Donors Choose Is My Tip Jar

Last night I asked this community to join me in funding a $1,289 LCD for a needy classroom in Los Angeles. This morning I wake up and find the whole thing is funded. Wow. Thanks to everyone who contributed. If you want to fund another needy classroom project, go here and pick one.

I’ve always been a fan of the idea of a tip jar to pay people for the work they do voluntarily (blogs, photos, videos, etc). But I don’t need tips and if I took them, they’d just go to Donors Choose, Grameen, or some other important organization changing the face of charitable giving and philanthropy. That’s what I do with the ad revenue from this blog.

I am going to think some about incorporating tipjoy into this blog. I’d like to do it on a post by post level and I am not sure tipjoy can do that automatically. And I am also not sure I can direct all the money to charity automatically. But if I can work out those kinks, look for this kind of thing on my blog posts going forward.

#VC & Technology

Comments (Archived):

  1. mike

    As much as I appreciate what you’re doing, it saddens me to see nearly $1,300 spent on buying an LCD screen for a “needy” classroom in LA when kids in Africa need books!

    1. fredwilson

      Doing that too with Milennium Promise, Kiva, and GrameenJust because I blog and promote one thing, doesn’t mean I am not doingothersAd revs from this blog go to Grameen, among other efforts

      1. shafqat

        That’s awesome. I’m not sure if you’ve been in Bangladesh, but I can tell you from my travels around the country that Grameen puts these funds to really good use. Starting from their management all the way down to the grassroots/field workers, its an amazing cause worth supporting. I’ve met many families who have directly benefited from the support of yourself and others like you, so well done!By helping the poorest countries help themselves, we’re enabling a better outcome not just for the people in those countries, but all of us in this ever-connected world.

        1. fredwilson

          Indeed. We have to do both – help the poorest in the world improve their lot and take care of those at home too. Its a balance but you can’t stop doing either one

    2. mrsm

      You are a wonderful person and I am thankful for what you are doing in our country and in others! Our community in Los Angeles, where our students attend is a poor community. These students are going to have a chance to learn in a different way, they will be using technology. You are also providing differentiated learning……and in this community they are lucky to have access to a computer. Technology is our future and we are blessed with people like you that care about future generations and their education. Thank you!

      1. fredwilson

        You are very welcome

  3. Jill Stern

    I have been slow in reacting to your Donor Choose effort, but after reading this post, I realize that I get more enjoyment(and info) from reading this blog then from most of the other publications that I pay for. Your content gets right to what I like.BTW: Is tipjoy joining the USV portfolio?

    1. fredwilson

      No, it is not, but I am watching them closely and rooting for them

  4. Bob

    Fred: May I propose another project? My sister-in-law teaches music in a challenging environment on the South Side of Chicago. She’s got a great, culturally meaningful curriculum and only needs another $500 bucks to implement. I’m kicking in $200, so the goal is at hand. He project is athttp://www.donorschoose.org…Thanks as always, and appreciate your introduction to this mode of giving.

    1. fredwilson

      It’s on my giving page nowhttp://www.donorschoose.org…I have one more donation left (tomorrow) and I will strongly consider this one