes may be greatly appreciated, these people live paycheck to paycheck. Gift cards to Walmart would be better.