Search for Lenders

[Guest]

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[RichardF]

Obviously, lenders at this forum want to hook up with like-minded folks.  Another way for Kiva to facilitate this would be to allow searches for lenders.  Some ways to search include name, location and occupation.  It also would be nice to be able to search on some other coded characteristics such as group affiliation (check all that apply), e.g., school, religious organization, etc. 

Are there other characteristics of lenders people for which would like to search?

[Joe]

This was brought up on the Yahoo group a few months back. Some people were for it and some were against it. I personally think it would be a neat idea, just to see who is also lending in your area.

Perhaps being in a public search database of lenders can be optional during kiva.org registration. So those who don't mind it can be included and those who prefer to stay anonymous can also do so.

If I recall, some feared adding "friends" and allowing people to group up on Kiva could lead to social network type cliques where select businesses could get funded quickly and others aren't. Or that groups could quickly take up the "most desirable loans" first and others don't get a chance to get in. But that seems to be happening here and there already and everyone seems to get funded eventually anyway, so maybe it's not much of a concern... for now.

[RichardF]

Thanks, Joe.  Personally, I'm always going to lean toward the "full disclosure" of information with an "opt out" option for personal information.  I'm also going to be against "protectionist" actions.  Online lending at Kiva is a marketplace.  The laws of demand and supply do apply.

[Joe]

Yeah I agree. Of it were up to me, I'd put everyone who registers in a searchable database by default, but have the opt-out checkbox present during registration and in the Account Settings. Maybe also let them select what info can and cannot be included (not that Kiva puts out any really personal information in profiles as it is now). I'd love to see who is registered in my surrounding areas and state. I know it'll help me gauge if all those fliers and business cards I've spread around are working

In March, someone on the Yahoo group pointed out that it is possible in Kiva to link to friends. I haven't seen that option personally. I assume if you use that Refer A Friend link in your Kiva profile, the "My Friends" option on your profile shows up if they register? Here's a lender with a network of 2 friends:

http://www.kiva.org/lender/dimitris

[RichardF]

That "My Friends" feature is interesting.  It must be "opt out" or "select in" too, since Dimitris and Jorg are mutual friends, but Dimitra doesn't list any friends.

Of course, you can try to Google someone, e.g., - site:kiva.org "Santa Monica" - but it doesn't always work.  For example, I've been looking for loans by Gumball Capital, but I can't find them.

[Spartan]

I'm all for letting members of the community forum groups as well as giving an option when signing up to be a group member or join a group after the fact and of course allowing everything to be opt out. I'm trying to do some networking with a few of my clients to get them involved with Kiva as well as a small social group I deal with however right now Kiva is not so group friendly. 

For what it is worth I live in Japan and group identity is an incredibly powerful social dimension  here. It is one that should not be rejected outright lightly. 

Moreover in my opinion an excellent example of the type group system that would be great for Kiva would be the one that is used for the Prosper.com lending community.    Another example in a similar vein would be the Chipin.com system. 

[RichardF]

I just posted a list of some Group Lenders at Kiva.  Prosper groups were designed primarily for borrowers, modeled (poorly IMHO) after the Village Banking concept. The freinds concept at Kiva is nice. 

Functionally, I'm not at all sure what a "group" at Kiva would do that can't already be done.  Maybe it would primarily be a social networking thing, which is fine with me...with a link to its own Kiva Friends section, of course!