Site of the Week (4/10/07)
GlobalGiving
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With Christmas not that far away, here’s a website you might find useful. GlobalGiving connects users to over 450 independent charity projects around the world to make donations that can help to change and shape a community. You can help fund projects from orphanages and schools to health programs and all projects are approved by reputable organisations like the United Nations Foundation before being listed to ensure legitimacy.

What makes GlobalGiving different from other sites is that it connects donors directly to the projects, allowing donors to choose who they support. When you make a donation you can opt to remain anonymous or to let your contact information be known to the project leader, allowing you to stay updated on the project’s progress. There are also project reports every few months available through GlobalGiving.

Donations through GlobalGiving are tax-deductible and are a good option for people looking to make donations as a gift. You buy a gift certificate (an email or a card) and the recipient goes to the website and chooses the projects they want to give funds to, involving them in the process rather than simply making a donation in their name. Making a donation or buying a certificate is simple with payment accepted through credit cards, PayPal, cheques and bank transfers.

One thing of note is that GlobalGiving takes a fee of 10% from donations for administration, but that’s lower than the fees of similar sites. GlobalGiving was founded by two former heads of the World Bank and if you’re thinking of making a charitable donation, GlobalGiving is well worth a look.