Haiti Donations: Taxes and Texts (practical considerations for donors)

2010 February 5
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by impactsp2walden

Activities surrounding the Haiti earthquake remain one of the trending topics being covered by journalists since the news broke on January 12, 2010. In the first 24-72 hours after the news of the quake, there were multiple reports on the increase in text donations, specifically through the Red Cross fundraising campaign. (See also: Haiti: How Can I Help?). As donors from around the world continue to give, we focus today on two practical considerations for donors that we continue to hear about: Taxes and Texts.

In Guidestar’s recent February newsletter, donors will find IRS information regarding a new law passed for a special tax provision, as well as detailed  instructions for getting immediate tax relief for donations made to Haiti between January to March 2010. This provision covers those filing taxes for 2009 and includes electronic donations via sms/text and online platforms. In addition, the Financial Times ran a story of charities in the UK that missed approximately £5 million in potential tax deductions, that is now being held by the Treasury for reallocation, due to a lack of donor education on the country’s Gift Aid Programme for tax relief on Haiti donations.

Texts

The Chronicle of Philanthropy recently reported that over $644 million has been raised, as of February 3rd, for Haiti relief. Of this total, $31 million was donated to the Red Cross via text message. In addition, Convio, an online donation software company, processed over $250 million in donations as of February 2nd.  As we reported in a previous post, Haiti: High Impact Technology for Disaster Relief Giving, many of the phone companies and mobile giving services have waived their standard setup fees (ranging from $3,000 – $10,000) charged to nonprofits for this service.  Since that post, many of these same phone companies and mobile giving services have now expedited their standard processing time (usually 60-90 days) for text donations. As a result, nonprofit beneficiaries no longer have to wait until donors pay their phone bills to receive text donations. For more on text giving, donors and nonprofits can refer to the following articles that address concerns on the potential future challenges for nonprofits, 5 Real Challenges For Non-Profit Texting Campaigns, and Is the Haiti Response a Game-Changer for Mobile?

from → Disaster Recovery, Disaster Relief, Philanthropy, nonprofit, social impact, social media

Haiti: Focus on Children

2010 February 3
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by impactsp2

In our earlier posts, we discussed the various steps in the transition from immediate relief to recovery to longer-term impact (See: Haiti: “Cutting Through the Noise” and Haiti: Jumpstarting the Recovery).  For any donor concerned with addressing immediate suffering while also keeping an eye on Haiti’s longer term development, understanding the needs of Haiti’s children is key.

In the immediate period following emergencies, the physical safety and psychological health of children are paramount.  Veterans of disaster relief know all too well that children are vulnerable; post-disaster situations are often rife with child abduction, trafficking, sexual violence, and other physical dangers.  Equally important is the psychological toll. Aside from the physical risks, children tend to suffer more psychological trauma than adults and are often just as frightened by the reactions of the adults as they are by the actual events they have witnessed.  If not properly dealt with, this psychological trauma can have adverse affects throughout their lives, impacting their families and communities.

What is needed

For younger children, the first task is to provide safe, child-friendly play spaces.  In the case of Haiti, this involves identifying and securing areas adjacent to settlement camps where children can play safely away from adult concerns, interact with each other, and regain a sense of normalcy.  These spaces also offer opportunities for targeted post-traumatic healing, either through one-on-one interactions with counselors or through group activities. For slightly older children, it is important to set up emergency education facilities as soon as possible.  Getting school-age children back to a school-type routine is crucial for their physical safety and mental health.  Education facilities also double as places for post-traumatic healing activities and distribution points for other forms of aid, such as food/water, vaccinations, and health education. They can also serve as community centers where people gather for political and social events.

Two organizations that philanthropists can support

1.      Save the Children (see also Haiti and Katrina: Difference Donors Should Know): Successful models of emergency education and child protection involve comprehensive plans for the transition to permanent schooling. In addition, effective models plan for the sustainability of the program beyond the initial recovery phase. They do so by building local capacity and partnering with the government and organizations that will be there long-term. Save the Children is currently tasked with providing the majority of these programs in Haiti as well as developing the long-term plan for rebuilding the schools.

2.      International Rescue Committee (see also Haiti: “Cutting Through the Noise”): One example of successful emergency education took place in Aceh, Indonesia following the 2004 tsunami. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) implemented a comprehensive plan to provide immediate child-friendly spaces and tent schools, rebuild permanent school structures, and rebuild and improve the human resource capacity of the local school district.  In its long term recovery programs, the IRC usually employs local people for 90% of its staff requirements, thus providing employment and training, building local capacity, contributing to the local economy, and ensuring greater sustainability of its programming.  In Aceh, the IRC partnered with the Indonesian government and the local university to hire replacement teachers, develop appropriate curriculum, and conduct professional development training for both veteran teachers and new recruits.  The end result is that the school system in Aceh today is much stronger than it was before the tsunami.  They are currently making plans to adapt this model to Haiti.

Thanks to CHIP team members Carol McLaughlin, Katherina Rosqueta, Katherine Summers, Kate Barrett, and Autumn Walden for supporting information.

from → Disaster Recovery, Disaster Relief, Philanthropy, nonprofit, social impact, vulnerable populations

Weekend Wrap-up: Haiti Responses, Center Updates, and Upcoming Events

2010 January 29
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by impactsp2walden

Responses to our guidance on Haiti

Thanks to our readers for their comments on our posts on Haiti. We hope that you will continue to engage and exchange information as events there unfold. Please refer to the right-hand column on this blog, labeled “MOST RECENT” to view the latest information we have gathered on the situation over the past two weeks. You can also search the tag “Haiti” for all related links on this blog.

Here’s a quick round-up of articles this week that link back to our blog:

In addition to our core team of staff and students, we have created a Haitian Disaster Response Newsroom where student volunteers from Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice, Wharton School, Nursing School,  School of Arts & Sciences, as well as  Temple University, are providing up-to-date briefs that can continue to inform our guidance. If you are a student local to the Philadelphia area and would like to become involved, please contact our Center for information on how you can help.

    Events for folks in or near the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia

    The Center for High Impact Philanthropy was founded by Wharton alumni and is housed at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy & Practice. In addition to our activities on Haiti, we have a few upcoming events during the month of February:

    • Kathleen Noonan, senior fellow at CHIP and Managing Director of PolicyLab at CHOP is teaching a Spring 2010 course, Achieving Evidence-Based Health Policy, offered by the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars MSPH program. Carol McLaughlin of CHIP to guest lecture.

    Lastly, if you are able to travel to Temple University next Tue, Feb 2nd from 4-5:30pm, you can attend Time for Change: Social Entrepreneurship, the New Sustainable Economy, and You presented by Scott Anderson and Temple’s Fox Net Impact & the Office of Leadership Development.

    from → Disaster Recovery, Disaster Relief, Events, Philanthropy, SP2, UPenn, social entrepreneur, social impact, social media

    Haiti and Katrina: Differences donors should know

    2010 January 27
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    by impactsp2

    For 2 weeks, our team has seen a strong desire by some to compare the earthquake in Haiti to Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. In some ways, this is understandable. Particularly for people in the United States, Hurricane Katrina is the closest they can come to understanding what has happened in Haiti. Then we read an op-ed in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal entitled Haiti: Obama’s Katrina and realized just how deep – and potentially unhelpful – that comparison can be for those trying to understand how best to respond.

    Yes, both were natural disasters where lives were tragically lost and where the general public was shocked by the level of suffering and devastation. In both, as in all natural disasters, there is an initial period of chaos. However, comparing Haiti to Katrina is an apples to oranges comparison. Key differences:

    Pre-existing infrastructure

    Katrina took place in the richest country in the Western hemisphere; the earthquake in Haiti took place in the poorest. New Orleans before Katrina was not perfect, but as a US city, its communications, transportation, healthcare, governance, security, education and financial infrastructure were all far stronger than the often shocking conditions that existed in Haiti even before the quake struck.

    Capacity of first responders to mobilize

    In addition to the lack of pre-existing infrastructure, one of the reasons that the chaos and devastation in Haiti has been so great is that those tasked to coordinate and respond to the crisis were themselves victims. Katrina, while tragic, hit a relatively small area that hosted neither the seat of government nor the financial center of the United States. Relief efforts could be coordinated and mobilized by those who were not directly affected. In contrast, Haiti’s earthquake destroyed the political, economic, and social center of the country. In previous disasters (e.g., the 2004 Asian tsunami, the Sichuan earthquake, and the earthquake in Northern Pakistan), the country’s government, the United Nations (UN), and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) already working in those countries could mobilize to respond. In Haiti’s case, the key UN personnel were killed; Haitian government officials lost their lives, families, homes, and offices; and Haiti-based NGOs lost staff and the equipment to respond.

    Confusion over who is in charge

    Katrina took place in the United States where the US government was in charge of coordinating relief efforts. In all disaster situations, the government of the country is in charge. In Haiti, the lack of pre-existing infrastructure, the Haitian government’s incapacity to respond, and the sheer scale of the humanitarian crisis complicated issues of responsibility and coordination.

    These differences are important to donors not as an academic history lesson. They’re important because a central question that donors ask is, “Am I making a difference?”  But you’ve got to know where you’re starting from in order to see whether you’re making any progress. And you’ve got to know what is realistic to expect in order to celebrate successes and learn from failures.

    Right now, the folks who are in the best position to answer those questions are the folks on the ground in Haiti. Here’s what they’re saying:

    • The IRC says that water distribution and efforts to reunite homeless Port-au-Prince survivors with relatives in the unaffected areas of the countryside are going extremely well:  http://www.theirc.org/news/haiti-a-glimmer-hope-amid-ruins-port-au-prince-6754
    • Hopital Albert Schweitzer reports, “[volunteer] clinicians have melded almost seamlessly with the Haitian staff; many have been here before, and know how to fit in. Others are adaptable and flexible, and adjust their activities to the existing patterns. All of them work long hours, and make substantial contributions to the hospital’s efforts to manage the surge of unexpected patients.” http://hashaiti.blogspot.com/2010_01_25_archive.html
    • Save the Children, despite having lost their own operations center in the quake, already have 16 safe play centers for children and plans to open 150 over the coming weeks.  “Despite the challenges presented by the scale of this disaster and its impact on the capital city, we are reaching more children and families every day,” said Annie Foster, Save the Children’s team leader in Haiti.  http://www.savethechildren.org/newsroom/2010/two-weeks-quake.html
    • The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is reporting that normal activity has returned to some parts of Port-au-Prince, including the resumption of some services like banking, supermarkets, and fuel stations.  The Haitian Government is focused on resuming the country’s public administration functions.  The transportation logistics situation is improving daily.  http://www.ochaonline.un.org/haiti
    • Jamie Rudert, a volunteer working in logistics to distribute medical supplies and staff to a border hospital at Jimani says that volunteers are working tirelessly to ensure that survivors are receiving the best medical care possible, and that “given the circumstances, things are surprisingly well-organized.”  They are short on support staff, but the doctors there are making do with what they have, and everyone is pitching in to do jobs they normally wouldn’t have to do, such as post-op care.

    And finally, from Dr. Vincent DeGennero, Jr., internal medicine resident at Columbia University:

    Having been to Haiti twice before, I can tell you that the conditions there were awful before the earthquake and that may color the way that the media who haven’t been there before perceive it. I was able to travel throughout most of the city without security or road issues but I did not go to the hardest hit part of Cite de Soleil. I worked in triage, pre-op and post-op and functioned as an ER doc, pediatrician, nurse, psychiatrist and physical therapist. The most inspiring thing for me was this spirit of cooperation. During my four days I worked with paramedics, nurses and doctors from Korea, France, Hungary, and Portugal. There were Jamaican army soldiers and Bolivian UN soldiers providing security for the two hospitals.  People worked 18-24 hour days and never stopped moving. They gave away supplies, free rides, traded patients, gave away food and water all in the name of helping the Haitian people.

    Few of these stories have yet made it into the mainstream press coverage. Perhaps, as Dr. DeGennero suggests, it is difficult for reporters to see progress amid poverty.  Nonetheless, these stories are important. Given where things started in Haiti, they are early and hopeful signs – leading indicators that the donors supporting these types of efforts are making a difference.

    from → Disaster Recovery, Disaster Relief, Philanthropy, social impact

    Haiti: Jump Starting the Recovery with Solutions for the Long Term

    2010 January 25
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    by impactsp2

    As we write this post, government officials and international groups are meeting in Montreal to discuss “long-term reconstruction and arrangement for a donor conference to be held in March.” There is no need to wait. Philanthropists can support evidence-based programs that are underway right now in Haiti addressing immediate needs while building capacity on the ground for the long term.

    Rationale:

    • Common sense, experience from other disasters (e.g. Aceh tsunami), and research all point to the same thing. Involve communities in their own recovery, rather than relying on outside contractors, and you will see a more lasting impact.
    • With the Haitian banking system at a stand still, there is an urgent need for access to cash for local people to meet basic needs as well as for business to continue operations for the long run.

    Here are 2 models philanthropists can support that are meeting immediate relief needs in a way that links with long-term development: 1) Cash-for-work (CFW) programs and 2) Micro-finance banking providing cash transfer and remittances to local people.

    1) Cash-for-work (CFW) programs

    • Basics – pay local people directly to clean-up with links to skills training in such areas as brick making and construction
    • They address multiple levels:
      • Near-term, they’re a way to clear the rubble and get young men actively engaged in clean-up operations
      • Mid-term, they get cash into the economy and build self-sufficiency
      • Long-term, they provide job skills and community bonds needed for lasting recovery.

    2 organizations philanthropists can support that are implementing this evidence-based strategy in Haiti:

    UNDP (United Nations Development Program)

    • UNDP started with a Cash-for-work program last Tuesday that will expand throughout affected areas. They are paying local people directly to clean up rubble. This will then be linked to skills training, brick making, and construction skills. Once fully operational, the project will employ 220,000 people, indirectly benefiting around 1 million Haitians. (Read the full article on the UNDP website.)
    • This strategy has been used recently in Haiti by the UNDP after the Hurricanes in 2008 in collaboration with the Haitian government. UNDP has been able to leverage staff and resources from an ongoing project to jump-start this effort.
    • There is an easy way for individuals to donate to UNDP program through the UN Foundation Website.

    Mercy Corps

    • In addition to providing food, clean water, sanitation, and trauma support, Mercy Corps is initiating a CFW program in Haiti. Visit the Mercy Corps website to find out What They’re Doing in Haiti.
    • Mercy Corps has a strong track record in disaster response and CFW programs.
    • Mercy Corps’ Cash-for-work program was instrumental in Aceh after the Tsunami. An outside assessment of the program by Johns Hopkins School of Public Health found:
      • “CFW provided a critical source of cash for tsunami victims and helped empower displaced populations to return to their pre-tsunami residences: 91% of exit survey participants indicated that CFW helped to facilitate return to their communities. Other reported psychosocial benefits of CFW included providing productive activities for tsunami survivors and giving communities an opportunity to work together. Mercy Corps’ experience in Aceh demonstrates that relief efforts that provide cash disbursements to local populations can be safely delivered on a widespread basis in emergencies, and that, when implemented on a short-term basis, can have positive impacts at the individual as well as the community level”(Doocy, et. al., 2005)

    2) Micro-finance and financial services

    • Basics – provide cash transfers, remittances, loans, and other financial services to local people
    • They address multiple levels:
      • Near-term, ensure that Haitians have the resources to meet basic needs and get much needed cash into the economy. They also provide a secure and rapid way for families and friends abroad to send money home to Haiti.
      • Mid-term, allow locals access to capital for rebuilding
      • Long-term, provide loans and financial services so that Haitian businesses can succeed

    Fonkoze

    • Fonkoze is Haiti’s largest micro-finance organization with a mission to build the economic foundation for democracy in Haiti by providing the rural poor – mostly women – with the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty.
    • They offer a full range of financial services to the rural-based poor, currently reaching more then 225,000 savers and borrowers.
    • Through their emergency Earthquake Relief and Rehabilitation Fund, they have been able to set up emergency centers where branches can resume their operations, giving their clients access to the capital they need to deal with immediate needs (e.g., rebuilding homes) as well as the overwhelming challenges that lay ahead. The fund also provides financial resources to ensure that new loans are available for women who have lost their businesses and need to re-establish them.
    • As of Saturday, 34 Fonkoze branches through-out the country (including one in PoP) are operational and now have enough cash to satisfy transfer and remittance needs without problems.
    • Philanthropists can support this fund at: http://www.fonkoze.org

    Take home for philanthropists:

    Charitable donations often support immediate relief. But programs (like Cash-for-work and Micro-financing banking) move beyond immediate relief to setting the stage for a lasting recovery.

    Thanks to CHIP team members Carol McLaughlin, Zehua Li, Kat Rosqueta, Liore Klein, and Autumn Walden for supporting information.

    from → Disaster Recovery, Disaster Relief, Philanthropy, social impact

    Haiti: Getting It There Without Getting In The Way (for those special cases where in-kind donations are needed)

    2010 January 21
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    by impactsp2

    Since last week, we have been emphasizing the need for financial contributions (see Haiti: How Can I Help). Cash allows aid professionals to procure the exact items needed from the nearest sources. It also reduces the burden on scarce resources such as transportation routes and warehouse space.

    The history of disaster relief response is rife with horror stories of misguided in-kind donations. For example:

    However, there are a few, special cases in which donors have access to very specific supplies listed on the wish lists of organizations operating on the ground (e.g., antibiotics, surgical supplies).

    For example, if you know that a Haitian clinic has a wish list of antibiotics and pain medications, and you have access to large quantities of those pharmaceuticals ready to donate, you are likely wondering how to get them into the right hands without getting in the way or adding to the chaos.

    In situations like these, you need an organization that specializes in stop-gap logistics and supply chain support. Several organizations are filling this role in Haiti and for the border areas in the Dominican Republic. Here are some examples of organizations you can contact, particularly in the area of urgently needed medical supplies:

    • Adventist Development and Relief Agency – they are operating a hospital just outside of Port-au-Prince, but are also providing supply chain logistics to government hospitals and those of partner organizations.  They have a central office and warehouse in the Dominican Republic that is serving as a distribution center.  1-800-424-2372
    • Americares – They have a variety of national and international programs, but in the case of Haiti they are specializing in providing medical supplies to organizations with ground operations.  They are working quickly to respond to the evolving needs. 1-800-486-HELP (4357)
    • Medical Assistance Programs, Int’l (MAP) – They specialize in supply chain logistics for hospitals and clinics around the world and they have a team on the ground conducting needs assessments. 1-800-225-8550

    Thanks to CHIP Team members, Katherine Summers, Carol McLaughlin, Kate Barrett, and Kat Rosqueta for supporting information.

    from → Disaster Relief, Philanthropy, health, nonprofit, social impact

    Haiti: “Cutting Through the Noise” – Effective donor help during the immediate relief phase

    2010 January 19
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    by impactsp2carol

    In our first blog post last Thursday, Haiti: How Can I Help?, we listed the two types of nonprofit organizations best equipped to have impact in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti. We also listed examples of each and underscored the need for cash donations vs. donations of supplies or in-person volunteer help. (See our comments in last week’s BusinessWeek and Chicago Tribune.)

    The devastation in Haiti has been matched by an outpouring of generosity. Unfortunately, the sheer volume of news reports and charitable solicitations mean that many people who wish to help are having a hard time cutting through the noise.

    Here’s what to focus on: impact not overhead.

    Donors report nonprofit solicitations touting low overhead ratios (“100% of your money goes to program cost!”) But even suppliers of these ratios have warned that they are poor proxies for what donors really care about (see link to press release, The Worst (and Best) Way to Pick a Charity This Year)– impact.

    To have impact – particularly in the chaotic first phase of disaster relief – donors need answers to the following questions:

    1. What are the most critical needs on the ground?
    2. What capabilities are needed to address them effectively?
    3. Which nonprofits have those capabilities?

    1.  Critical needs on the ground

    With search and rescue for survivors winding down, the main emphasis for the next few weeks will be on basic survival needs: clean water, food, shelter, and emergency medical care.

    Safety and security are also critical, but are mainly supported by police, UN groups, and international armed forces, not by NPOs/NGOs.

    2.  Nonprofit capabilities needed to have impact

    • Expertise and track record in specific disaster response efforts such as:
      • Clean water – e.g., water delivery, large scale water purification systems, water purification tablets for those with access to some type of water, ready mixed oral rehydration solution for those with dehydration but no access to water.
      • Food – e.g., child survival messages regarding exclusive breastfeeding for babies, “plumpy’ nut” prepackaged food for children, and meals-ready-to-eat. Since water is not yet available, emphasis is on food that does not require water.
      • Shelter – e.g., distribution of plastic sheeting, establishment of tent camps
      • Emergency medical care – e.g., trauma care, surgery under “battleground” type conditions, orthopedists, etc.
    • Organizations with know-how and teams in Haiti able to quickly mobilize staff and supplies.

    3.  Organizations with the necessary capabilities

    Here are examples of organizations currently addressing key survival needs in Haiti. All have teams on the ground and experience and personnel in Haiti.

    Water

    Oxfam International – They are working collaboratively with UNICEF to deliver water to key distribution points.  Water bladders are in place that can hold 10,000 litres and, though delivery efforts were hampered by fuel shortages, water is being distributed.  Oxfam is also working with UNICEF to address sanitation concerns including building latrines and distributing shelter and hygiene supplies.  If you want to donate, you can visit the American site at http://www.oxfamamerica.org/

    Food

    World Food Programme – Charged with coordinating food distribution, they already have 10 million ready-to-eat meals prepared for airlift to Haiti.  They estimate that they will need to provide enough ready-to-eat meals to feed 2 million people for a month.  They are also working with UNICEF to provide targeted nutrition to affected children. World Food Programme Logistics is providing the coordination for transport and logistical needs, including air, road, and sea transport and the housing of humanitarian aid workers.  They have just signed a contract with Shell in Santo Domingo to provide 10,000 gallons of fuel per day that will be available to all humanitarian operations.

    Emergency medical care

    Medecines San Frontieres (MSF)/Doctors Without Borders – Focusing on trauma surgeries and emergency medicine (urgent C-sections for pregnant women and tetanus vaccinations), they have been able to quickly set up field hospitals to treat thousands critically injured in the earthquake and aftermath.  As of yesterday they had seen over 3,000 people and performed 600 surgeries.

    Shelter

    International Rescue Committee (IRC) – Experienced emergency response team on the ground in Haiti includes experts in health, shelter, and children’s welfare.  They are working alongside local aid groups and organizations that have had a long-term presence in Haiti.  They are veteran first responders with over 75 years of experience in disaster relief.  They are also working to support Haitian refugee communities around the globe.  Immediate focus is on the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) living outdoors with little or no shelter.  They will help organize temporary shelters and safe spaces, as well as provide psychological help to traumatized women and children.  They are now accepting donations through their website and via text message by texting HAITI to 25383. For more on text donations, see last week’s post on High Impact Technology for Disaster Relief Giving.

    This post focused on the immediate relief phase. At each phase of the recovery process, new priorities will emerge. In future posts, we’ll discuss how donors can ensure resources are in place for meeting these emerging needs. We’ll also provide more details on how key nonprofit organizations are translating philanthropic support into impact.

    from → Disaster Relief, Philanthropy, health, nonprofit, social impact

    Haiti: High Impact Technology for Disaster Relief Giving

    2010 January 15
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    by impactsp2walden

    It’s been approximately 72 hours since an earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, Haiti and the news is rife with stories of how to give money to effective organizations while avoiding scams. The current giving trend of mobile donations via text messaging is an eye-opening phenomenon but has also caused many to wonder how it will compare with the previous successes of online donations. Meanwhile, The Chronicle of Philanthropy released a figure of over $71 million already collected in donations to U.S. relief organizations.

    Yesterday, Carol McLaughlin, our director of global public health research, had a chance to chat with KCBS radio on the $3.4 million raised by mobile giving (as of the recording Jan 14, 2010, 10:30am EST/7:30am PST). Follow the links to read the story and listen to the audio. We also have the audio available, searchable on iTunes and on our podcast subscription page. Additionally, Kat Rosqueta, our executive director, was quoted in BusinessWeek and the Chicago Tribune, in relation to the emergency relief efforts, electronically and on the ground. The total for mobile giving via text has now reached a total of $8 million to the American Red Cross via CBSNews.

    As always, questions arise around the safety and sustainability of using new technology when it involves donating personal resources, such as money. After a quick round of brainstorming, our team came up with a few points to consider:

    Pros (+) and Cons (-) of Donating via Text Messaging

    • + Easy to do, user-friendly, quick response (seconds-minutes)
    • + Low cost ($5-$10)
    • + Scale of use: close to 80% of Americans have cell phones
    • + Large and untapped demographic of young givers or “Millennials”
    • + Accessibility in the event of not being near a computer for immediate gift or a website crash due to heavy donation traffic (In the case of Yele.)
    • - Money paid to orgs only after phone bill is paid—lag in time for money to be paid to orgs (per NYTimes)
    • - Software, Licensing, and Transaction fees to orgs (Per NYTimes. In this instance, fees have been waived for the most part.)
    • - Limited donation amounts

    How it works in this instance (4 steps):

    1. Text a specific keyword  to a designated number (Red Cross Example: Text the word “Haiti” to 90999)
    2. Wait to receive a text reply asking to confirm your donation amount (Red Cross Example: $10)
    3. Reply to the confirmation via text (Red Cross Example: Reply with the word “Yes”)
    4. Wait to receive a “Thank You/Confirmation” message that the donation has been received and will be charged to your phone bill

    (Note: There are other instances of making transactions via text message. For example, there is a popular food truck on Penn’s campus, Tacos Don Memo, which offers a text service called Venmo to pay for your order. However, this service requires credit card information, which some are still wary of for online transactions.)

    Potential for future giving:

    • Grassroots mobilization of small donation amounts
    • Wireless “Giving Circle”
    • Recurring gifts through phone bill or other utilities

    These lists are not exhaustive but serve as a start for how technology and philanthropy are combining in the information age. You can refer to a previous blog post on Wireless Philanthropy and Social Impact and we encourage your thoughts and feedback. On a final note, our support and thanks goes out to the brave men and women who are lending their skills, aid, and hearts to the victims in Haiti and indeed to all individuals who have to endure such a tragedy. You can visit Penn’s response page to the disaster as well: http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/haiti_earthquake.php.

    from → Disaster Relief, Foundations, Philanthropy, UPenn, facebook, health, nonprofit, social impact, social media, twitter

    Haiti: How Can I Help?

    2010 January 14
    22 Comments
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    by impactsp2walden

    There are many lists of organizations available for making donations to disaster relief in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Yesterday on twitter, Lucy Bernholz (@p2173) asked about the best way to give. As we focus on high impact, here are 4 tips:

    1. Immediate response. In a disaster, timing is crucial. The sooner you give, the sooner the organizations can help.
    2. Financial contributions. As opposed to food or clothing, organizations need monetary donations to quickly mobilize the supplies and staff that are available.
    3. Orgs well-positioned for quick response. Organizations that already have teams in Haiti or have the capacity and experience for fast and efficient disaster relief.
    4. Orgs that can deliver immediate needs. Search and Rescue, Emergency Medical Care, Clean Water and Food Access, and Communication and Logistics.

    We have compiled a small list of a few organizations that are well-positioned to deliver these services in Haiti (thanks to Carol McLaughlin and Katherine Summers for the supporting info from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH)):

    Orgs that have comprehensive health systems in Haiti, able to immediately mobilize their existing Haiti-based health teams and supplies and care for the critically injured:

    • Partners in Health (PIH): PIH is mobilizing its logical team and medical staff of more than 100 doctors and 500 nurses and nursing assistants to respond to the urgent needs of those Port-au-Prince.
    • Hôpital Albert Schweitzer (HAS): HAS is currently a major site receiving patients suffering from traumatic injuries from the earthquake. (Note: They also have a facebook Cause to which you can contribute.)

    Other relief orgs that are mobilizing needed supplies and staff to Haiti are:

    • Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Members of Doctors Without Borders are already in Haiti treating the injured. They have four tented hospitals already in operation, and are eagerly awaiting the arrival of an inflatable hospital that is pre-packed with beds, trays, respirators, and essential medicines.
    • UNICEF: UN partners and UNICEF are involved mainly with providing supplies to survivors, such as temporary housing, water storage containers and purification tablets, and cooking supplies and food kits.
    • Catholic Relief Services (CRS):  CRS has food and relief supplies pre-positioned in Haiti. Additional supplies such as plastic sheeting, hygiene kits, mosquito nets, and water purification tablets are being loaded in the Dominican Republic for distribution in Haiti.
    • International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): The ICRC and the American Red Cross are mobilizing resources and staff to respond to the earthquake including search and rescue and medical supplies.

    In addition to the larger more well known organizations above, Carol McLaughlin, our research director for global public health, has worked with the nonprofit organization Hands Together. For more than 20 years, this organization has worked with the poorest in the shanty towns of the capital Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas in Haiti.  Staffed mostly by local Haitians, they run medical clinics, community health workers programs, elementary schools, and clean water projects, in addition to providing disaster response.

    You can also send small donations via text, a service provided by mGive, to the following organizations:

    • American Red Cross:
      • Text the word “Haiti” to 90999
      • You will receive a text reply asking to confirm your $10 donation
      • Reply with a text with the word “Yes”
      • You will receive a Thank You message that your $10 donation has been received that will be charged to your phone bill
    • Doctors Without Borders
      • Text the word “DOB” to 90999
      • You will receive a text reply asking to confirm your $5 donation
      • Reply with a text with the word “Yes”
      • You will receive a Thank You message that your $5 donation has been received that will be charged to your phone bill
    Stay tuned for a follow up post on how mGive was able to raise over $2 million dollars for the Haiti Disaster Relief effort through mobile giving. [Update: As of Fri Jan 15, 2010, mGive reports $8 million from its text giving campaign to the American Red Cross of a total of $10 million released from Red Cross donations. As of Fri, Jan 15, 2010, 1:20pm EST, popular topics on the twitter  home page are: Yele, HelpHaiti, Haiti, & Red Cross. I also started using #howcanihelp to track my related tweets. ]

    from → Disaster Relief, Philanthropy, health, nonprofit, twitter

    Pathways to Student Success: One Year Later

    2009 December 16
    1 Comment
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    by impactsp2walden

    Hello readers! I hope you are all getting ready to wrap up your 2009 with not only a sigh of relief but also a sight of something brighter in 2010. It was this time last year when the Center released its first philanthropic investment guide in education titled, Pathways to Student Success: A Guide To Translating Good Intentions Into Meaningful Impact. Authored by Dr. Hilary Rhodes, et al., it outlines the education pathway (below), defines the core problem of high school drop out rates among at-risk, disadvantaged youth and its negative societal effects, and provides opportunities for philanthropic help along each step of the pathway.

    This foundational research is a free, downloadable document (88pgs), also available in hard copy for $35, that addresses the following 3 questions:

    1. What is a meaningful change (impact) to target?
    2. What activities lead to that meaningful change for at-risk students?
    3. How much does it cost to achieve that change?

    The guide focuses on direct service program models (Promising Practices) as well as information on external groups that serve disadvantaged students and the teachers that work with them. There are four ways that we suggest the guide can be used by philanthropists:

    1. Fund one of the many models  or Promising Practices discussed.
    2. Promote the entrepreneurial use of these models by other organizations.
    3. Create an entirely new model to address an issue outlined in the report.
    4. Use the evidence presented in the report to test the value proposition of program models other than the ones  discussed.

    Since its release last December 2008, Pathways is now listed in the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC) database, searchable by Reference #ED504280. In addition, the Posse Foundation, one of the organizations mentioned in the guide, has partnered with the University of Pennsylvania. Most recently, the Chase Community Giving Challenge provided the opportunity for people to vote on facebook for their favorite charities to win $25,000, with a grand prize of $5 million. A good number of the charities eligible were highlighted in Pathways, as well as in our other reports.

    You can also find it mentioned on the web in the following places:

    Also, in order to provide ongoing resources, updates, and promote continuing discussions on ideas and issues related to student achievement, I have created a twitter account: @ImpactPathways. Follow us and send us a 140 character message, whether it’s feedback, suggestions of a Promising Practice, or if you have a specific question for the authors. Be sure to check in with us in the New Year, as we are well underway into working on our Action Agenda for the next philanthropic investment guides in education and global health, focusing on Teaching Quality and Child Survival, respectively.

    from → Pathways, Philanthropy, facebook, nonprofit, social impact, twitter

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