Regardless of how much people strive for social change, there are plenty of setbacks that can hinder them from achieving their goals. Despite how significant the current nonprofit model is, the task has proven to be daunting as positive social impact requires one to carry an in-depth understanding of relevant issues and a wealth of time and capital. The traditional nonprofit method involves organizations collecting capital, but only a handful of them can accomplish their goals as the capital is scarcely distributed according to the needs of, or in collaboration with, the people who need it.
In 2020, America recorded over $471 billion donations to charitable organizations with 80% of them coming from individuals. However, less than 1% of all nonprofit organizations surveyed by the watchdog group, Givewell.org, have been deemed effective. A little over half of Americans (specifically 52%) have expressed their trust in nonprofits to do what is right compared to 54% who trust the for-profit sector. Research has also shown that the percentage decreased over time with Gen Z’s trust at 45% compared to the Greatest Generation’s trust at 70%
The numbers prove that individuals strive to affect change, but change cannot be attained when the organizations powering them are declining. With traditional nonprofit models, money enters organizations and goes through a lengthy, diminishing process before it gets distributed to people in need. Middlemen then earmark large amounts for their own paychecks, distributing the funds to contractors with bloated fees.
People should work together towards common goals, and collaboration is an important asset to create change. In the age of corporate social responsibility, individuals have banded together seeking to break tradition. ShareYourself is an open project management and social engagement platform that is designed from the ground up to guide people’s success as a change-maker. The organization consists of like-minded thought leaders, activists, and businesses who collectively address humanity’s most pressing challenges.
ShareYourself provides impact leaders with tools they need to succeed, merging the modern crowdfunding model with a suite of project management tools and an open forum for collaboration. The platform acts as a centralized digital space for individuals to donate directly to changemakers, allowing the donors to learn from them and eventually becoming changemakers themselves. Project leaders receive funds within two days of a user’s donation, but ShareYourself has been working to integrate their platform with the blockchain to shorten the waiting period to under two minutes.
Although many people are under the impression that social change can only be done with money, ShareYourself has been working to prove that it takes more than just capital to accomplish the goal. The platform enables individuals to not only donate their dollars but also their time and talent. The company believes that efficacy is predicated on clarity, adding tools for project teams to utilize and add transparency to their planning process. ShareYourself partners with businesses to give them insights into the aspirations of their employees, allowing them to develop a shared vision of philanthropic goals between employer and employee.
ShareYourself currently has over 7,000 users and counting, working on over 1,500 projects. The company hopes to grow its community and revolutionize how social change occurs, cutting out the middlemen and speeding the process of donations.
Learn more about ShareYourself by visiting its website.
