Donator

Problem Space 

Problem Statement  

How can we connect people who want to donate with local organizations in need of donations, making it easier to give back to their community?

Problem Background  

The act of charitable giving has become increasingly popular in recent years, as people are more interested in contributing to causes they believe in. However, finding a local charity to donate to can be difficult and time-consuming. Many users struggle with knowing where to donate, what to donate, and how to donate. As a result, they may give up on donating altogether or choose a charity that is not a good fit for their values.

Currently, there are several charity search engines and donation platforms available in the market, such as Charity Navigator, GoFundMe, and JustGiving. However, these platforms do not specifically address the need for finding local charities in a user's area. Moreover, these platforms may not provide enough information to users about what the charity does, how their donations will be used, or the impact they will make. As a result, users may feel unsure about the legitimacy of the charity and the effectiveness of their donation, leading to a lack of trust in the platform and the charitable giving process. The lack of a dedicated platform for finding and donating to local charities creates a barrier for users who want to give back to their community and contribute to causes they care about.

Research Insights

User Pain Points

Through user research, we have identified several pain points that users face when it comes to finding and donating to local charities. One of the biggest pain points is the lack of transparency and trust in charities. Users are often unsure of how their donations are being used and whether they are making a real impact. They want to know more about the charity's mission, the programs they offer, and the outcomes they have achieved.

Another pain point is the difficulty in finding local charities. There is no single way that people find local charities, and it is often a time-consuming and frustrating process. Users may resort to using Google search or relying on word-of-mouth, which can be unreliable and limit the number of options available.

Supporting Data

We conducted a user survey and user interviews and these were some of our findings:

1. 61.5% of survey users mentioned that their biggest pain point with donating was the lack of transparency 
2. 53.8% of survey takers said Word of Mouth was the most popular way to find local charities
3. Survey users mentioned that many donation platforms are “old and unintuitive” and so they are discouraged to donate due to the difficulty of the platform itself
4. In user interviews, individuals were worried that if they donated to a large organization or to the wrong charity they won’t make an impact and their donations will go to waste

Landing on the Solution

The solution is to develop an app called Donator that helps users easily find local charities and donate to causes they care about. Donator will provide users with a list of verified and reputable local charities in their area, along with information on how to donate and what to donate. Additionally, the app will feature a donation tracker that shows the impact of their donations, giving users transparency and reassurance that their contributions are making a difference.

Explanation of Solution

Donator provides a one-stop-shop for users to find and donate to local charities in their area. It eliminates the need for time-consuming Google searches or relying on word-of-mouth recommendations, and instead provides users with a verified list of reputable charities that they can choose from. Additionally, Donator provides transparency by showing users how their donations are being used and the impact they are making.

Furthermore, Donator's donation tracker feature will provide users with a sense of accomplishment and motivation to continue giving, as they will be able to see the impact of their contributions.

Overall, Donator will be a valuable tool for users who want to give back to their community and contribute to causes they care about. It will provide transparency, convenience, and reassurance, making charitable giving more accessible and rewarding.

Future Steps

While Donator addresses the pain points of lack of transparency and difficulty in finding local charities, there are other problem areas that can be addressed in the future to further improve the app. Some of these future steps include:

1. Incentives for users: offering rewards or recognition for their contributions 
2. Integration with social media: allowing users to share their donations and encourage their friends to donate as well.
3. Streamlined donation process: allowing users to make donations with just a few clicks