In years past, the only way to raise money for your local charity was to hold bake sales and car washes, put together a charity event, or place donation boxes at local fast food restaurants. Those events are all pass鮠Now all you need is an internet connection and you can find people all over the world who might be willing to help your cause through the idea of crowd funding— a term typically used for outsourcing work to a “crowd,” but which applies well to this idea too.
There are many websites that were created to help those who are trying raise money. One such site is Crowdrise, a site started by Edward Norton and Shauna Robertson where philanthropists can feature their charities to those who are looking for a charity to donate to. Another site is Kickstarter, which is unique in that those looking for donations set a specific amount that they want to raise. If that amount is reached, then that person receives the money. If it’s not reached, then it goes back to those who donated. It’s typically used for raising money for startup companies and the like.
For teenagers who are looking for a way to help their communities, starting a micro charity is a great way to get involved. These charities could be started to help someone in the community with a need (a family needing money to pay for a child’s medical treatments, money to fix a home harmed by a natural disaster, and so on). By creating a micro charity, the teen is able to help someone in need, gain experience with internet marketing as he or she markets the charity online, and have a remarkable experience that can be added to college applications and resumes. It’s a win-win situation, and something that will stay with that teen throughout the rest of his or her life.
