By Kyra Howell
The advent of technology has provided many opportunities for advancement to individuals and businesses. We are able to communicate with each other in a multitude of ways, whether it’s to send a family photo instantly via email, receive a payment from a client via an Internet credit card merchant, or broadcast our inspired business messages through YouTube videos.
The ways we are able to use the Internet has brought about social change across the globe so rapidly in recent years. Governments that still attempt to control their people are finding it harder to stave off the flow of democratic thinking and freedom-seeking citizens. Regimes have toppled – and the rest of the world has been able to watch, witness and support the change.
Another way in which we are able to use technology for good is to seek out organizations we can support with our philanthropy dollars. There are a number of organizations that conduct research on charitable organizations and post their reviews based on various factors. These summaries of activity are extremely useful to those of us looking to put a portion of our earnings toward social good.
If you are philanthropic or want to start on the path of having a giving plan, the first thing you want to do is to understand your own unique mission for giving. We all have one that is unique to us, but most people don’t take the time to understand what that is. That’s the main reason I have put together a program for determining your mission. Each of us is here to accomplish something on own path. Where your philanthropic dollars go and what you decide to do to in the name of societal progress is part of that path.
The next thing you need to do is determine which charitable organizations are doing good work in the area of most concern to you. That’s where the reviewing organizations become extremely helpful.
To research charitable organizations, you can utilize sites such as www.philanthropedia.com, www.givewell.org, or www.guidestar.org. This will give you a great start in determining the types of organizations to which you may want to contribute.
If you would prefer a pre-compiled list of some terrific charitable organizations to jump-start your giving, simply visit www.FoundationsforGiving.com to obtain a list of 25 Top Charitable Organizations that cross the spectrum in terms of their missions for giving.
Electronic technology has been, and will continue to be, very instrumental in summoning change for the better. The sooner each of us decides to be a part of that change in whatever way we can, the faster we can continue to move all societies forward and be the change we want to see in the world.
Kyra Howell is the founder of Foundations for Giving and The Howell Law Firm, PLLC. She works with inspired entrepreneurs to develop their unique missions for giving and to create private and family foundations to put wealth to work for individuals, their families, and society. Kyra is also on of the Top 100 women in ecommerce™ for 2012.
Special thanks to Christopher Novak, one of our advertisers in the Who’s Who in Ecommerce Special Edition 2012!
