Frequently Asked Questions about GlobalGiving

What is GlobalGiving?

GlobalGiving is an online platform ( that enables donors (institutional and individual) to find and fund social, economic development, and environmental projects around the world. U.S. donors interested in contributing to international projects face two key challenges: identifying high-quality initiatives and in receiving tax deductions when giving internationallyand not knowing exactly how their money is spent. GlobalGiving works to remove these challenges for donors.

What do we do for Project Leaders?

By posting a project on GlobalGiving, you are able to connect directly with new donors. We work with partners such as Google, eBay and Yahoo to market your projects to their constituencies. Potential donors are directed to these channels. GlobalGiving also works with individuals, corporations, foundations, and other organizations to assist them with specific giving needs. We create customized giving programs that enable corporations, their employees, or other constituents to direct their contributions to specific projects in areas they are interested in.

GlobalGiving helps raise your profile with donors. Posting on GlobalGiving.com enables you to create a history of accountability as you can post publicly viewable project updates. GlobalGiving sends your progress reports and success stories to donors, keeping them informed and engaged with your work. We know that donor stewardship is difficult and we try to make is easy for you!

By posting a project on GlobalGiving and meeting due diligence requirements, you have created a virtual non-profit 501(c) 3 presence in the U.S., which is a significant benefit for those organizations not registered in this country. More information on how this is done is detailed below.

We are committed to working with project leaders on GlobalGiving to help them effectively market their projects. For this purpose, we have a variety of tools that we have created.

What if I am not a US-registered organization?

If you are not registered in the United States, due diligence materials are requested in order to confirm that your organization is a charitable organization and eligible for international philanthropic donations. The US government, and its laws pertaining to international philanthropy, prohibits us from sending you donations until you have submitted this documentation.

Due Diligence materials consist of information such as annual reports, budgets for current and past fiscal years, audited financial statements, organizational documents, program descriptions and materials, list of references, list of all senior staff and board members and list of all financial institutions. It is easier and cheaper to send us this information as opposed to setting up a US nonprofit in order to receive US donor contributions. This information is valid for 2 years.

Disbursement of money is monthly; funds are disbursed when a project raises more than $250. Money is sent internationally via wire transfer and by check in the United States.

How are projects posted?

We work with a network of Project Sponsors (organizations such as Ashoka, CHF International and others)and other partnersto identify and source projects for posting on globalgiving.com. Project Sponsors would vet projects to ensure they are legitimate, well run, and have social impact.Once projects are submitted, GlobalGiving does a secondary check prior to posting. We require detailed background on the project leader, the project’s objectives and activities, and expected outcomes once funding is received.

Last year we tried a new and creative wayof bringing in projects that could not find a sponsor called the GlobalGiving Open. The GlobalGiving community voted on these new projects and decided which projects should be posted on GlobalGiving.

What are reporting requirements?

The basic reporting requirement is a final report explaining how funds were used, project outcomes, and challenges in implementation of the project. This report is usually submitted after funds are received for the project.

Beyond sending GlobalGiving this report, you also have the option of providing project updates and photos. We encourage you to take advantage of these features! By updating your project you improve your ranking on various “browse” pages and you will be featured as “recently updated” on our homepage. This combination of accountability and visibility positively influences people’s decisions to give! Those projects that demonstrate accountability to the GlobalGiving community are promoted in landing pages, donor newsletters, and in campaigns so it is to your advantage to post small updates about your project.

Updates also provide us with content for stories in our newsletters (over 10,000 subscribers), on our home page (63,000 hits per month), and in other communications with donors. We encourage short, simple 1-2 paragraph quarterly updates and find these to be effective.

GlobalGiving Tools to Help You

We have created tools for you to promote your projects. We strongly encourage Project Leaders to use these tools to inform their networks of friends and supporters who can then inform their networks.

On our site we have an “Email a Friend” option or you can paste your project link into your own marketing and communications materials. We also have HTML code that you can copy and paste into your website. Donors can then give directly to your GlobalGiving project from your website. We also have gift cards that enable donors to make a donation and send a card to friends and family “gifting” their donation.

We have collected information on donor preferences, writing great projects, due diligence and other valuable information and shaped them into an online Resource for Project Leaders page: We are creating a more dynamic resource for Proejct Ledaers called GGConnect, which will be an online community where Project Leaders can share best practices.

Community Principles

We have Community Principles that govern our marketplace. If you are a charitable group, then your work and actions must also subscribe to our community rules.

  • The GlobalGiving community exists to enhance each member’s capacity to do good
  • We believe in the power of the individual to choose how to support the public good and other members of the community in their own way
  • We believe that good information is critical to supporting good choices, and GlobalGiving is committed to finding ways to increase transparency
  • Project leaders on the ground know best how to design and lead initiatives to support their own community
  • Members of the GlobalGiving community, if they choose to become project leaders, commit to providing all appropriate documentation to prove eligibility to receive grants through GlobalGiving, and to reporting on their progress when they receive funds
  • GlobalGiving sets eligibility standards for receiving grants in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations as well as input from the community.