Future:Media:Change

I just stumbled across a great resource for anyone considering which online donation platform to go with. Affinity Resources has compiled the most comprehensive list of online donation solutions with all of the information you need to make an informed decision.

A tee from underground t-shirt website Threadless.com has raised over $90,000 for Haiti relief efforts according to the Threadless weekly video update. The Haiti tee was launched on Jan. 19 with the Creole phrase, “Men anpil chay pa lou” (Translation: “Many Hands Make the Load Lighter”). All proceeds from the $10 per shirt sales benefit the Red Cross.

People have texted millions of dollars in donations to victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Is this the new model for philanthropy? Timothy Ogden, editor in chief of Philanthropy Action, explains the technology and the future of charity work in the information age.

In a world of far too many social media tools and not enough resources, FourSquare the popular geo location social network/game/craze has tested their own fund raising component to the service. Is this something that nonprofits need to keep on their radar? Do you need to hire a foursquare intern now?

2009 showed the world the power of the online platform, not only as a mobilizing tool but also as a powerful way to raise donations. With online donations being steadily incorporated into the normative giving structure, what else can we ask our community to do? Is there something beyond money that will actually mobilize people?

Good old e-mail is still the key to online organizing. Here are 5 best practices for making yours more effective.

Former management consultant Emily Dubner created Baking for Good, an online bakery that sells cookies and brownies, donating 15% of the proceeds to a nonprofit of your *choice. Is this an innovative example of pubic-private partnerships or just a gimmick?