What Else?

[Guest]

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[Darren B4B]

We're fascinated by the passion that business professionals exhibit toward Kiva.  I can't say I'm surprised - it's such an innovative solution to a real problem.  However, I'd really like to know, before Kiva, what was your cause or charity of choice?  What other causes are you actively engaged in today?

Thanks,

Darren

[Alphecca]

Hi Darren:

I was attracted to ModestNeeds, and still contribute monthly. It is superficially similar to Kiva, in that it is a web site where donors pool funds to help a particular person or family. The transparency is pretty good.

The major differences are:

- ModestNeeds gives grants, not loans (donors don't get the money back, and contributions are US tax-deductable)
- ModestNeeds clients are poor working people in the US and Canada. Most do not qualify for welfare.
- The grant is applied to a specific one-time emergency. No money is paid to the client, but to business they owe money to (i.e. landlord, auto repair shop, doctor, etc.) for the specific need.
- The client is lifetime limited to 2 grants.
- Not all applications are funded (funding rate this year is less than 50%). The donors can choose to distribute their contributions to the applications that are most appealing. The client can re-apply if their request is not funded.
- The authenticity of the client's request goes through an extensive investigation. The client must send a lot of documentation for verification.
- The grant amount is limited to one month's housing cost for the client.
- Presently, your donation is matched by a foundation, so you can allocate twice the amount you actually contribute.
- There is no ModestNeedsFriends, or details on which donors funded which applications. So the sense of being part of donor community does not exist. A donor community might be a very good idea for them! ModestNeeds has not had the explosive growth that Kiva has enjoyed.

Here is a recent testimonial from one of the clients:
Hello, I can't express how you have impacted our lives with your generosity. We are forever grateful for your assistance. We never imagined in our lives that we would ever be in a position to have to choose between putting food on the table and paying our bills. Our lives were forever changed when I lost my job of over 10 years and my wife's impending illness. During this time we had reached out for assistance and were met with denials from our city, county and state as well as the federal government. The process is not only demeaning, it is also embarrassing and when you reach the point where there are no options, the hopelessness is overwhelming. When we were made aware of modest needs, it renewed our optimism and when I received the email that it was granted, my heart filled with joy and you have provide our family with the boost we so desperately need during this time. Thank you for your assistance regarding this matter and god bless Dan
 
http://www.modestneeds.org/

[saabnet]

However, I'd really like to know, before Kiva, what was your cause or charity of choice?  What other causes are you actively engaged in today?

Animals, Cancer, and Disaster Recovery were recurring themes, but no one charity of choice until now...

http://www.saabnet.com/tsn/donations.html

-Scott

p.s. We just made one to a nice cat place called Tabby's Place in honor of our kitty friend Emma.

[redstarr]

Heifer was my main cause before I found Kiva.  It's an organization where you donate the money for an animal (or a share of an animal if it's a big expensive one you can't afford on your own) and then the receipient of the animal gets the animal and training on how to care for it and then when the animal has a baby, they donate one of the babies to another family that needs it (and then those folks pass on that baby's baby to someone else, and it keeps on going like that).

I liked that the donation goes to a single tangible thing, like a cow or a flock of chickens, instead of just into a general fund to be generally helpful.  I liked knowing exactly what my money was being spent on.  Something I love about Kiva,too.  And I liked that one of the offspring gets passed on, so my gift gets spread around to more people.  

I still think it's a great organization.  But I've shifted pretty much all my support to Kiva now.  I like it better.  Kiva's got all the positives of Heifer plus a bunch.  

[Dolphine]

As much as I try and support Kiva, my main charity was and still is Touch the World Ministries, http://www.touchtheworldministries.com , which is run by Father-in-law for full disclosure. 

His Christain organization helps throughout the world and if I (or anyone else) say I want $ going to Liberia, Moldova, Romania, etc I know that is where it is going and the money is going for that particular purpose and not lining someones pocketbook.   He's built orphanages in Africa, helped street kids in Romania, houses in Mexico, etc.   The things he is able to accomplish is amazing.   

[Good Dogg]

http://www.rafiki-foundation.org/index.html

The Rafiki Foundation is a Christian organization whose goal is to help Africa's orphaned and vulnerable children become godly contributors to their communities and the world.  Rafiki has built world class orphanages in 10 African countries.  They give these orphans an amazing education, medical care, and a ton of love.  Everything Rafiki does is done with excellence, integrity, and love.

I appreciate the previous mention of donorschoose.org .  Never heard of it before.  I just helped an inner-city teacher buy an ipod and speakers so her art class can rock out (or rap out) while they paint.  Now that brings a smile to an old dogg.

[Darren B4B]

I was familiar with Donor's Choose.  It is another great use of the internet to meet the needs of a specific population.  They just did a cause-related marketing campaign with Crate and Barrel. 

I did not know about Modest Needs.  Thanks for the heads up on this and the other organizations mentioned in this thread.

[Agent001]

Part of the beauty of Kiva is obviously the crowd-funding power it creates...communities of people supporting at levels comfortable to them to create something far greater.

How about in Education?

www.educationgeneration.org

JUST launched, full disclosure, I'm a co-founder.

For credibility, I've also raised nearly $100,000 for Kiva loans, nearly entirely through youth, while connecting young people to critical global issues through another organization I founded:

www.globalafc.org

Would LOVE to hear people's opinions on this project as we build it out, consider this the beta launch...

Shawn

[Evelyn Yvonne Theriault]

How about in Education?
www.educationgeneration.org

Would LOVE to hear people's opinions on this project as we build it out, consider this the beta launch...

Shawn

Hello Shawn,
Nice to hear from a fellow Canadian 
I checked out your education site - looks great so far.
The immediate question that comes to my mind is that the site doesn't really identify who you are exactly, and some kind of references to show that your organization is on the up-and-up. I visited your other site (global etc.) so would I presume that the educationgeneration is part of this and is presented by the same set of people?
BTY - I'm not in the least bit suspicious of you, just offering suggestions to help you "open some pocketbooks"
Evelyn

[Jan & John]

Part of the beauty of Kiva is obviously the crowd-funding power it creates...communities of people supporting at levels comfortable to them to create something far greater.

How about in Education?

www.educationgeneration.org

Shawn

and a Howdy here Shawn, welcome to KivaFriends from Calgary...

I liked the look of your site - nice and clean and lovely photos of the young people.  It seems a terrific idea and I am sure there are folks out there who will donate money to such a worthy cause.  I do have to agree with Evelyn tho, about your credentials.  There are a lot of people trying to drum up funds these days for one thing and another.   Your site doesn't give much information that tells me where PayPal will be sending my $$$ and how I will be able to see the results.

John and I already have a list of favourite charities that receive our donations.  The big draw for me with Kiva is the opportunity to relend so I probably wouldn't sign up to yours.  But keep up the good work and my best wishes go with you.

jan

[Agent001]

On it, hopefully (maybe with your help?) 

This has definitely been the most obvious question to date, and for us as well. The intention has been to allow EducationGeneration to build its own image independent of Global Agents for Change, but we've been discussing much the same, creating a stronger link for credibility.

After much research and many consultations with others the feedback has been that to some degree the site simply must generate momentum and a track record to engender trust - we will certainly do all we can in the meantime to balance this! 

Does anyone have any other obvious things that would help them feel secure in trusting the mechanism in place?

What allows you to trust a Kiva borrowers profile that wouldn't allow you to trust these student. Fresh eyes and perspective are always welcome, just trying to get some kids to school!

We will be building out the FAQ to explain how we select partners and what measures are in place to ensure the money is directed correctly, and that expenses for students are verified.

We have funded 3 students so far, and this is the first sphere outside of facebook that we've shared the site

Shawn

[Jan & John]

What allows you to trust a Kiva borrowers profile that wouldn't allow you to trust these student. Fresh eyes and perspective are always welcome, just trying to get some kids to school!

Shawn

Hello Shawn
First I must apologize.  I did not link this EducationGeneration to the bike tour group that I saw in July - blame that on my not taking the time to dig a little deeper into what I was seeing.

I do find when I go to web pages that I don't 'read' everything that is there and I didn't see anything that jumped out and said 'trust me, trust me'. 

So now that I have actually 'looked' at your 'About Us' and saw your 'Partners' link and read a few of the student profiles, I have to say "WOW".  Your credibility has totally increased in my eyes.  The problem was not with your site but my perception.  And I really can't see any way to help you fix my brain
jan

 

[Agent001]

hahaha, thank you you Jan! That said, I suspect it isn't just your brain that manages to not read all the available details on the website and increasing that upfront issue of trust remains a priority.

Thanks for the comments and taking the time to dig through, any advice more than welcome as we hopefully fund a few more of these kids in time for the coming semester. Best!

Shawn

PS Bike tours and education websites might be the most obvious connection, easy to miss I'm sure!