on crowdfunding

A few years ago I decided to restructure my charitable giving in order to increase effectiveness and reduce my stress.  Here is my approach:

1. donate stuff I don’t need and keep stuff I do need.

2. support projects and people directly using bitcoin.  This increases anonymity/pseudonimity,  eliminates overhead, and can lead to real transparency.

3. make microLoans through Kiva. Funds lent to tiny businesses can create ongoing value, and when the funds are repaid they are lent again to the next person.  This re-lending means my meager deposits undergo have a multiplier effect: as of this writing the amount of my loans is 529.7% of my deposits.

4. ignore all other fundraising

Why is this less stressful?  Because I know  how I give and am no longer manipulated by those United Way workplaces sessions, beg-a-thons, panhandlers, etc.  Part of my personal journey has been constructing healthy boundaries and enforcing them.  I’m much better now.  :-)

I bring this up because I broke my own rules this morning.  Bob posted a blog entry on Debra’s Need to Live Free; No Nursing Home! gofundme effort.  I threw in some ducats because it will help a CRVL community member.

But I am conflicted.  My concern is that the quick and heartfelt response by the community could result in a net negative.  Consider the following hypothetical progression:

1. CRVL forum responds quickly to member’s legitimate need

2. this attracts less legitimate requests from entitled snowflakes, the learned helpless, profiteers or outright scammers

3. threads get heated when members argue passionately about who is legit and who is not

4. threads locked by mods

5. Bob bans fundraising requests from CRVL

I hope my concern is unfounded.  And I return to my regularly scheduled rules for giving.  :-)