Internet + Public Welfare: Small talk about bitcoin and charitable donation

I have always believed that the power of technology is enough to make everyone's life better--and this is its mission in my eyes.

Before the 两、三篇 article, perspective is the Internet + Public Welfare: "How many people with disabilities to eat the fruits of science and technology?" , "Microsoft is creating a wrist strap named Alice Band for the blind and Amblyopia community, and the first interview with the industry." I was delighted to read more than I had expected, but then it became a bit unsettling-I realized that I lacked imagination on the topic-after all, the public service as a topic, for too many people is not sexy things.

But in my opinion, the Internet + public welfare is very interesting thing. Reason？ The third sector and the public (government), Private (enterprise) is a scale, they can work together for everyone to create a better user experience, such as: Law and order, food clean or not, traffic situation, buy a house much money, your disabled compatriots are respected and assistance. But the whole field, few people understand, involved, not to mention the combination of "universal Internet".

Say back to the topic, Bitcoin + public good how? When I was in retreat, I talked to a very knowledgeable partner about Bitcoin donation, and we all thought it was very free and efficient. May I talk to you today?

For bitcoin's potential to participate in public welfare undertakings, there are many optimistic people, the reason is related to the "innate temperament" of Bitcoin, which deals only with 3 points: the removal of silver (no need for a central trading facility such as a bank) + a much lower transaction cost (or even close to 0) than the traditional donation method + Internet Communication Greatly expanded the scope of potential participants in public service

The 1th is accessible, Bitcoin = a central currency. Some people say that there are bitcoin big players, exchanges? Which center? In this regard, I will write a statement in the future, after all, to focus on this play is likely to bring a new experience in various fields-including public welfare

2nd, there are many factors driving down the cost, direct and indirect accounts: taxes, fees, time spent on donations, from donations to times that can be used by donors, regional and policy-specific limits (yes, some countries do not allow other countries to do a good job), in any way, are reduced or even disappeared

3rd, and technology itself more relevant--for example, you are a monthly income of 10,005 Beijing white-collar, a little extra money a bit kind, very want to help people but feel that donate one hundred or two hundred still so trouble simply don't help. It's not the same with Bitcoin--whether there's a financial institution in your space, foundations, charitable organizations, whether you want to help, such as a child in a war zone on the road by shrapnel breakdown body, whether she has bank accounts, registered to be donated to the accreditation, as long as you want to participate in the public You don't even need a special App, a text message can transmit Bitcoin.

What about the attitude of the charitable organizations to Bitcoin? The vast majority are still conservative and do not know how to operate even when they receive such donations--which is related to the lack and misunderstanding of bitcoin knowledge, the absence of policies and the absence of precedents. Will NPO be a decade behind another industry or a pioneer? I think it will be the latter.

4 Examples of Ngo/npo "practice":

Labeled Project: It is committed to providing clean water to remote parts of Africa. 2013, many people who do virtual money to find labeled Project founder Peter Chasse talk about donation cooperation, Chasse do not understand: "These so-called currency how to operate the law ah?" So he did some research on his own. In January 2014, labeled Project opened an account on Coinbase, dedicated to receiving bitcoin donations--and so far has raised more than $30,000 worth of Bitcoin--a new source of donations. More exciting for NPO workers is that the raised Bitcoin can be immediately converted into dollars, and the money attribute is the organization's Non-cash donation income-Enjoy the relevant policy benefits. "Fools do not refuse bitcoin donations. "This is Chasse's exact words.

Alan Robinson: He worked as CFO at a food bank in Texas State. Robinson said that since February 2014, his organization began to accept bitcoin donations on Coinbase, and so far has received a $1000 trillion dollar--and, on Coinbase, the first 1 million-dollar deal does not charge. After 1 million, each transaction fee is 1% or less than the credit card transfer. Robinson believes that Bitcoin has become a new donation tool for donors, from cash to cheques to debit cards to credit cards.

Women ' s Annex Foundation: The foundation is dedicated to the popularization of Internet knowledge to young Afghan local women. At the beginning of the year, WAF an online platform for local women to start blogging and make a living, and the payment on the platform was bitcoin. Fereshteh Forough, founder of WAF, points out that in many Third world countries women are passes hurdles to open bank accounts. In some places, such as in Afghanistan, even a virtual account such as PayPal can't be used. In contrast, the environmental premise of Bitcoin trading is only one point: there is a net on the line

Bitgive Foundation: The foundation has been campaigning for NPO to start Bitcoin fundraising for some time--in November 2013, it had a public-interest event on a discount season at the mall. Its founder Connie Gallippi said that in one day for 30+ charity organizations raised 1000+ Bitcoin = worth 1 million of dollars-visible, some people for the use of Bitcoin as a means of donation is very recognized

Come again, say the opposite. Cough, spit point groove, always met a bit of money on the taunt, slander, "soft wen ah", "Fried coins ah" What, stop, drink a mouth blisters noodles, OK? Of course, I may be able to understand the behavior of these people because the price of bitcoin has fluctuated a few times. Back to the subject of this article: Bitcoin charity donation. What effect will this have on it? It is clear that the rapid changes in the value of donations, frequent changes will affect the Fund's project budget, Ngo/npo capacity to carry out activities, the choice of tax concessions will also encounter confusion-now should also choose more than 1 million dollars, half an hour later turned into 900,000 dollars, the wrong choice may be lawsuit it. These are real problems, but the problem was born to be solved.

The founder of Union Square Ventures, the famous tech blogger Fred Wilson, is as optimistic as I am: "Now we're talking about philanthropy, and the donor's appeal is one thing: 100% donations can be used to implement projects." Web-based fundraising is already helping NPO reduce the need for spending, and on the other hand, the fees generated by credit card payments are still a problem that the nonprofit community cannot evade, but Bitcoin can easily reduce the cost to nearly 0. ”

On July 14, 2014, Wilson made a speech at New York University, one of the themes of which was to let the NPO people know how to use Bitcoin. Of course, Wilson said: "It's not going to happen overnight-it's like the rise of the Internet-the public sector needs to be patient and keep a positive investment." ”