CharitAble
Introduction
This project was created as part of the IS Capstone Project requirement, with the primary goal of developing a web application that removes benefactors' barriers to charitable giving, such as transparency, lack of information, and interaction. The project earned the Best Capstone Award for its accomplishments. The project is based on the following technologies :
Problem
In our bachelor's thesis titled "The Benefits of A Web-Based Community Platform in Removing the Barriers to Charity among Benefactors in Metro Manila," we investigated the challenges faced by charitable institutions, with a focus on transparency issues, lack of information, and interaction (Angeles, Lee, Pangan, & Xu, 2022). Our study is supported by research conducted by Fidelity Charitable in 2016, which revealed that two-thirds of Americans who have donated to charities want to give more, but they encounter various barriers in their giving experiences. Among the primary concerns raised by donors, 81 percent worry about nonprofit transparency and understanding the impact of their donations. They seek information about a nonprofit's credibility and how their philanthropic contributions will be utilized. Additionally, financial resources significantly influence donors' decisions, with three-quarters expressing concerns about how their giving might impact their future financial situation and how much they should set aside for unforeseen personal needs. As a result, over 80% of donors are worried about how their donations will be used and if they will truly make a difference (Fidelity Charitable, 2016).
Furthermore, a significant number of donors have raised concerns regarding the way nonprofits engage with them, especially in terms of constant donation solicitations and the lack of recognition for their contributions. These findings reinforce the importance of adhering to best practices within the charitable sector, particularly concerning donor communication and database management. It is crucial for nonprofits to ensure effective donor engagement strategies to enhance donors' willingness to give. Failure to do so could potentially hinder the organization's ability to raise funds in the future (Fidelity Charitable, 2016).
Ms. Twyla Raros David, Regional Project Manager of Handicap International Federation, points out that transparency issues stem from both technological and human resource perspectives. Donors wish to witness the consequences or effects of their donations to know the impact they have made. Unfortunately, many non-government organizations, particularly small-scale ones, lack the budget and expertise to create tools and gather data that would enable monitoring and evaluation of their impact (Angeles et al., 2022).
Additionally, Ms. Aysha Iftikhar, Founder of Aspin Academy, emphasizes that the problem begins when charity/non-profit organizations fail to publicly display donations, irrespective of the amount. She believes that every donor should feel impactful and appreciated for their contributions, and the lack of such display creates transparency issues, leaving donors feeling uneasy and unrecognized for their efforts (Angeles et al., 2022).
The lack of information among donors is also evident in the Fidelity Charitable study, as some donors express difficulty finding new nonprofits to support or show interest in doing so. This suggests that donors are primarily interested in better ways to assess their charitable impact by obtaining more information from the groups they presently support. By addressing these concerns and enhancing communication among existing donors, nonprofits may be able to increase levels of support (Fidelity Charitable, 2016).
Solution
To address the problems, the academic project “CharitAble” was developed. If you want to see the project, you can view the PDF below containing the application’s list of features and functions, as well as the user manual, which was extracted from the original paper. You can also view our presentation during our defense.
Following the development and comprehensive documentation of CharitAble, a user acceptance testing with 29 participants was conducted upon completion of the project. The results indicated that 86.2% of users found the platform to be highly effective in terms of removing barriers to charity, while 15% reported a moderate level of effectiveness. Furthermore, 86.2% of the respondents stated that donating to and using the platform is easy and straightforward. This overwhelmingly positive feedback underscores the success of the CharitAble project in achieving its intended goals.
Contributions
Throughout this project, I played a key role in both backend and frontend development, as well as conducting comprehensive testing.
Backend Development:
- Created custom ERC20 smart contract using the OpenZeppelin API
- Implemented online payments through G-CASH and GrabPay wallets using the Paymongo API, ensuring a seamless donation experience for benefactors.
- Integrated login functionality with Google accounts, enhancing user accessibility and convenience.
- Implemented all CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) functionalities, expertly managing data interactions and ensuring optimal system performance.
Frontend Development:
- Connected the application to the Ethereum blockchain using web3.js, enabling real-time interaction with the blockchain.
- Designed static pages for the FAQ and About Us sections, offering a comprehensive understanding of the charitable platform's mission and operations.
- Established the connection between the backend and frontend using inertia.js, facilitating smooth and efficient data flow and enhancing the overall user experience.
Testing
- Documented, created, and executed tests to ensure the code functions as intended and adheres to the project requirements, assuring the reliability and functionality of the application.
- Presented a compelling PowerPoint and performed a live demonstration to showcase the application's capabilities to stakeholders.
- Conducted user acceptance testing by creating an online survey and gathering valuable feedback from seven potential app users, thus ensuring the platform's usability and meeting the needs of its intended audience.
GitHub Repository
References
Angeles, J. I., Lee, J. J. B., Pangan, S. J. U., & Xu, K. C. (2022). The Benefits of A Web-Based Community Platform in Removing the Barriers to Charity among Benefactors in Metro Manila. Bachelor's thesis, De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde Manila.
Fidelity Charitable. (2016). Overcoming Barriers to Giving. Retrieved from https://www.fidelitycharitable.org/content/dam/fc-public/docs/insights/overcoming-barriers-to-giving.pdf