This giving season, the economic recession seems to pull at the heartstrings of Americans as much as their purse strings. According to a survey from Tiller Social Action, 90 percent of Americans said they will donate as much or more than in previous seasons.
Still, Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund reports that more than 30 percent of Americans don’t participate in charitable endeavors as much as they would like because they can’t find organizations that are a good fit.
This is where Universal Giving can make a difference. The nonprofit website connects people with vetted programs around the globe that best match their philanthropic interests. By searching the Universal Giving site, potential donors can find organizations around the world that will give them the chance to make the difference they want to see in the world.
Moreover, 100 percent of donations go to the nonprofit of their choice. This might be especially important to the majority of Universal Giving’s donors as the average donation is between $25 and $75. Universal Giving believes that everyone should be able to contribute in some way, and all donors should have the resources to make the greatest impact possible.
CEO and founder of Universal Giving, Pamela Hawley, explained to CBS News that the site is meant to help people find organizations that can best put their resources to use. She says she "wanted to help people see and trust" where they could give money and time, and where they could "change lives and have their own lives be changed."
Universal Giving also works directly with companies to ensure that philanthropic giving meets its full potential. In a Facebook interview, Hawley described the 10-stage quality assurance model Universal Giving performs on its nonprofit partners, including verification of financial information and confirmation of evidence provided by the organizations.
Hawley hopes her organization can make charitable giving easier in these difficult times. She also believes it can bring people peace of mind in the midst of their own financial struggles. "Through giving, we become humbler about what we have," she says.
