Making Charity Transparent

If you haven’t taken the opportunity to read up on the non-profit Charity Water, I highly recommend you give it a shot. Charity Water is an organization that builds clean water projects in developing nations, giving people access to water pumps and  helping prevent tragic diseases such as E. coli and Hepatitis A. Not only that, but developing these clean water projects has significantly reduced arduous journeys, where women and children are often harassed and subjected to significant back pains.

Thus far, Charity Water has funded over 6,000 clean water projects, raising more than $40 million for communities worldwide.

Despite these inspiring accomplishments that shouldn’t go overlooked (see descriptive intro above), the real genius of Charity Water lies in its use of technology to promote transparency surrounding donations. Often times, many of us (including myself) feel turned-off to donating to non-profits, mainly because it seems like we can never fully understand where the money we gave is being used. Charity Water has over-compensated for the lack of accountability in other NPOs, by utilizing Google maps and geo-targeting to give people a clear (pun intended) understanding of where the money they donate is heading.

Take the above photo for example. When you donate money to Charity Water, you can physically see on the map which project you money has funded, and how many projects are currently being developed based on location. This simple, yet powerful method has taken the concept of donations to the next level, and given people a greater incentive to donate in the future. Not only that, but it has given Charity Water an esprit de corps that is unparalleled in the current field.

If that demonstration hadn’t dissolved any skepticism, Charity Water takes it one step further. By publishing the progress of specific “Water Projects”, people can literally see from the comfort of their smart phone or tablet exactly how much money was raised per project, and read field notes from Charity Water staff documenting the day-in and day-out operations. This practice has opened a flood gate (pun certainly intended) of donations for Charity Water, and given people strong sentiment to donate again.

Where is the Non-Profit Sector Heading?

As technology continues to infuse accountability and immediacy into our lives, so will the non-profit sector become revolutionized by the technological advances granted to us. Organizations will be expected to track funds virtually, and many more will evolve to become branded as lifestyle missions. I envision people being able to utilize websites to see precisely how their money is being put to use, while Facebook will continue to grow as the premier fundraising tool in the world — making donations easier, faster, and more efficient.

There’s a reason we’re seeing some of the world’s top global thinkers, such as Scott Harrison, bringing innovation to the non-profit sector: the challenges of tackling global issues have taken precedence over simply making money. Social entrepreneurship will continue to thrive with technologically-savvy thought leaders, pushing the limits of progress into the 21st Century. I encourage anyone interested in the non-profit world to consider working for one, or even creating your own. Study what Charity Water has accomplished, and see how you too, can make a difference in this ever-developing world of ours. I know I will.