Kiva Visits SXSW in Austin

March 17, 2010

By: Patricia Wada

South by Southwest (SXSW), the annual music, film and interactive festival that attracts thousands to Austin, Texas each spring, hosted Kiva in its melange of activities offered from March 12-21. Skylar Woodward, Kiva Advisor, organized the panel discussion "Will Kiva Kill Your Nonprofit? Donations 2.0." Participants explored the definition of "Donations 2.0" and addressed the following questions:

Have social media and Web 2.0 fundamentally changed donors’ expectations about data availability?

What is Kiva, and how is their approach to online fundraising unique?

Why is “doing Twitter” not the same as being a leader in online donations?

Woodward said, "[Kiva's] definition of 'Donations 2.0' is decentralizing from a donor-charity system to a person-need model. It's facilitated by technology and a general cultural shift to interact in social communities--digital or physical--and it prioritizes the needs of the community."

A non-profit executive who attended the panel writes, "There seems to be general agreement that 'Donations 2.0' means direct connection between the donor (and donor’s needs) and the funder."

Kiva also sponsored the Good Capitalist Party, along with Acumen Fund, Social Edge, Good Magazine and others. The event highlighted social entrepreneurship and how to 'do good' and make money at the same time. It drew so many guests that organizers had to change venues--twice!

Kiva was excited to take part in SXSW Interactive. SXSW Music and Film continues through March 21. To read more from Skylar Woodward, check out his blog.