Humanitarian crises and natural disasters require swift, effective responses from the global community in order to save lives and rebuild the livelihoods of the affected populations.
The average citizen does their part by giving to organizations working on the ground. These nonprofits distribute aid, provide essential services, rebuild infrastructure, and more—and they need donations to do so.
To build urgency, many nonprofits use common refrains like “every dollar makes a difference.” Of course, cash is easy to give, but it’s far from the only giving option that can be effective when fundraising in a crisis.
Below, you’ll discover five ways that crypto donors have stepped up and responded to the call for support around the world:
1. Refugee Emergency Funds in Afghanistan
Crypto donors sometimes show off their creativity, especially when tapping into the power of NFT fundraising. CARE received a generous donation (worth more than 200,000) from Jack Butcher, whose NFT collection raised money to help Afghan families cover emergency expenses.
Each edition of this NFT covers one Afghan family’s emergency needs for a month.
— Jack Butcher (@jackbutcher) August 16, 2021
If you can't help financially, please consider a RT.
↓ https://t.co/psxeBGBIhC pic.twitter.com/ocEI1RMwYW
“We applaud the generosity and creativity of the crypto community to help rush emergency aid to Afghan families, and trust we can keep building on this innovative partnership,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO at CARE.
2. Humanitarian Aid in Ukraine
In February 2022, the world witnessed armed conflict begin in Ukraine. In the midst of a tumbling crypto market, crypto users rallied to support the Ukrainian government and nonprofits providing humanitarian aid in Ukraine and bordering regions. The timing of this widespread generosity showed the world the compassionate side of the crypto community that is often overlooked.
After making a 500,000 ADA donation (worth roughly $250,000) to several charities, Charles Hoskinson said: “The power of blockchain and the crypto community to do good in the world shouldn’t be underestimated. Through this initiative, we are all able to provide charities with access to new sources of income which will go a long way to help the people of Ukraine in these incredibly difficult times.”
Donations continue to be made to individual organizations, the government of Ukraine and The Giving Block’s own Ukraine Emergency Response Fund.
3. Earthquake Relief in Turkey & Syria
In early 2023, crypto donors leapt into action to support recovery in Turkey and Syria after a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck.
Within hours, millions had been pledged and donated to several wallets set up to send funds for relief efforts. In other cases, nonprofit organizations like Project Hope and International Rescue Committee received sizable donations from crypto donors:
We just donated 5ETH ($8200) to health & humanitarian org @projecthopeorg - responding to the disaster in Turkey & Syria; & 5ETH to @RESCUEorg - work in Syria since 2012, now monitoring & preparing response.
— Satvik Sethi (@sxtvik) February 6, 2023
Donations made from @reli3fxyz's accrued royalties via @TheGivingBlock.
4. Women’s Rights & Reproductive Justice
In the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, numerous NFT projects, social impact DAOs and individuals advocated and donated to organizations committed to women’s reproductive justice.
Prominent artists such as Nadya Tolokonnikov and Jenny Holzer played leading roles in these initiatives. Donors supported organizations like International Planned Parenthood Federation, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and The Giving Block’s Crypto for Women’s Empowerment Fundraiser.
5. Worldwide COVID-19 Pandemic Response and Research
It’s been several years since March 2020, and it’s clear that the COVID-10 pandemic has changed the world. The turbulent “COVID era” has inspired the global community to invest in research to prevent the spread of future pandemics.
Vitalik Buterin and Sandeep Nailwal, co-founders of Ethereum and Polygon respectively, have been vocal and active philanthropists engaged in funding pandemic research.
Their ongoing efforts include:
- Nailwal’s Covid Relief organization donating $15 million to UNICEF in 2021
- Buterin’s Balvi Filantropic Fund making a USDC donation worth $9.3 million to the University of Maryland in 2022
- Buterin and Nailwal pledging $100 million toward COVID-19 research in 2023
Their efforts have inspired many others from the crypto community to support related causes in medicine and scientific research.
Adopting New Giving Methods for Crisis Fundraising
When a disaster strikes, your nonprofit needs to be ready to mobilize operations and convey urgency to donors.
Leading organizations like Save the Children, Direct Relief, World Central Kitchen, Mercy Corps, and CARE rely on social media platforms like Twitter to reach crypto users, highlighting the impact of cryptocurrency donations on their missions.
Engaging with potential cryptocurrency donors is an essential for reaching younger donors that tend to be affluent, financially-savvy, and highly generous. It’s also part of a larger trend of “non-cash asset fundraising,” which involves asking for crypto, stocks and Donor-Advised Fund grants.
Curious about the power of non-cash assets to boost your organization’s revenue? Discover the key benefits and innovative non-cash asset fundraising solutions powered by The Giving Block.
