Startsomegood and Broadcause Enhance Traditional Fundraising Services

Since 2000, Miratel’s core competence has been nonprofit fundraising services so we are keenly tracking how social media is impacting this niche market segment. We have explored this in several previous posts by spotlighting the growing popularity of philanthropy assisting platforms such as ConvergeUS, Jumo, Crowd Rise, Give2gether, Kiva, Givmo and Kickstarter. These platforms aim to help connect (very worthy) causes with the web-savvy (and generous) public and we continue today by spotlighting Startsomegood and Broadcause, two sites that look to make a positive social impact in our world.

Startsomegood

Start Some Good image courtesy of startsomegood.com

Created by five young social entrepreneurs and partnered with the world’s leading social entrepreneurship organizations, Startsomegood is a fundraising services platform for social entrepreneurs and innovators that lack the resources to raise financial and intellectual capital to launch their projects aimed at improving the world. Startsomegood hosts a community of supporters that are interested in starting some good in the world and help with contributions at varying levels in exchange for unique rewards and experiences. Similar to Kickstarter, rewards are created by each social entrepreneur at different support levels. Those curious but hesitant to support a venture can follow it as it progresses and receive updates much like a follower does on Twitter.

Based on a hybrid crowdfunding model, entrepreneurs can set both a ‘tipping point goal’ (the minimum amount of money required to start their project) and an ‘ultimate fundraising goal’.  In an “all-or-nothing” scenario from the onset of the campaign, entrepreneurs must reach the tipping point they have set (25% to 100%) in order to secure any pledged funds.  Once a tipping goal is reached, they keep what they have raised, helping each project not only start up, but progress through varying levels of their project.  Each venture may run multiple campaigns for different stages or areas of their socially focus business idea, from raising funds for start up, to the invention of a new product, to the expansion into a new city.  Each entrepreneur has complete control in the running of their campaign.

Ventures are prescreened by startsomegood ‘mobilizers’ who have  extensive knowledge and experience to evaluate each venture, provide constructive feedback and approve or deny ventures based on the fit to startsomegood’s model, vision and mission.

Broadcause

Broadcause by experience project

Boasting an engaged audience of over 10 million people around the world, Broadcause is an online platform that promotes causes in a broad range of areas such as animal rights, human rights, disaster relief, the environment, poverty and many others.  Along with promoting the cause, Broadcause also gives these groups a forum where they can broadcast their message to supporters while integrating social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter effectively expanding their scope and reach with (potential) supporters.

Founded in 2010 by Experience Project Inc., the largest community of share experiences in the world, this relatively new site also allows each cause to collect donations, facilitate auctions, promote events, sell-tickets, display photos, create a wish list, connect to and keep track of supporters all at no charge to the cause.  Broadcause recently featured the California-based charity the V Foundation for Cancer Research to promote their 13th annual event. Broadcause provided them with all the tools to promote, collect donations and run the event that included an auction of 26 vacation destinations linked directly from Broadcause to their partner, CharityBids for secure collection and processing of winning bids.

Technological advancements have made our daily lives faster and the ease and versatility of these platforms fuel their growing popularity. These sites take the unique mission of the cause into consideration while remaining accessible to the public and simple to navigate. In these financially trying times, causes need to combine a variety of tools to enhance their fundraising services and/or broaden the awareness of their message to supporters. We will continue to explore additional sites that enhance fundraising services and cause awareness by making contributing to a good cause, faster and easier.

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