– Independent Work Report Fall, 2015 – MyLight: The “One Stop Shop” for the Average Philanthropist Author: Rishi Kaneriya -
[email protected] Adviser: Dr. Robert Dondero -
[email protected] Abstract MyLight is a web application designed to serve as the “one stop shop” for the average philan- thropist looking to donate to non-profit organizations online. It recommends charities to users based on their personal charitable interests, visualizes data about them in an easy-to-understand way that inspires action, integrates current events about charities in the news, and contains social functionality to help users stay connected to fellow donors. This paper discusses related charity- finding products before detailing the ways in which MyLight differentiates itself as a truly integrated solution. It also discusses the technical implementation of the application, as well as ways in which it was evaluated, before culminating in a discussion of potential improvements that could refine MyLight’s ability to empower everyday philanthropists in the future. 1. Introduction Last year, the amount of overall charitable giving around the world was up 3% from the year before, with online charitable giving up by 9% [17]. Furthermore, individuals — as opposed to foundations, grants, or corporations — accounted for the largest majority of contributions; a remarkable 72% of total contributions in 2013 came from individuals [13]. These figures highlight not only the rich altruistic spirit of the global community, but also the collective power of individuals to make positive change. The World Bank recently predicted that, by the end of 2015, “the number of people living in extreme poverty around the world is likely to fall to under 10 percent of the global population” [3].