

Ideas for philanthropic web services? - Skywing

I sometimes find it difficult to tell myself that web ideas of mine actually provide a degree of value. I feel like most of them are just insignificant in the grand scheme of things. I don't want to create my own little niche world on the web, and draw income from it. I was to build something that actually helps people at large.<p>I've been brainstorming ideas on how to make a web service that can provide some degree of utility to people wanting to help others or people wanting to make this world a better place. I'm researching most of the current "donate to X charity"-type websites, such as yourcause.com, and am looking for ways that I feel they come up short. Perhaps I can pick up where they've dropped the ball. Most models for these sites are just about keeping you informed about these charities and helping you to donate money to them. I think a lot of them fail at showing you your impact when you do actually donate - so I'm thinking about targeting that side of it all.<p>Does anyone have any insight into this field, or any suggestions about things you've seen that could be helpful to somebody that just wants to "help out however they can"?<p>Thanks
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clojurerocks
Im a social entrepreneur currently involved with non profits doing exactly
what you are talking about. Theres actually endless ideas for this so the
challenge isnt which idea the challenge is to decide that you really want to
do it.

Personally i decided it was worth it and now have more projects then i can
handle all or most of which are focused on helping a larger group of people
through services related to education and health and other "cause" oriented
topics.

If you want to talk more send me an email. And if you want to help out with
any of the projects let me know as well.

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mxmpawn
Hi, I'd like to know more about the projects you're involved. I checked your
user info but I don't see your e-mail.

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clojurerocks
It should be there. But if its not for some reason, its
startupz.net@gmail.com. Id be more then happy to tell you about them. Thanks.

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ig1
Tackle something boring.

Most non-profits tend to be operationally very poor due to lack of management,
operations and organizational skills. Sit down with some local non-profits and
see how they work on a day-to-day basis. Most have no metrics to measure
performance, don't use a CRM system to track donors, volunteer and task
management tends to be done on an ad-hoc basis, etc.

Non-profits have exactly the same problems as for-profit companies have, why
not build them the tools that help solve these problems for them?

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ozziegooen
Tread lightly. There seem to be dozens, hundreds of new philanthropic web
services, and almost all of them have an incredibly difficult time of
distinguishing themselves.

My suggesting is to stay very narrow to one field. Better yet, join one of the
others (Clojurerocks seems nice). You don't need your own charity business to
be useful, especially when so many good ones already exist and are trying to
innovate themselves.

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anujkk
I was thinking about same thing last month and came up with an idea to raise
money for charity and other noble causes through e-commerce. I will be doing
this as a side project when my current side project completes. You can also
give it a try.

Idea - Develop and market a website that sells t-shirts with good design and
social awareness messages on it such as anti-smoking, anti-corruption, AIDS
awareness t-shirts. Also, tie up with relevant NGO and donate 50% of the
profit to them. Make it clear on the site that 50% of the profit goes to NGOs.
Many people buy t-shirts online and they will definitely buy such t-shirts if
the design is cool. There will also be a feel good factor of doing it for
noble cause.

Benefits for buyers - They get cool t-shirts at same rate as on other sites +
feel good factor of doing it for noble cause.

Benefits for NGOs - They can raise funds without doing anything and by just
allowing their name to be used on website. They get a free online fund-raising
system.

Benefits for site owner - You have 50% of the profit to use it in any way you
like, to expand your business or anything else + You're contributing to
improvement of society + recognition + Something nice in your portfolio.

Benefits for society - Indirect contribution by supporting social activities
of NGOs through fund-raising + direct contribution by spreading purposeful
educative messages on t-shirts.

A Win-Win idea.

