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A social networking site for non-profits to communicate needs, and collect funds.

Think of Facebook for non-profits, to communicate (campaign) general and or specific needs real time. One stop shopping for givers to shop for a cause they wish to support, with categories of institutions. Each institution creates and maintains their own customizable presence, with hooks for leveraging other social networking sites (API's for Facebook, Twitter, Twitpay, etc.) and tools, giving the institutions yet another marketing tool. Givers and non-givers alike could "follow" an institution, linking to their personal Twitter/Facebook/etc to build a following growing potential givers.
Also with the available option to send a donation online, with givers accounts only for giving purposes so they can receive yearly tax statements of money given.
This type of site could also be duplicated very quickly once the initial IP (software model) is developed, so I imagine a similar site for research projects, where researchers can post a customizable presence detailing their project(s) and needs to solicit funding with interactive updates and communication to followers, again with one stop shopping for givers to land and search projects they might be interested in.
This type of site would concentrate these institutions into one place so they don't just end up becoming white noise in the huge social networks presently online.

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    Jeff BreazileJeff Breazile shared this idea  ·   ·  Flag idea as inappropriate…  ·  Admin →

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      • Jeff BreazileJeff Breazile commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

        Yes, (and how cool!) that is exactly the type of tool(s) I want to leverage and make available to organizations in this proposed community.

      • Jeff BreazileJeff Breazile commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

        Thanks for the comment Charlie.
        Basically the differences/benefits I see over existing tools and sites it the ability to give people seeking organizations to support a site where they can quickly and easily find these organizations and where these organizations might be tough to find in a sea of general people, businesses, etc. The site would allow givers/followers the ability to search not only by organizational grouping but types of specific needs, such as "cancer, children" or "animal rescue". Based on my own experiences dealing with groups that managed donated products for distribution to NP's, handling NP status verification and distribution, part of the process of an organization registering for an account on this type of site would include verification of NP status so givers/followers can have some level of trust of the organizations represented. Finally with the tough economic times, I see a need for a focus approach to finding donors, these orgs are going to have to work much harder for dollars. Also I have had experiences with various NP's that are not only looking for money, some such as the Childrens Cancer Association (CCA) here in Portland have staff that cold call Oregon destinations such as the Zoo, OMSI, Oregon Coast Aquarium looking for places to donate some space and tables, maybe some admissions for cancer children to have a day together with other cancer children and families. CCA takes care of the food and goodies, etc.
        As far as "would this social networking site only be available to non-profits that qualify to the giving principles and mission of MMT?"
        Assuming "MMT" means Meyer Memorial Trust, the site would not be representing MMT or it's principles and mission so to speak, for instance this would ideal be open to global orgs, not just Oregon and SW Washington or specific orgs conducting specific kinds of research, basically I see a eligibility requirement such as a 501(c)(3).

      • Charlie PlybonCharlie Plybon commented  ·   ·  Flag as inappropriate

        You think like our director and if you've ever perused our social networking, you'll find it runs pretty deep in our org. I like this idea, but here's the problem I see: Google, Facebook, Ning, etc. all allow this creative opportunity for free and it allows for ideas to develop individually in a more "decentralized" fashion, leveraging the same tools for sharing, donating, contributing and dialogue. B/c the world (and Oregon) is full of Non-profits with varying positions and opinions, would this social networking site only be available to non-profits that qualify to the giving principles and mission of MMT?

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