GlobalGiving

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GlobalGiving is an online marketplace that directly connects donors with grassroots projects in the developing world.

1 Structure
2 History
3 GlobalGiving Olympics
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Structure

GlobalGiving is partnership between a nonprofit organization, the GlobalGiving Foundation, and a for profit company, Many Futures, Inc. Both founders of the nonprofit receive compensation from the for profit company.^[1]

Companies can use the GlobalGiving platform to allow their employees, customers, partners, or foundation entitites to donate directly to grassroots social and economic development projects around the world.^{[citation needed]} And non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, and International AIDS Vaccine Initiative use the system to load projects designed by grassroots groups that they stand behind.^{[citation needed]}

Major funding for the launch and early stages was provided by the Omidyar Network, the Skoll Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, and the Sall Foundation.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] History

Prior to founding GlobalGiving Mari Kuraishi and Dennis Whittle were heads of strategy and innovation at the World Bank. While in that post, they created the first-ever Innovation Marketplace for Bank staff in 1998, an internal competition in which Bank employees pitched their own ideas for fighting poverty worldwide. The winners received grants to make their ideas happen. The competition resulted in some of the most innovative ideas and effective programs the bank has done.

In 2000, they took the concept and competition to the outside world. The Development Marketplace enabled any social entrepreneur in the world to compete for Bank funds. The program was extremely successful - finalists from all over the world gathered in Washington, DC, and $5 million was awarded to the 44 most innovative projects.

Based on the Marketplaces' success, Mari and Dennis created an Internet-based platform to facilitate a broader range of social and economic investments in developing countries. In October 2000, they left the World Bank, and on February 14, 2002, GlobalGiving (formerly DevelopmentSpace) was launched.

[edit] GlobalGiving Olympics

Starting October 9, 2006, all projects on GlobalGiving are competing for $75,000 in prizes.

That means that:

- 250,000 rural villagers in India (where poor water quality is the leading cause of death for children under 5) will get access to clean water [1] ; or

- 1000 health clinics will get built across Sub-Saharan Africa, saving 10,000 people from treatable illnesses in countries where 25,000 die each day from such diseases [2] ; or

- 250 families will get out of poverty in Kenya where 13 million people live on less than $1/day [3]

The choice is up to you. Because the project that generates the most donations will receive the $50,000 grand prize. So by giving to a particular project on GlobalGiving [4] and encouraging your friends and family to do the same, you will determine what project gets the $50,000 prize money.

And the fun doesn't stop there. The country that receives the most donations on GlobalGiving between now and October 31, $25,000 will be split amongst the country team of projects.

The competition will take place between October 9-31, and any donations made through GlobalGiving during this time will count towards both the grand prize for a single project, and for the country team prize.

Help projects win by:

- MOBILIZING supporters to help your favorite project or country win by making donations and telling their friends and colleagues to do the same.

- COMMUNICATING to let everyone know exactly how they can put your favorite project in first place. Use newsletters, websites, blogs, and email to spread the word about the Olympics and how people can participate.

- MONITORING the results by signing up for weekly updates [5] over the next 3 weeks.

- To learn more about the GlobalGiving Olympics click here [6] or read about in our co-founder's blog [7].

[edit] References

^ 990 IRS Return for GlobalGiving Foundation Inc. EIN 30-0108263, 2004/2005 Fiscal Year, 2005-09-02, p. 19. Available online at Guidestar.org (free registration required)