Comments on: Is it Time to Donate to FORGE?

By: Putnam Barber

Putnam Barber — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:58:10 +0000

Like others, I have to say that FORGE’s mission is not in my philanthropic range. I came to this discussion by scanning nonprofit-related blogs — including this one.

First, though, a comment on the blogging. There is no email address or “contact us” link on the FORGE website that I could see. So, at least for me, the invitation to send direct feedback is not very helpful, though the intention is admirable.

Then a comment on the website itself: it provides no frame for a stranger. The projects are taking place within a context that is unknown to me (and I expect to many others who are reasonably attentive consumers of North American news media). Lacking more background, the projects seem worthy but arbitrary. Chosing among these score or more is difficult; convincing myself that this group of projects deserves more attention than the thousands that haven’t been mentioned is, frankly, impossible.

I can’t imagine a solution. My heart sinks at the thought of all the things I cannot do.

By: Sean Stannard-Stockton

Sean Stannard-Stockton — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:56:59 +0000

FORGE’s mission is not my philanthropic mission either. But a new and better philanthropy is my personal mission, so my donation to FORGE will be a way to support transparency. I think that helping them succeed and reinforcing Steve’s point that it was a brilliant marketing decision (while also actually helping improve their operations) is critical. There is no better, more leveraged way to support nonprofit transparency than to support FORGE at this point. Especially because supporting them will be a public act.

By: Steve Wright

Steve Wright — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 02:36:06 +0000

Seems like we have a bit of the observer effect going on here. As more people observe this discussion the prognosis for FORGE improves and, it was specifically the decision to be radically transparent that drew the attention to them. Ends up, it was a brilliant marketing decision. The greatest irony here is that it was a merketing failure that got them in this position in the first place.

If FORGE wants KIVA-like success they have to do more than the massive amount of work that goes along with collecting the stories but they also need to compete with KIVA (and Microedge, and Global Giving, and…) Also, they need to get lucky, like KIVA did.

It is a great story and very illustrative of where we are in our intersection of technology, philanthropy and the economy.

By: David Lynn

David Lynn — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 01:27:11 +0000

Similarly to Renata, FORGE is not my personal philanthropic mission. However, that doesn’t mean that I haven’t forwarded the info on to people that I think might be interested.

More importantly, to me the most impressive organizations demonstrate monetary leverage through volunteers. Readers of this blog may not be donors – but that doesn’t mean we don’t want FORGE to succeed. Our giving can be to help provide advice, resources, connections, strategies, in-kind services, and whatever else might enable FORGE to be a success, now and in the future.

–David

By: Renata Rafferty

Renata Rafferty — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 21:01:40 +0000

I am intrigued by FORGE’s journey and the discussion surrounding it. But I will not be donating to FORGE, now or ever. Simply, its mission is not my philanthropic mission. And that may true of the many tactical philanthropists who are also following the FORGE story.

The very point of tactical philanthropy (or as I call it, smart generosity)is to know what you mean to accomplish in the world before you invest your money in a social endeavor.

There are legions of strong and effective charities doing important work, with websites that are as good as they get. But they have nothing to do with the causes, issues or changes I want to facilitate through my giving.

So, rather than trying to “guilt” us into donating to FORGE just because we are following its story, why not simply charge all of us voyeurs an admission price to watch the show? I’d pay at least $5 to see where this goes!