[Speed Gibson,
Tuesday June 14, 2005 at 11:26pm]
Rethinking the United Way - part 2
An SAT question: newspaper is to blog as United Way is to ____? Is the United Way, still a great success overall, on the decline, even an anachronism?
Much as we can trade stocks etc on the internet, maybe someone should figure out an "e-Bay" equivalent to the United Way.
Vetted charities would join the "e-Way" site, explain their programs, finances, etc., all linked and indexed for surfing. So if you're looking to donate to a particular concern, say battered women shelters in the St. Paul area, you do the usual keyword search to come up with them.
Member donors (not just anyone) can write reviews of a charity, much like Amazon accumulates user book reviews.
You assemble a portfolio of regular donations, then make some sort of PayPal-like arrangement to collect and disburse the funds, and print a statement for your tax returns. Unlike the United Way, you know exactly where it's going. If you wish, the charities know that you are one of their supporters. The site pays for facilities and auditors with a small percentage and/or usage fee, no doubt much less than the United Way's current bite of the apple.
It also gets the fundraising back at home, where it all began with the original United Fund. The transition to workplace fundraising came years later, unfortunately with corporate and peer pressure. The truth be told, I think the United Way has worn out its welcome at a number of companies.
"e-Way" would help bring back the days of personal, private, efficient, and effective charity.
Much as we can trade stocks etc on the internet, maybe someone should figure out an "e-Bay" equivalent to the United Way.
Vetted charities would join the "e-Way" site, explain their programs, finances, etc., all linked and indexed for surfing. So if you're looking to donate to a particular concern, say battered women shelters in the St. Paul area, you do the usual keyword search to come up with them.
Member donors (not just anyone) can write reviews of a charity, much like Amazon accumulates user book reviews.
You assemble a portfolio of regular donations, then make some sort of PayPal-like arrangement to collect and disburse the funds, and print a statement for your tax returns. Unlike the United Way, you know exactly where it's going. If you wish, the charities know that you are one of their supporters. The site pays for facilities and auditors with a small percentage and/or usage fee, no doubt much less than the United Way's current bite of the apple.
It also gets the fundraising back at home, where it all began with the original United Fund. The transition to workplace fundraising came years later, unfortunately with corporate and peer pressure. The truth be told, I think the United Way has worn out its welcome at a number of companies.
"e-Way" would help bring back the days of personal, private, efficient, and effective charity.