Two great stories have surfaced involving online fundraising. What do you think?
PayPal has just released its PayPal Kit for Nonprofits which claims to take only 45 minutes to set up (even for people knew to the world of online fundraising and widgets)! Also, they are giving away $50 to the first 1,000 nonprofits that use the kit to generate $500 in donations by March 31st. Check it out and share your experience!
Kiva, an organization that lets you connect with and loan money to unique small businesses in the developing world, has come up with a big problem! Potential donors are being turned away because there are no groups left who need loans! This is certainly not the case in the world, but for their website it is. These would-be donors are stunned at the idea of an organization saying, “No thanks; we have all the money we need!”
What is the real problem? Just like with many organizations, there is a lag in the process of connecting potential organizations needing funding with those to fund them. It is definitely a refreshing thought, though, that the number of donors and dollars is more than the need. If only!
Another thought about the Kiva crisis, is on timing. It is January, the month following a string of “giving-oriented” holidays. Could the higher-than-usual giving time of year been enough to fulfill Kiva’s needs? Once a new set of needy groups are up on Kiva’s site, it will be interesting to see if once again they are all taken care of!
Did you give to a charity online? Was it because of the holidays? Do you give more in the holiday season or all through the year – why?