non profits: don't ask for money, ask for change

We met Ross Kimbarovsky while at SXSW, one of the pioneers of crowdsourcing. You're probably already familiar with the concept: get "the crowd" (an internet audience) to complete tasks for you.

A handful of non-profits are taking this to the next level - to what we could easily call Crowdsourcing: the Next Generation.

This is inspiring in that non-profits realize that they don't have a lot of resources. And they need more than tasks completed like a logo or brochure. They need to change the world. So they're beginning to ask their communities and people that are smarter than them for help. For help in forming strategy. In creating solutions. In solving problems.

Such is the case with Mission Blue, a Razorfish led project that seeks to save and restore the ocean. That's a hefty cause, and they admit "There's room in this wish for so much activity -- from building websites to fighting poachers on the high seas."

We've seen this come alive with We Can End This, too. (disclosure: We Can End This is a client of Humongo, and we produced the video above). Hunger is a big problem. And it's going to take more than a website or logo to make it a problem of the past. So they're hoping to inspire smart thinkers to come up with the solution. I saw this first hand at SXSW, and can tell you that I've heard ideas that are world changing. From people who have likely never thought about the problem before. And that's exactly the point. We Can End This is asking you to get involved. Not by donating a can of food, but by doing what you do best. Whatever that is. How can your talents best serve a great cause? Now get going.

Non-profits: take a good look at your boards, your campaigns and actions and ask yourself "could we take this to the next level with a little help from the crowd?"