Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Please...disrupt this

I wrote this about Square last week.

Then eBay and Grameen announced a mobile payment network system. (HT @kanter). And Simple was launched at #XOXO conference (which raised operating funds on Kickstarter). 

Some people agreed and suggested much more. Others disagreed.

I think it's high time we took all the innovation that's going on payments, banking, and mobile and said , "OK - how can we reinvent charitable giving." Really reinvent it. So it works -
  • People have the funds they need to do good.
  • Do-good enterprises are accountable - to the communities that matter (the public - their immediate community and the general public, their funders, tax exempting authorities)
  • Philanthropic funding is efficient and transparent.
  • Nonprofit reporting is seamlessly integrated with their expenses, taking the hassle out of fund reporting.
  • Grant reporting from foundations is streamed live and reported electronically (to the IRS and to intermediaries and sensemakers)
  • 990 data and grants data are accessible and interoperable with public revenue and issue data
There are $45+ billion in foundation grants made every year - that's a market worth making easier, more transparent. There's another $200+billion given by individuals each year. That's worth improving.

ICYMI - the rest of the five part series on technology and giving, including two special inserts on "tech and evil"  and "videos for good" is now available.
  1. How Square will change everything
  2. Cloud Philanthropy
  3. Filters and finding things
  4. New Skills for Giving
    1. 4.5 Technology for Evil
    2. 4.5.2 Videos for Good
  5. The Rules that Matter
The branch conversations are really great. 

No comments: