GlobalGiving: Connecting Personal Donors to Local Projects (2/2)

GlobalGiving and about 40 other non-governmental organizations help identify social leaders or small local groups. After the projects are approved, Miz Ochi says a description is added to the GlobalGiving Web site. Donors can give any amount of money to a project using different methods of payment. These include credit card, the PayPal system or a stock transfer. All donations are fully tax-deductible. GlobalGiving also works with large companies and private foundations that support socially responsible giving.

Miz Ochi says about 90% of all donations to GlobalGiving go directly to the project selected by the donor. The organization uses 10% for operating expenses. GlobalGiving urges its project leaders to provide progress reports every few months about how donor money is spent.

Joan Ochi says GlobalGiving hopes to double its donations every year. However, this is difficult because so many organizations are collecting money for important causes. Still, she says GlobalGiving is a way for small solutions to have a big influence in the developing world.