Developments in technology have a lot of positive impact on society. Aside from making life easier for people around the world, it also made it easy for people to connect even though they’re located in different parts of the world.
Technology also made learning collaborative and interactive. Moreover, children can attend classes even though they’re staying at home.
These developments also had a significant impact on charity and philanthropy. Innovations facilitated a lot of things in the non-profit sector. Here are some of its influences.
More Opportunities for Giving
Technology increased the opportunities for people to give to charity. These days, people can donate using smartphones. Many charitable organizations are raising funds through text. This method of donation benefitted victims of the Japan earthquake in 2011.
Additionally, people can donate even small amounts at a time. A charitable act is not anymore limited to giving thousands of dollars to an organization. People can now donate smaller amounts. And there are no limitations on who can give. This means anyone from any economic background has the opportunity to get the satisfaction of being able to help somebody.
More Anonymity
Before the advent of the internet, donations were typically made during charitable events organized by charitable institutions. These were public events, and most of the people who donated attended these events. It also meant they had lesser chances of donating anonymously.
But these days, it is now possible to donate without telling anybody. Online platforms now allow people to send their donations without revealing their identity. This system is ideal for people who prefer to stay anonymous and do not like the attention typically given to philanthropic individuals.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding is using small amounts coming from a large number of individuals to fund an activity or business venture. It may have started in the 1700s, but it became widely used to raise funds for charity. It was a godsend to charitable organizations since it allowed them to raise funds from any source anywhere in the world. This is particularly true for organizations that are typically ignored by large donors.
There are a lot of platforms where these organizations can raise funds. GoFundMe and other players help these organizations in their fund-raising activities. It is even possible for an individual to raise funds for the upcoming surgery of a family member. These platforms have a lot of fundraising activities that donors can check and donate to efforts they feel connected to.
Increased Awareness
In the past, it was challenging to know where the donation went after it is given to a charitable organization. Donors didn’t normally get updates on how the funds were spent and who the beneficiaries were.
But these days, the donors have an idea where their donations went. Non-profit organizations would inform them and give them updates on any donation drive they are organizing. These organizations also communicate with the donors regularly through software available in the market. The software allows them to monitor the donations and how they are used.
Moreover, non-profit organizations are using social media to communicate with donors. They also increase awareness among the public about any activities they are organizing. These days people have an idea about the details of any donation drive these organizations are running.
Better Accountability
In addition to better awareness, technology also made it possible for better transparency and accountability in the funds raised by different organizations. These organizations already have a suitable digital presence to allow donors to check and monitor where the funds went.
People who feel that the funds were misused can now make their complaints known. This compelled these organizations to maintain a high standard when it comes to using funds.
The nonprofit sector has greatly benefitted from developments in technology. Aside from making it easier for them to receive donations, it also allowed them to reach more potential donors to the causes they are supporting.
