The Silicon Review - Best Business Review Magazine 50 Most Trustworthy Companies 2019 | Page 124

Listed below are few changes
Give anytime: change in
the timeline
Many people tend to think of
philanthropy as an activity
someone takes up after they have
enjoyed a long and successful
career. Nowadays, because
technology makes it easier to
donate any amount, however
small, anyone at any age
and from any economic
background can
engage in
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Prior to the Internet, many large
charitable gifts were secured via public
gatherings, such as galas and other
fundraisers. The expanding landscape
of online platforms and forums for
donating make it increasingly possible
to donate without telling anyone. This
caters to the preference that many
have for contributing privately and
without fanfare or attention.
Revolution of
crowdfunding
Crowdfunding has been a boon for
many nonprofits, especially those that
are less well known or traditionally
ignored by major donors. By
harnessing the power of the crowd and
soliciting thousands or even millions of
smaller donations, these organizations
don’t have to depend on large gifts.
Crowdfunding technology has also
made it possible for individuals to
raise money for their favorite causes.
Increased accountability
The digital presence that most
nonprofits have benefits donors and
the organizations themselves because
it promotes greater transparency and
accountability. If a nonprofit
has a bad reputation,
it’s not hard to
— people
aren’t shy about
complaining online
if they feel a charity
has misused their funds.
Likewise, those that
maintain high standards
and have a positive impact are
easier to find.
Fundraising via social
media
technology and
digitization have
removed many logistical
limitations in philanthropy,
leading to a shift in how
people think about charity.
Innovations have improved
our ability to tackle many of the
most pressing social problems
facing humanity — including
poverty, lack of access to education,
and environmental destruction.
The influence of technology on the
nonprofit sector is apparent from a
number of standpoints.
More options for
anonymity
I
years,
w
as in f luenc
h
y
ed
log
o
ph
philanthropy.
n
The
satisfaction
of
helping
h
ila
c
others, even if only in small
figure
nt
te n recent increments, is available to all.
it out
Besides providing a way to
communicate with supporters, social
media also provides a new, interactive
avenue for fundraising. If you were
online in the summer of 2014, you
probably encountered the Ice Bucket
Challenge. On Facebook, people posted
videos of themselves dumping a
bucket of ice water over their head (or
onto a friend) to promote awareness
of Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS. The
videos challenged others to do
the same, and/or donate to the
nonprofit ALS Association. This
simple, fun challenge went viral,
with more than 2.4 million
tagged videos on Facebook,
and resulted in the ALS
Association receiving $100
million in donations
for the month of
August 2014
alone.
SR