NYT feature on International Justice Mission.

A compliment to microfinance, "microsavings" is starting to emerge as a beneficial product both for the poor consumer and the bank. At the tail end of the financial crises, many microfinance institutions have found they have an uncomfortable dependence on outside funding. Microsavings evens things out. Since it revolves around many small deposits, creative ways of reducing transaction costs are being invented, many involving deposit-by-cellphone.

Transparency International has put together a handbook on preventing corruption in humanitarian orgs.

"Poor people are not victims awaiting rescue." Relief and development done the right way: kickstarting businesses. They also have a line of farm industry-related equipment that can be purchased by third-world entrepreneurs.

Clay Shirky dissects a small town newspaper. 6 reporters out of a
staff of 59. A nonprofit model for reportage suddenly seems feasible.

...combating malnutrition through fortified peanut butter. Mark Arnoldy is a CU Alum and involved locally through Globe Med.

"Speaking of Faith" from American Public Media. An MP3 and other interesting articles on the topic.

From the artistic long-form journalism non-profit. The blog focuses on the topics the Foundation is currently covering in its projects. It makes obvious sense, but the blog provides a wonderful back-channel for the story they are telling, clearing the mist from the surroundings of an isolated story and revealing a larger landscape.

Community funding site has found something interesting: "To date, if a project manages to get to 25% of its funding goal, it has a 94% success rate." This is it. This is a big deal. This allows for the public service that Gandhi talked about, fully reliant on the public.

The source code for spot.us, citizen-funded reporting. Other possibilities: community-funded relief and development projects, community-funded church projects, community-funded charities, community-funded city development, community-funded ____. Puts public service in the hands of the public and keeps it accountable.

Causes, effects, small steps

...from Beat Blogging

Beth Kanter's (the "Scoble" of non-profits) theory of community networking for non-profits.

A resource for activists using mobile technology worldwide.

A citizen journalism network of Podcasting stringers. Sweet.

Stories of people who create sustainable markets that benefit underserved communities in the developing world, going beyond charity to find systemic solutions to poverty, education, health and social justice.

Step by step and tools detailing how a real-world non-profit set up on the very cheap