GlobalGiving connects individual and institutional donors directly to social, economic development, and environmental projects around the world.

GlobalGiving has a public site, www.globalgiving.org, where anyone can browse projects in thematic or geographic areas. We also provide the following customized services:

GlobalGiving was founded by two former World Bank executives who are using the Internet to create a highly efficient marketplace that enables more funding to reach projects throughout the globe and, at the same time, provides a more transparent, engaging way for donors to give.

GlobalGiving differs from other giving facilitators in the following ways:

GlobalGiving is supported by leaders in philanthropy, official aid, and the private sector, including HP, U.S. AID, The Skoll Foundation, The Omidyar Network, The Sall Family Foundation, The Hewlett Foundation, The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, among others. Part of the costs of the initial launch and operation were covered by investors in ManyFutures, Inc., a social enterprise that collaborated with the GlobalGiving Foundation to build the web platform and create awareness. As of December 2008, ManyFutures is a formal subsidiary of the GlobalGiving Foundation.

The longer goal is to make GlobalGiving largely self-sustaining based on donor facilitation fees; fee-based services provided to corporate and other institutional partners; and marketing sponsorships.

GlobalGiving sources projects in a number of different ways.

1. We work with a trusted network of "project sponsors" who recommend projects for GlobalGiving. These project sponsors are established, reputable organizations such as Ashoka, IDEX, and Mercy Corps, who submit their own projects, or recommend projects run by their local partners. Businesses or corporations also may recommend projects that are doing charitable work.
2. We host periodic "open" challenges during the year that allow individuals and organizations to nominate charitable projects for possible inclusion on the GlobalGiving website. To "qualify" for a long-term spot on GlobalGiving, organizations must meet minimum donation volume and donor thresholds within a prescribed time period.

Projects may either be run by US 501(c)3 organizations or organizations that are registered nonprofits in countries outside the US but have been deemed a 501(c)3 equivalent, or, in rare instances, by social enterprises - for-profit organizations whose work includes charitable activities in the public interest. ALL projects on GlobalGiving have a bonafide charitable purpose, and are required to submit extensive documentation for due diligence. GlobalGiving reviews all due diligence, and vets the projects to ensure they are legitimate, well-run, and satisfy IRS guidelines for international grantmaking as well as the new voluntary guidelines for anti-terrorism set for the in the Patriot Act.

Each month, GlobalGiving pools the contributions from each donor, and if the project has received $250 or more in funding, transfers the money either to the Project Sponsor (see 2.1 above) or the implementing organization. If the money is transferred to the sponsor, they then wire the funds directly to the project leader. If GlobalGiving directs the funds to the implementing organization overseas, bank wire transfer charges may apply. If the project has not yet reached $250, funds are disbursed once it has reached that amount.

GlobalGiving works with a wide range of established, respected international organizations such as Ashoka, IDEX, the United Nations Development Programme, and the World Bank Development Marketplace as Project Sponsors, who authenticate the projects of their partner organizations working in the field, and ensure the legitimacy of each social entrepreneur. These relationships give GlobalGiving a unique portfolio of credible projects not found on any other site.

All projects on GlobalGiving are vetted for eligibility -- by GlobalGiving or its partner organizations -- to receive international grants. This means that these projects have satisfied the IRS guidelines for international grant making as well as the new voluntary guidelines for anti-terrorism set forth in the Patriot Act.

When you make a contribution to a project on globalgiving.org, your name, billing address, email address, and credit card information are collected by one of our third-party credit card vendors (VeriSign or PayPal). If you ask to be placed on our email list, we will collect your name and email address. While we encourage donors to share their name and address with the project leader in order to foster long-term relationships, donors may elect to remain anonymous, in which case GlobalGiving promises to maintain your complete privacy.

Yes. All projects on globalgiving.org have been pre-qualified for 501(c)3 equivalency status. Further, all donations go through the GlobalGiving Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, making them tax-deductible for U.S. taxpayers to the full extent permitted by law.

The GlobalGiving Foundation's tax-exempt ID number is 30-010-8263.

For information on Tax Deductibility for Canadian Citizens and Australian citizens, click here.

GlobalGiving currently accepts credit/debit cards, checks, PayPal, bank wire transfers, stock transfers, and private equity shares.

To pay by credit/debit card or PayPal, click "Give Now" and enter your information accordingly through our secure server.

Checks should be made payable to The GlobalGiving Foundation. The project ID should be written in the memo field. Mail all checks to:

For more information on stock and wire transfers, click here

All credit card donations are collected through VeriSign, a secure third party whom we hire for this purpose, or PayPal, also a highly secure third-party payment system. Because all transactions go through third parties, GlobalGiving does not receive or retain credit card numbers. Further, we will never release your personal information to any outside party unless authorized to do so.

All donations made through PayPal, a leader in online payments, are kept private over their secure network.

To learn more about PayPal, click here.

GlobalGiving's 15% fee helps cover the costs of aggregating and vetting credible funding opportunities, presenting them on the website, and helping Project Leaders reach new donor audiences. This also includes the fees assessed by vendors for credit card processing. Because funds go directly to the project level, your contribution goes much further than most other international giving options. In addition, donors can choose to add on to their contribution to cover the fee, or have it deducted from their donation.

Every donation can make a difference. The minimum donation is $10.

Donation options illustrate the impact specific dollar amounts will have on a particular project. Many donors find that donation options help them get a tangible sense of how their contributions will be used. Keep in mind that you are not required to select a donation option -- we welcome any amount (minimum $10); just enter your desired contribution in the box labeled "Other Amount."

Typically, Project Leaders use a variety of funding channels to raise funds for their projects. When you donate to a project through GlobalGiving, your donation will always be directed to that project and its defined activities. However, depending on the overall amount of funds projects raise, both through GlobalGiving and from other sources, Project Leaders pursue a combination of different value outcomes, allowing the project to deliver a complete suite of products and services to its constituents.

When you give through GlobalGiving, you will be asked for a minimal amount of information in order to create a user profile. This profile will allow you to keep track of your giving history, and to access project updates. In addition, all contributions made to projects through GlobalGiving will be acknowledged with a receipt.

Through GlobalGiving Guaranteed (GGG), GlobalGiving promises donors complete satisfaction with all aspects of the donation process. If a donor is not satisfied with their experience, GGG will provide money back in the form of a voucher that can be used to support another project on the GlobalGiving website. Learn more about GlobalGiving Guaranteed.

Yes, any project on GlobalGiving can be turned into a gift easily - you can choose either to email your gift or send a paper card.

Simply follow the directions upon checkout, and we'll send the recipient a personalized email or card (you choose) with information on the project and a customized message from you.

Send a GlobalGiving Gift Certificate in any amount (minimum $10) to a friend, family member, colleague or whomever you'd like to "gift" - the recipient can use it to donate to any project they like on globalgiving.org. You can send Gift Certificates by email or snail mail.

To purchase and send a Gift Certificate, enter the desired dollar amount in the box labeled "Amount" on the Gifts page. Then click the "Send Gift Certificate" button. You'll be taken directly to checkout where you can complete your purchase via credit card or PayPal.

Browse the project catalog on GlobalGiving, and choose the project you want to support. When you complete your donation and "check out" you'll be prompted to enter your Gift Certificate number (a string of numbers and letters included in the body of the Gift Certificate) in the field labeled "Do you have a Gift Certificate? Enter the code here:". Make sure you "Add" your Gift Certificate after entering it. The Gift Certificate amount will be credited toward the total amount of your donation.

No. You can redeem only a portion of your Gift Certificate amount if your Giving Cart total is less than the Gift Certificate amount. The remaining balance will be saved in your account and will automatically appear in your Giving Cart the next time you log into GlobalGiving with the same email and password.

You may not redeem only a portion of the Gift Certificate if your Giving Cart total exceeds your Gift Certificate amount.

Yes. If your donation exceeds the amount of your Gift Certificate (by a minimum of $10), you can pay for the balance using a credit card or PayPal. If your donation is less than the amount of your Gift Certificate, the balance will be held in your account for the next time you donate through GlobalGiving.

No. Gift Certificates can only be used toward a donation or a Gift Card (a specified project donation in honor of someone else).

Yes.

Yes. If you are using multiple Gift Certificates, enter one code at a time and click the "Add" button after each entry. Each Certificate will appear as a line item above the Gift Certificate entry box.

If you have not redeemed your Gift Certificate within 12 months of the date of purchase, those funds will be transferred to the GlobalGiving Matching Fund. Learn more about the GlobalGiving Matching Fund.

Yes, the Guarantee may be invoked by the recipient/redeemer of a Gift Certificate/Gift Card, but not the original purchaser. In the case of a gift made "in honor of" someone else, the donor can take advantage of the Guarantee. Learn more about GlobalGiving Guaranteed.

If you have any kind of event or gathering, or if you want to encourage support for one or more projects from friends, coworkers, or family, you can create a registry. Once you create a registry, email invitees a link to your registry using the "Promote registry by e-mail" link under "My Registries" on your profile.

Many people choose projects in places where they have traveled or where there is an issue they care about. GlobalGiving allows you to browse through a wide range projects from around the world in a variety of themes such as health, education, economic development, and environment.

See our full list of project themes and geographies.

If you don't know where to start, use our Donation Wizard to help you select a project that is right for you.

Often projects listed on GlobalGiving have other sources of funding, including funding from their project sponsor organization or other donors that make up the remaining funding needs from the project budget listed on GlobalGiving. In addition, "donation options" listed on every project page provide an idea of what the project organization can accomplish with various levels of funding less than the total project need. Organizations warrant that funding received through GlobalGiving, even if less than their original project need, will be spent on the project activities outlined in the project page and they take responsibility for reporting on these activities through project updates.

In rare cases, the funds donated to a project are insufficient for an organization to go forward with any part of their planned activities. If a project cannot go forward with the funds donated, the project will be removed from the web site and donors will be notified. Donors will receive a GlobalGiving gift certificate equal to their original donation, and GlobalGiving will suggest similar projects already in implementation that donors could choose to support with their gift certificate.

Every donor has a choice of becoming known to the project leader or remaining anonymous. For donors that choose to become known to the project leader, the donor's contact information is provided to the project leader. This may include the donor's mailing address and email address. In addition, each project listing includes the contact information of the project leader, which allows donors to establish a relationship with those running the project and to follow up on its progress.

Project updates on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by project leaders as they are completed, normally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them, therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

After projects have achieved their funding goals, many project leaders choose to provide regular updates on the project's progress, which you can monitor through your user profile.

The order in which projects appear on "browse" and catalog pages is dynamic and will change over time. GlobalGiving ranks projects according to the funding that the project has received to date, when the project was posted, and when projects were updated — either with new photos or new project updates. This encourages Project Leaders to market and promote their projects actively, and keep them updated — increasing the overall visibility of these projects and helping them generate even more donations.

A project leader is the individual on site at the project both administering the organization's work and acting as the liaison with GlobalGiving by making project updates and responding to donors' comments. Project leaders are expected to be in frequent communication with GlobalGiving.

1. Make the project title clear, concise, and descriptive
2. Tell donors how they can help
3. Be the eyes for your potential donors
4. Have a clear, concise summary of your project
5. Make sure your project description is easy to understand
6. Post an achievable and reasonable funding goal

Numerous projects have been fully funded on GlobalGiving's site. However, GlobalGiving does not guarantee that your project will be funded. GlobalGiving is a marketplace through which donors can connect with projects they are passionate about. Therefore, it is important to do all you can to make your project catch the attention of potential donors.

We often find that it is important for project leaders to draw outside donors to their project page and do fundraising on their own.

GlobalGiving requires that projects post a project update every three months to remain on the site. Projects that do not report will be removed from the site.

Project updates show donors that their money was impactful. It lets them know what has been accomplished since when they donated and encourages them to stay engaged and potentially make a second, third, or fourth contribution. GlobalGiving sends project updates, written by you, the project leader, to all of your project's donors.

During the Due Diligence process project leaders complete the Disbursement Form with their bank information. We use this information to make disbursements once a month. Along with the money transfer, project leaders receive a Disbursement Report. For international organizations, money is wired when $250 has been raised by the disbursement date. U.S.-based organizations are sent money monthly, regardless of the amount raised.

Yes, projects are restricted from requesting more than $1 million on GlobalGiving's site. However, any project budget larger than $100,000 will be asked to provide extremely detailed budgetary information and will require approval from GlobalGiving.

We highly recommend that you do not request such large portions of money. We prefer that projects request small budgets (i.e. $1,000, $2,000, $5,000). We have found that donors respond to small, manageable budgets. They feel that, by contributing, they are more able to contribute to a smaller goal than a larger one. Also, it is to your advantage to post a smaller budget. 20% of your project's ranking is how close your project is to its goal.

Yes, projects can be removed from GlobalGiving's site if they do not comply with our reporting requirements. GlobalGiving requires that projects update every 3 months. Those organizations that do not comply with this will be first warned and subsequently removed from the site.

Yes, it is possible to post more than one project, simultaneously, on GlobalGiving's site. However, we do request that organizations wait until you are comfortable with updating and promoting your project and fostering a relationship with your donors. It is important to learn what works to interest donors and compel them to donate to your project.

The easiest way to change project leaders is to contact . We will work with you to make sure that the current project leader is removed from the site and any email lists. We will then make sure that your new project leader is comfortable with the responsibilities of being a GlobalGiving project leader.

If your project is not raising as much money as you had expected, don't get discouraged! As you know, GlobalGiving is an online marketplace, which means that donors use our site to browse for projects that interest them to which they can donate. With over 500 projects to choose from it sometimes takes a while for the donor whose interests match your work to come along and donate to your project.

There is a lot that you can do to increase the visibility of your project and elevate your project rankings (i.e. posting project updates), improve your project write-up based on what donors like to see, take advantage of GlobalGiving initiatives, and start mobilizing your former donors and individuals in your community to donate to your project.

Project ranking is the order in which your project is listed under each category. For example, if you have a health project in Africa, your project may be ranked third in all projects in Africa but fifth under all health related projects. This ranking is based on the following criteria:

• 40% the amount of time since your previous update
• 20% the number of donors that your project has attracted
• 20% the amount of money your project has raised, relative to other projects
• 20% how close is the project to being fully funded

Your ranking affects your visibility on your sight, and, to an extent, the likelihood of a donor donating to your project as opposed to other projects on the site.

A donor, or potential donor, visit is a great opportunity to promote your project. The donor can visit https://surveyglobalgiving.wufoo.com/forms/visitor-expression-of-interest/ to express and interest in visiting a project. Additionally, donors can submit a virtual postcard at https://surveyglobalgiving.wufoo.com/forms/postcard/ . If you have any questions, email Marc .

If you have any more questions, please let us know! Here are the GG team members and their roles. You'll hear back from one of them or one of our interns!

• Project Updates, posting an additional project, PE questions - Britt Lake,
• Evaluations, metrics, postcards, volunteer opportunities - Marc Maxson,

GlobalGiving uses its website to connect individual and institutional donors directly to social, environmental and economic development projects around the world via our "public" website, www.globalgiving.org. Unlike a traditional foundation, GlobalGiving does not directly offer grants or support.

Potential donors can browse and select from a wide offering of projects, organized by geography or by themes such as health care, the environment, and education. GlobalGiving markets these projects through a number of channels, including corporations, employee giving campaigns, and direct consumer marketing partnerships. When donors come to GlobalGiving, they can find and fund projects that meet their diverse interests.

GlobalGiving works with pre-existing, non-profit organizations that are registered with their respective government to fundraise using GlobalGiving's site. Unfortunately, GlobalGiving does not provide financial assistance to individuals, regardless of the financial need. We do, however, recommend that you visit Modest Needs, an online marketplace, like GlobalGiving, that is dedicated to helping individuals remain self-sufficient by providing them with small grants to help them get back on their feet.

Unfortunately, GlobalGiving does not have the capacity to collect and ship items on behalf of the projects posted on our site. Instead, we work with project leaders who can fundraise using our site and, using that money, purchase those same goods in their own community.

Organizations that are eligible to post a project on GlobalGiving's site meet the following criteria:

• are enacting programs for social change locally or internationally
• are either registered non-profits in their respective countries, OR have been deemed the equivalent of a US 501(c)3, OR have completed an expenditure review process (expenditure review requires an organization to detail the charitable activities for which they are requesting funding, and an actual review of how the funds were spent. This may apply, for example, in the case of a for-profit entity undertaking charitable activities in the public interest)
• are committed to updating donors every three months on project progress
• have the ability to communicate with GlobalGiving in English, including translating documents
• do not discriminate in its staff, board, and recipients
• understand that funding is not guaranteed and are willing to fundraise and promote their project in addition to its place on GlobalGiving

There is no fee for posting a project on GlobalGiving's site. However, 15% of every donation made to projects through GlobalGiving's site is retained by GlobalGiving. That money is used by GlobalGiving to pay for site maintenance and to market the site, which, in turn, encourage more individuals to visit and increases our projects' visibility.

Posting a project on GlobalGiving can be a lengthy process. The length of the process depends wholly on how you, the project leader, approach GlobalGiving - through a referral or an open access challenge, your involvement in the Due Diligence process, and your ability to easily and efficiently post a project on the site, following the instructions which GlobalGiving provides. From the initial contact to GG, it may take up to six months to post a project. We apologize for the delay, but we are a small organization!

To list a project on GlobalGiving, you can participate in one of our "Open Challenges." Open Challenges are an opportunity for organizations around the globe to raise funds for their projects and have the chance to become long term members of the GlobalGiving Community. To participate in the next Global Open Challenge (for projects outside the US) or American Open Challenge (for projects in the US), please complete the Nomination Form.

Thank you for your interest in posting your project on GlobalGiving's site! Having completed the form, your name will be added to a database of project leaders who, like yourself, have expressed interest in posting on GlobalGiving's site. We will use this database to contact you when the next opportunity arises to post your project on our site. Projects are given the opportunity to participate in a project challenge: projects will be given a four week interval to fundraise $4,000 from 50 unique donors. Those projects which fundraise and meet these thresholds will then be asked to remain on the site.

HOWEVER, because we're a small organization, we cannot run Open Challenges continuously. A normal time length between the Nomination Form submission and contact from GlobalGiving is four months. If you have not heard from us within four months, please feel free to email again, but most likely we haven't started a new Challenge. Unfortunately because we're so small, we cannot change our system. We apologize!

We apologize for the complications you have encountered with the Nomination From. We recommend that you try completing the form with a different browser. For example, if you generally use Safari, please try completing the form using Internet Explorer.

GlobalGiving is a marketplace for giving. Therefore, we do not discriminate based on the cause or the activity of an organization. Rather, we rely on our donors to pick and choose what projects interest them by making donations to those projects. Instead, GlobalGiving ensures that the projects posted on our site have met our eligibility standards and fulfill our Due Diligence requirements.

During the Due Diligence process project leaders are asked to complete the Disbursement Form which requests bank information. This information is used to make disbursements once a month. Along with the money transfer, project leaders receive a Disbursement Report. For international organizations, money is wired when $250 has been raised by the disbursement date. U.S.-based organizations are sent money monthly, regardless of the amount raised.

Yes, projects can be removed from GlobalGiving's site if they do not comply with GlobalGiving's reporting requirements. GlobalGiving requires that projects update every 3 months. Those organizations that do not comply with this will be first warned and subsequently removed from the site. Updating your projects is a critical part of the GlobalGiving contract. We really want donors to feel connected to their projects and be able to hear directly from the project leaders and beneficiaries about the successes, or failures.

Numerous projects have been fully funded on GlobalGiving's site. However, GlobalGiving does not guarantee that your project will be funded. GlobalGiving is a marketplace through which donors can connect with projects they are passionate about. Therefore, it is important to do all you can to make your project catch the attention of potential donors.

We often find that it is important for project leaders to draw outside donors to their project page and do fundraising on their own.

Yes, projects are restricted from requesting more than $1 million on GlobalGiving's site. However, any project budget larger than $100,000 will be asked to provide extremely detailed budgetary information and will require approval from GlobalGiving.

We highly recommend that you do not request such large portions of money. We prefer that projects request small budgets (i.e. $1,000, $5,000, $10,000). We have found that donors respond to small, manageable budgets. They feel that, by contributing, they are more able to contribute to a smaller goal than a larger one. Also, it is to your advantage to post a smaller budget. 20% of your project's ranking is how close your project is to its goal.

If you have any more questions, please let us know! Here are the GG team members and their roles. You'll hear back from one of them or one of our interns!

• Getting on the site, due diligence, disbursements: Manmeet Mehta ()
• Evaluations, metrics, postcards, volunteer opportunities: Marc Maxson ()
• Project Updates, posting a new project, PE questions: Britt Lake ()