Comments on: See The Difference – a very ambitious initiative looking to change the nature of charitable giving http://givinginadigitalworld.org/2009/05/05/see-the-difference-a-very-ambitious-initiative-looking-to-change-the-nature-of-charitable-giving/ Digital fundraising thoughts and news Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:55:03 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Goodgate http://givinginadigitalworld.org/2009/05/05/see-the-difference-a-very-ambitious-initiative-looking-to-change-the-nature-of-charitable-giving/#comment-1508 Mon, 14 Jun 2010 11:58:54 +0000 http://givinginadigitalworld.org/?p=1023#comment-1508 I believe Kiva has facilitated $120M+ of loans in its first 4 years. Given the growth of online spending and time spent online, GBP500 million over 5 years might be possible. After all, annual charitable giving in the UK is approx. GBP 50 billion annually, and might grow. A whole new generation of donors will use services like Kiva, See the Difference et al. A fundamental shift is underway. Good idea, and good luck See the Difference!

The Goodgate Team (www.goodgate.org)

]]> By: Jaap van 't Kruis http://givinginadigitalworld.org/2009/05/05/see-the-difference-a-very-ambitious-initiative-looking-to-change-the-nature-of-charitable-giving/#comment-657 Wed, 20 May 2009 00:48:48 +0000 http://givinginadigitalworld.org/?p=1023#comment-657 @Sylvia,

That’s exactly my point, what you are telling about the video’s. Iam really looking forward to see what you are all up to with See the Difference, when will you go live ?

Gr, Jaap

]]> By: sylvia Hines http://givinginadigitalworld.org/2009/05/05/see-the-difference-a-very-ambitious-initiative-looking-to-change-the-nature-of-charitable-giving/#comment-648 Sun, 17 May 2009 12:54:41 +0000 http://givinginadigitalworld.org/?p=1023#comment-648 Hi
I’m one of the huge team of people working pro bono to make See the Difference happen and want to respond to Andrew’s points..
See the Difference is all about stories – people’s stories – and we think that video is one of the most powerful ways to tell these. The content of See the Difference videos is entirely up to the charities, so they can tell the stories that are most important to them. (The website is still being built by the way, so the introductory video about it, which you can see here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrFCh7ldhfA, is about the concept, rather than a demo of the functionality or search tools.)
‘Charities are doing fine with video without it’ Sure, some charities use video really creatively – for them it can be another shop window which will help them bring exposure to specific projects they want to fund and give them another route to reach a particular type of donor.
But many charities, particularly smaller ones, simply haven’t had the resources or time to think about video and See the Difference can really help. We offer them a free training day and the support of an experienced media mentor as they make their first films. From the feedback we’ve had, they certainly see this as huge added value.

]]> By: Jaap van 't Kruis http://givinginadigitalworld.org/2009/05/05/see-the-difference-a-very-ambitious-initiative-looking-to-change-the-nature-of-charitable-giving/#comment-622 Wed, 13 May 2009 17:14:58 +0000 http://givinginadigitalworld.org/?p=1023#comment-622 Hi there,

I really like the concept of See the Difference, but I also have to say that Andrew’s got a point. I think
it is all about people giving to people. And that you need to have and feel a personal connection.
Although I don’t agree on his last point, about the video. I think video is a great way of creating
an extra feeling/emotion with a person or project.

We are trying this right now, with our current / small but personal project, full with video’s : http://www.jimmythemantours.com

]]> By: Andrew Robinson http://givinginadigitalworld.org/2009/05/05/see-the-difference-a-very-ambitious-initiative-looking-to-change-the-nature-of-charitable-giving/#comment-589 Thu, 07 May 2009 14:47:19 +0000 http://givinginadigitalworld.org/?p=1023#comment-589 I think this will fail for 2 reasons.

Like other aggregator sites, it is focusing on projects, but people give to people. Whether it uses video or not, unless it manages to humanise it’s search and functionality (which it looks from its video that it won’t) it will fail. Kiva is successful because it links individuals. Global giving is less successful because it doesn’t.

Secondly, charities are doing fine with video without it. Why will they pay to put this extra layer in the way.

There’s more about this on my blog.

]]> By: goulandris http://givinginadigitalworld.org/2009/05/05/see-the-difference-a-very-ambitious-initiative-looking-to-change-the-nature-of-charitable-giving/#comment-586 Wed, 06 May 2009 10:20:42 +0000 http://givinginadigitalworld.org/?p=1023#comment-586 One wonders at the ambitious target set by STD. My last perception of the situation was through this recent WSJ article titled “Charity Dries Up in UK”, which quotes that “nearly a thousand charities in the U.K. shut between 2007 and 2008, according to a Charity Commission report published last month” (read it here http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123905199099794385.html). But maybe there is a well thought-out business plan built-in, if one judges by the impressive backing they seem to have. Nevertheless, one would expect a much more engaging and innovative online campaign building-up towards launch, than just a video (I couldn’t download it either). Anyhow, let’s wish all the best to them…

]]> By: kevin jones http://givinginadigitalworld.org/2009/05/05/see-the-difference-a-very-ambitious-initiative-looking-to-change-the-nature-of-charitable-giving/#comment-583 Wed, 06 May 2009 00:12:17 +0000 http://givinginadigitalworld.org/?p=1023#comment-583 effective crowd sourced giving is, i think, about to become huge. and it’s close enough to a science, if you watch behavior, that taking it to scale is not unrealistic. kiva could have grown much more if they hadn’t needed to certify the lenders, audit them, etc. so you do what they did in a market, country where there is a free flow of capital through the financial system and the numbers might not be out of whack. the guys from kiva are unique. and no one else is kiva or has figured out all they have figured out, and understood the system in which they exist. the number of “we’re kiva but” or “we’re kiva with” entrepreneurs out there is ridiculous. but this sounds like a group that, coming from a web 2.0 background, would be able to understand feedback loops givers respond to, etc. people have figured out how people behave online. that’s a defined skill. just not adopted with high performing entrepreneurs and serious financial backing, so much.

that said, most online giving marketplaces underperform based on social, incentive and marketing issues; the way they don’t get the medium. so it is unproven. but i think it is plausible that the time is ripe for someone to take it to scale.

]]> By: Bryan http://givinginadigitalworld.org/2009/05/05/see-the-difference-a-very-ambitious-initiative-looking-to-change-the-nature-of-charitable-giving/#comment-582 Tue, 05 May 2009 18:13:35 +0000 http://givinginadigitalworld.org/?p=1023#comment-582 Hi Howard,

I had the same “Install Microsoft Silverlight” error when I first tried to view their homepage version of the video – and ended-up viewing it through their Facebook page.

You make a fair comment I think. I haven’t come across this before and I’ve been to lots of video-rich sites – so it’s really not a great illustration of their understanding of general site useability.

]]> By: Amanda http://givinginadigitalworld.org/2009/05/05/see-the-difference-a-very-ambitious-initiative-looking-to-change-the-nature-of-charitable-giving/#comment-581 Tue, 05 May 2009 17:54:49 +0000 http://givinginadigitalworld.org/?p=1023#comment-581 This sounds like a wonderful concept. The idea of being transparent, telling donors where their money is going and how it will make an impact also inspired us to launch a similar micro-charity site called SmallCanBeBig.org. We were also responding to donors wanting to make an impact with smaller donations. 100% of all donations made to the site go directly to help families in need. In today’s tough economic times, more and more families are finding themselves in situations they never imagined. One rent check or mortgage payment away from living on the streets or in a shelter. Our site http://www.smallcanbebig.org helps connect people with a little extra to families without enough through compelling family stories. We also see the site as an opportunity to engage younger people and getting them to share the idea with their friends. Similar to See The Difference, the market research we did also signals a large opportunity to change the future of charitable giving.

Since launching in January 2009, we have raised over $60,000 and helped 33 families and 70 children. That’s a family every 3 days. Donations have been made from 46 countries which highlights the true power of the internet.

]]> By: Howard Lake http://givinginadigitalworld.org/2009/05/05/see-the-difference-a-very-ambitious-initiative-looking-to-change-the-nature-of-charitable-giving/#comment-580 Tue, 05 May 2009 17:49:03 +0000 http://givinginadigitalworld.org/?p=1023#comment-580 But have you visited the holding page for See the Difference at

http://www.stdifference.com/

On my laptop there’s a big message telling me to “Install Microsoft Silverlight”.

I realise it’s a cheap pop but given the site’s promo video takes a pop at charities not reporting back to donors and not using the Internet sufficiently or effectively enough, I don’t feel too bad about pointing it out.

Equally, with “300 people” donating their services pro bono to the initiative (care to put a monetary value on that given some of the professional companies involved), shouldn’t one of them have spotted this rather user-unfriendly approach and sorted it out?

Or is it just my laptop’s setup?

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