One Man Non Profits - V Getting the Momentum

Any good sports fan or coach will tell you that the key to any game is getting and keeping the momentum. Same is true in business, and social causes. One of the reasons large philanthropies are large is that they have found ways and programs to build and maintain momentum. Nothing is perpetual and maintaining forward progress should be part of any organizations mission.

In terms of one man non profits how much momentum can one person generate. Throughout history individuals indeed have changed the world. Web based tools in this day and age are allowing entrepreneurial philanthropists to gather potential energy and release it once a critical mas  has been reached. The Point is one such system. The Point is a new way of thinking about collective action. People need a way to know where their participation adds the most value. That’s what The Point offers—an environment where people are only asked to participate when their action can be combined with others to create a solution.

Utilizing online systems to gauge the potential energy for any social cause could be a valuable tool for emerging philanthropic activities. More precisely systems like the point can help identify if there is a gap with sufficient interest to create an entity to serve it. Established organizations should use this kind of a systematic approach to fill those gaps. In both cases it reduces cost as an entry barrier as well as helps set potential expectations before a program even gets underway.

Comments

[Austin Chu]

Dude, love your entry. I love change and transformation. I believe individuals can make a huge difference. Especially with the technologies we have today. Your point about momentum is right on. I learned something today. In any movement, momentum is key. We're either moving forward, or we're moving backwards. I don't believe in standing still and waiting for things to happen. The point is awesome, and a great tool for organizations. I think the issue at hand is not seeing the difference we make immediately. I know for myself, when I make a difference, I want it now. I want to stop global warming right now, I want children to stop starving, I want peace on earth now. I believe we all can be the JFKs, the MLKs, and Ghandis. It's all about the collective. Keep me posted with your endeavors, and thanks for sharing.