Since then, the nonprofit’s total money raised has increased to $530 million, including over $12,000 to support the global COVID-19 response to help send health workers communities in need and deliver essential items to quarantined cities and refugee camps. Read our archive feature on their incredible work and transparent practices here:

With rising rates of poverty, increasingly frequent global disasters and small- and large-scale community issues, crowdfunding campaigns and nonprofits are becoming an increasingly popular way to obtain international financial aid. A 2016 report by Development Initiatives found that local and national NGOs received only 2.3 percent of humanitarian funding. Most of it went to major international NGOs. 

U.S-based crowdfunding organisation GlobalGiving is paving a way for a more focused fundraising effort. They ensure that every donation goes to its intended cause, while also supporting smaller NGOs by way of vital resources for growth and improvement, ‘transform[ing] aid and philanthropy to accelerate community-led change’.

Partnered with more than 100 companies and corporations in almost every country, they have helped raise more than $384 million in 170 countries since 2002. Their results speak for themselves, and they continue to incite more change in the industry by ensuring that every community in any country gets the help and funding they need. GlobalGiving is also well-regarded by Charity Navigator, who found that they have 100% accountability and transparency as of 2018.

GlobalGiving notably provides access to community information and feedback through their Learn Library. This stimulates a cycle of progress for nonprofits by enabling them to listen to the community, act accordingly, learn from the experience and repeat the positive aspects of the process. The cycle increases effectiveness for smaller NGOs, meaning that they have greater, deeper impact on struggling communities where these NGOs operate.

Donors can then find these nonprofits and projects depending on country and region, further underscoring the importance of locality in community-funded programs. Crowdfunding focuses the financial relief provided by donations, highlighting exactly what each community needs and how much is required to achieve these independent goals. GlobalGiving ensures a high quality of service, care and responsibility to all parties involved, so there is an extremely small chance of getting scammed or defrauded once donors choose a cause to donate to.

There are many reasons to be optimistic in 2019, and as the year rolls on, Casper Magazine are motivated to believe in the positivity of human kindness, compassion and empathy through initiatives like GlobalGiving.

Search through the GlobalGiving projects to donate to a local NGO, and access more information, tools and resources through their Learn Library.

To read more about empowering local communities, check out our feature about progress on Africa’s Great Green Wall.

Archive Feature, originally published 05/04/19