volunteerism Archives - The GENESIS Network

Social Media: a new way of giving
Buy tickets at: philanthropy20.eventbrite.com

Social Empowerment Organization Hosts Children’s Rights Benefit at Prana Restaurant

Genesis Network, an international human rights development organization, to hold fundraiser to help build schools in Burma and Thailand.

08.23.2009 – Prana SF in the SOMA district will be hosting a benefit to help make Philanthropy 2.0 possible. The elegant evening will include live music, a silent auction and fusion dining with a dynamic and caring crowd. Genesis Network is a social media platform that increases the efficiency of philanthropy by connecting givers with the needy. The goal of this fundraiser is to raise funds for site development and pilot projects that provide Thai and Burmese children with schooling.

Imagine if when we donated to a cause a regularly updated profile was available along with online communication with the aid recipient instead of a simple thank-you card. Imagine we could see where our money went and interact with those we helped.

Genesis Network is essentially Facebook between philanthropists and NGOs. Non-profits will be given profile pages, as will philanthropists. The philanthropists will have a massive database of NGO’s at their finger tips and be able to choose from a buffet of causes and organizations (soon to be rated by peers on the site) to donate to. Once a donation is made, representatives and beneficiaries from the project will be in communication with the donors like pen pals. This is a way to see where your money goes first hand. Philanthropists will be able to form communities and initiatives together. The aim is to connect investors, donors, organizations, volunteers, and community leaders, in hopes of building a decentralized, open source network . We are a democratically determined 501C who embrace the open-source philosophy. We want to give everyone the tools to organize and make an impact. The Network is a 501(c)3 nonprofit and was incorporated in 2008 in Providence, RI by founder Adam Swartzbaugh. www.gnetwork.org

Entry is $175 dinner and first bids (table Price $100 discount). $75 Hor d’oeuvres. Donations are always welcome. RSVPs are requested by August 10th. For more information, call 415-533-7601 or visit www.genesisnetwork.org.

In the midst of a severe economic depression, philanthropy is surprisingly more popular than ever. Giving USA 2009 noted that “charitable giving in the United States exceeded $300 billion for the second year in a row in 2008.” Though financial realities created a decrease from 2007’s figures, the amount given was considered “remarkable” by Giving USA chairwoman Del Martin and represented just a two percent decrease in current dollars.

Some facts about philanthropy today, from “The new face of giving” (USA Today 7 October 2008):
• Younger donors, especially in their 20s and 30s, are making an impact on the giving landscape. Though without the financial power of their older counterparts, they contribute “earlier, more consistently and in more imaginative ways than their grandparents did.”
• Among this younger set, environmental and international causes have gained an unprecedented amount of popularity in the current decade.
• The internet and text messaging has made it possible for charities to directly communicate with potential contributors and raise donations. Only six percent of households gave online in 2007, though these newer tools have made an impact.

The most important point noted, however, is that philanthropists want to know what is being done with their money. This has made an impact in ways ranging from donors spending more time directly volunteering with projects, charities using the internet to show what is being done with the money they receive, and even the formation of “giving circles” where members decide what causes they want to support.

The contrast between the immense desire of potential donors to give and their uncertainty over where their money will go emphasizes the need for a framework of accountability and transparency. Through creating a platform where philanthropists and charities can connect and communicate, the Genesis Network hopes to make an impact on giving in the 21st century.