K.I.S.S. can mean quite a few things, but within the tech realm the acronym generally refers to “keep it simple and straightforward”. So when Kristofer Rogers, chief executive offer of SimplyGiving.com and his colleagues do things, not only do they do it whole-heartedly, but each deed is also “sealed with a K.I.S.S”.
SimplyGiving.com is an online fundraising platform based in Kuala Lumpur founded by Datuk James Greaves and Jeffrey Saw in 2011 with 30 charity partners on board. SimplyGiving has since worked with more than 340 nonprofit partners across 16 countries, and helped more than 20,000 people support their favourite charity or cause. Their success formula is no mystery, says Rogers, and the main ingredient is simplicity.
“Our inspiration came from major fundraising events in Australia, Europe and the USA. People were running the London Marathon, for example, to support their favourite causes and using technology to reach out to their friends and family for donations. This is called Peer-to-Peer, or Friend-to-Friend fundraising. Nothing like that was being done well locally, though, because these large platforms didn’t understand the nature of giving in Asia, and the concept of running for a charity was still relatively new.
“We launched SimplyGiving.com to provide a local platform through which people can connect with their supporters and create their own fundraising opportunities,” explains the 37-year-old head honcho.
GIVERS AND DOERS
Those with cash to spare and a credit card on hand will find it easy enough to start donating via SimplyGiving. As Rogers explains, one only need to register to create an account, use the website’s Discover feature to select charity or causes that you care about and start giving.
The platform also seeks to engage others with well intentions. “What do you do in your normal life? Do you cycle? Run races? Travel? Your life can be a fundraising challenge,” suggests Rogers.
Anrie Too, SimplyGiving.com’s relationship manager adds: “Every little bit that you want to or can do counts and people should not think of giving as a complicated process. What can you do today, while you’re sitting in front of a computer? Do you want to buy something online, or do you want to donate to a friend who is supporting a cause? Or maybe you don’t have the money, but you feel strongly for a certain cause. Why not be a fundraiser yourself; for example, climb a mountain or run a marathon to raise funds. In a way, you’re giving your time to contribute to a bigger, better picture.”
The passionate 31-year-old adds, “Locally, there are lots of fundraising activities happening and it is easy to miss. We are opening up the opportunity for the people in KL to help communities in Kuching. That’s the beauty of the SimplyGiving platform. Even if you are nowhere near, you can still reach out.”
Rogers point out that the latest update to the SimplyGiving.com site is designed to involve more givers, not just in Malaysia where SimplyGiving is headquartered. The update also paves the way for people to upload videos of themselves executing a challenge in the name of the charity to motivate others to get on board.
“We also allow them to share on social media. While you can donate privately or anonymously, the reason you’d want to tell people is more about making a stand. For example, you can tell your friend that you have given RM10 for charity. What about him? The real science is the social reach and virality,” say Rogers.
PLATFORM FOR FUNDRAISERS
Non-profit organisations can stand to gain through a partnership with SimplyGiving. “There have been a few cases over the past 10 years in Malaysia of misappropriation of funds. So the general public are a little wary of the sector. Meanwhile, the charity organisations are also a bit worried of their digital footprints because they can’t fully control it. To go out into the third biggest country in the world, which is Facebook, is a little scary for them,” describes Rogers of some of the feedback he has gained from partners so far.
Too hastens to say that is the reason why it is important for partners to realise that the platform is not just about technology at work. “I believe in having open communications with the charities and fundraisers. Giving a face to the platform assures the organisation that there are real people behind the platform, not just a computer operating,” she says.
That said, Too and other colleagues do go out to meet partners face to face. During that time, the person holding the fort at the office would be Nadirah Raymi, SimplyGiving.com’s support executive. “If you need help, find me on the live chat. I love connecting with everybody around the world. There is a lot of sharing going on and the stories people tell me are not just about charities they represent but also their personal experiences. Every time there is a ping on the computer, I get to reach out to well-meaning individuals, and that felt a lot like winning,” comments the 26-year-old, the youngest member of the team.
Non-profit organisations seeking to be fundraising partners with SimplyGiving also get more with the recent update to the platform’s website. Rogers says the new version is more optimised for mobile devices, offers a custom gateway for payments to allow more methods as well as more currencies to be accepted than before. “Thus for the first time, we are able to match givers globally to the organisations that they believe in,” he says.
