A Little Love for Charity- WeClick Speed Dating

Mingling with mochas in hand, a new crowd of morally conscious singles took over The Works Café in Portland last month as the curiously named “Get Social, Give Goats” event got under way. What could goats, coffee, and eligible bachelors possibly have in common? A lot more than you think, according to Josh and April LaFrance.
This happily married couple found themselves time and time again at a loss when their single friends came to them for advice on where to find a date. After failed attempts at playing matchmaker and numerous tales of unpleasant blind date encounters, April decided to take matters into her own hands. Looking at the growing philanthropic trend in many new companies like TOMS Shoes, she didn’t see why the same ideas couldn’t be applied to dating services. And from there, the concept of “ethical speed-dating” was born.
The idea is simple; pick a venue for singles to meet in a speed-dating environment with the proceeds going to charity. Each event is posted on their website, www.weclickdating.com, with the particular charity listed and a guest list to reserve a spot. Unlike other dating services, the philanthropic aspect to WeClick Dating lessens the skepticism around speed-dating. April believes that with the decrease in stigma associated with planned dating, tying in fundraising will make it all the more appealing. If nothing else, singles can feel good about helping a worthy cause while trying to find love- although WeClick does have a customer guarantee that if you don’t find someone that night, the next event is on them.
Each event is set up in typical speed-dating form. The women sit at different tables while the men cycle through, spending five minutes with each person. At the end of the night, each single fills out a WeClick card saying which individuals they would like to get to know more. WeClick collects the cards and sends mutual matches contact information so that people can arrange a next date. There is a $30 registration fee for each event with 10% going to charity. Organizations like Heifer International, for which the “Get Social, Give Goats” event was aptly named, are chosen for each event to raise both awareness and money. WeClick is based in Portland, Oregon where Josh and April live now, but similar ideas have been catching on in both Nashville and Pittsburg. The LaFrances hope to bring the business down the coast when they move to Redding, California later this year.
Although the company is not highly profitable yet, the LaFrances have high hopes for the future. The main purpose, however, is not on the money but the message that anyone can create positive change.

by Lauren Partain

Philanthropy is Hot Trend Among Tech Entrepreneurs

This is an excellent article written by Jeff Fox about the tech billionaires turned philanthropists. Although it is about some very wealthy individuals, I found the last paragraph's message which cites Mouli Cohen's comments that "philanthropy is not solely the purview of the rich", particularly relevant to all entrepreneurs. I would add to that, business philanthropy is not solely the purview of the big corporations.
I have posted it by permission from Article Base.

Author: Jeff Fox

When Bill Gates recently announced that billionaires should give away the bulk of their fortunes, it made headlines around the world. While the Microsoft founder is among the world's wealthiest individuals and perhaps the leading philanthropist of his time, he is just one of many entrepreneurs who have amassed great fortunes in the technology sector and are using their wealth and influence to bring about positive change. Last year the Wall Street Journal (“Melinda Gates Defines a Charity's Mission,” June 5, 2008) reported on the “growing class of people who are applying fortunes made in tech and on the Internet to trying to solve some of the world's most stubborn problems,” including Jeff Skoll and Pierre Omidyar from eBay and Google founders Larry Page and Serge Brin. According to the article, “These new philanthropists — as you might expect — are trying to apply the same nitty-gritty analysis that many may have used to manage their businesses to difficult-to-measure social problems.”

“Philanthropy and technology can create enormous synergy, and the leaders of the tech community see a tremendous opportunity to change the world for the better,” said Mouli Cohen, entrepreneur , who founded eCast, a company that revolutionized the distribution of digital music to out of home venues worldwide and later started Voltage Capital, a private equity focused innovation fund.

Cohen's start-ups have generated more than $3 billion in shareholder value, but the value he has created through his contributions in the philanthropic arena are perhaps his greatest source of pride. Cohen currently focuses his efforts on the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and blindness through grants to national and international organizations including Camp Okizu and the Childhood Vision Campaign. “I am personally committed to reducing the incidence of childhood blindness in third world countries and expanding the number and reach of cancer detection and treatment programs for children.”

Cohen is among the new breed of tech philanthropists whose involvement extends far beyond their checkbooks. According to Private Wealth Magazine, the confluence of wealth and technology is redefining philanthropy and ushering in an age of innovation and social change:

The entrepreneurs of the '80s and '90s have become the philanthropists of the new millennium, leveraging their time, energy and capital toward the social good. Today's donors are younger, more energetic and more adept at leveraging technology, investing their capital and driving results. Frequently referred to as “venture philanthropists” or “social entrepreneurs,” they are accustomed to achieving success and not used to backing down in the face of resistance. Comfortable with their achievements and confident in their abilities, they are transitioning their passion and talent for creating wealth to its logical corollary: the distribution of wealth—“giving back,” as some would say—with the very same intensity and sense of direction as was required to create their wealth.

Gates, whose Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is the world's most generous philanthropic organization, has called upon his fellow billionaires to spread their wealth to the poorest nations and make a difference in fighting disease, improving access to education and championing other causes. In announcing his departure from his day-to-day duties as chairman of Microsoft to focus his energies on the Foundation, Gates told reporters, "With success, I have been given great wealth. And with great wealth comes great responsibility to give back to society, to see that those resources are put to work in the best possible way to help those in need."

Gates' message is clearly resonating with the billionaire set. Warren Buffett has pledged to leave the bulk of his fortune to the Gates Foundation, representing perhaps the largest charitable gift in history – estimated at$31 billion.

Although the wealthy certainly have more to give, Cohen argues that philanthropy is not solely the purview of the mega-rich. “There are opportunities for anyone with a passion for a particular cause to add value, not just in terms of monetary contributions. Organizations need tactical philanthropists' to volunteer their time and provide intellectual and social capital to make sure the money creates the greatest possible impact.”

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/non-profit-organizations-articles/philanthropy-is-hot-trend-among-tech-entrepreneurs-1012019.html

Open Money: The Cycle Of Business and Communty Benefit

In a recent post of mine: Give a Little, Get a Lot Back: Why Giving Is Good For Business and Is Patriotic, I described the many benefits businesses will receive from giving back to their community. In the article: "There are thousands of businesses within thousands of communities across this country that can help support their local communities by giving back. By making them aware that not only is it patriotic, but good business, this can can really change the picture for non-profits."

Allen Rosenblith, a documentary film maker, has made a series of videos with Michael Linton explaining his open money system. This system is based on the idea of a community creating its own currency that originates with business giving to community programs and flowing back through the community to the business.

For me the best part of his system is the diagram that Linton has created which conveys the principle of "give and get back" so well.

You can see Part I here on Vimeo and also link to the full set of videos:

Open Money: Community Way part 1 from Alan Rosenblith on Vimeo.

Allen has also produced a documentary: "The Money Fix" which explores different aspects of money creation. The documentary opened at the Big Sky film festival and has been screened recently in cities in the west. A copy of the film can be bought at:www.themoneyfix.org.