A while ago, we announced the launch of the Misfit Foundation, a new non profit set up to help charities connect donors with the work they are supporting through technology and the power of story telling.

We did this because we thought donors deserved a better deal.  And that treating donors better would create better relationships with charities resulting in more money being raised for important causes.

So much for the theory. How have we’ve been getting on?

Well, it’s fair to say it has been a learning experience. For instance learning just how hard it is to register a charity in this country. Or the US. (DELETED long rant about the Charity Commission, this is helping how exactly?). Don’t get me started on bank accounts..

The work though is going well.  We have some great partnerships, with the world’s largest community eye health provider, with  education charity Lessons for Life, with a community development organisation in Kenya. And a coffee house in Laos..we’re nothing if not eclectic.

And we are doing some great projects. In September we will be travelling to Uganda to field trial a mobile app for gathering stories and feedback from the field. Which will also be used to monitor how effective a project is. In real time.

And as I write we are testing a new approach to fundraising. In the Send Me to School challenge, 34 people from a range of  backgrounds are fundraising to raise $500 each to transform a school in Uganda. They are each using a different approach to raise the money and supporting each other as they do so.  Fundraising will be take place until August 31. We will then visit the school on our September trip and report back in real time on progress.

And then…but we are getting ahead of ourselves. In the meantime, check out the Send Me to School team and see how they are getting on.

You can even give them a fiver if you are feeling generous.