Blog-based Fund-raising Campaign

The huge number of sites adding fund-raising buttons for the tsumanis, earthquakes and hurricanes in the past two years confirm the power of blogs and other sites to enable fund-raising.

Today I came across Blogidarity, an effort to get bloggers to help raise funds for organizations that help people in developing countries. The campaign will choose different organizations to benefit from the fund-raising each month.

This month, funds will go to Clearpath International, an organization that "works in southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia and on the Thai-Burma Border) assisting present day victims of landmines and bombs."

Clearpath's use of a blog and a video posted on YouTube shows their comfort with new media to get their message out, making them an obvious choice to benefit from a blog-based fund-raising effort.

Blogidarity asks blog readers to spend $1 each month to help a non-profit organization that helps people in need. Their Zero Confusion promise: 100% of funds raised will go to the non-profit organization being partnered with that month.

Sadly, my first impulse when asked to donate to worthy causes is concern that the money won't end up helping someone, or that I'll be scammed. Maybe it's time to be a bit more giving, and a bit less suspicious. Before setting up a donation, I'll want to do a bit more checking up on the people behind Blogidarity.

Blogidarity has a donation page that links to PayPal, where you set up a $1 payment per month. The payments continue for differing charities until you cancel the payments.

Link via Steve Sherlock.

Tags: charity, clearpath, southeast asia, youtube, blogs, donations, non-profits

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Comments

[Steve Sherlock]

Eric, thanks for the posting. Feel free to check us out. We are legitimate. We gain only the satisfaction of really accomplishing something via our blogging effort on Blogidarity.

Oh, and the background check will turn up the real stuff on me if you look for "Sherlock" not "Sherwood". That is my evil twin. :-)

[Eric Eggertson]

Oops. Fixed that, Steve. I'm sure Steve Sherwood is a very nice guy, too.

I'm not suggesting any distrust, I just like to do research before making any charitable donations. For example, Doctors Without Borders gets a monthly payment from our family because we have followed their activities over a number of years and really liked what we saw.

[Steve Sherlock]

Thanks for the name correction. Wariness in today's world is expected and encouraged. I do it myself. As I cruise the web, I find new places to visit but always come back several times before forming my opinion. Yes, first impressions are important, but walking the talk is more so.

On the name cross: I find it interesting that many people do the cross between Sherwood and Sherlock. I am not sure why? Robin Hood traveled in Sherwood Forest. Sherlock Holmes solved most of his crimes in and around the streets of London. Both are English but other than that, it is a stretch to make a connection.

Blogidarity uses a little of both to continue the stretch. Blogidarity enables the transfer of small amounts of money from those who have it to those who need it. The difference there is the transfer is done willingly and not like Robin who tended to use some force. Blogidarity also worked like my namesake (Holmes) to check out the charity before making the selection.

Our success will be determined in the long hall and how well we walk the talk.

[Katie]

I am excited that nonprofits have found another outlet to help out those in need. With the growing popularity of blogs, it is a great idea to present bloggers with an opportunity to help those who are less fortunate. I look forward to seeing what that organization can do using the money that is raised.
It was a wise and going with the times idea to use blogging to raise money and awareness. The more outlets the better.
I also plan on looking more into this charity with the hopes of becoming a contributor as soon as possible.

[sherri]

I’ll admit, I’m quite skeptical about many things myself. Especially when it concerns giving money over the internet. I think it’s a great idea that they’re doing this but there needs to be some form of guaranteed security. Especially since this involves multiple electronic payments. There should be a way to pay one time only. And if everything appears to be legit, then you can make additional payments if you’d like. But I appreciate the notification about the blog. I think it’s important for us all to help out Katrina victims. This was a great way to get the blogging world involved.