2017 April Edition

is a way for the partners to help each other help themselves. We started small and began building relationships with organizations in the local region. We wanted to start with not only in- kind fundraising, but also with education. We needed to teach nonprofits to question the system to which they were accustomed, and to begin asking for what they needed. We also needed to teach them that they were in complete control and to take more responsibility for the process.We don’t charge anything for MyFiki and we never will. The prices for the items are the same whether or not they are purchased through MyFiki, and we charge NOTHING for any of our services. This helps to prove to nonprofits that we are there to help them, not to take advantage of their circumstances. Although we started locally, we currently have partners in fourteen states, and will continue to spread nationally as we grow. Our website provides donors with a simple way to support partner nonprofits. Donors visit a partner’s profile and see basic information about an organization,

including images of the organization at work, which often evokes an emotional response that connects donors to the organization. Nonprofits have sections to concisely explain who they are, what they do, and what help they need, so that donors don’t get lost in content, nor do they have to search far for more details. All of an organization’s social media links are on the page as well and, once in a profile, the call to action is evident: click on the wishlist and help right now. MyFiki is proud to serve as a hub of information and action for our partners and their donors. This process hasn’t been an easy one. Nonprofits have grown skeptical and often believe that we are in it for something else, but we truly just want to help. We want to make a difference in this world, and we want to multiply our efforts by showing donors how easy it is to support an organization. Previously, I never knew that nonprofits had so many needs. The people who run these organizations do so much with so little and change the lives of many people, animals, and communities. They often spend their own money and lead thankless jobs, humbly doing more since no one else is there to help.

If you have a new idea, but you’re afraid that it won’t work or that you haven’t figured it all out yet, that’s okay. Do it anyway. You don’t have to have all of the answers at the beginning. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise if you’re planning on starting something new. Your biggest obstacle is yourself. Get out of your own way and let the idea grow. MyFiki started with buying some towels for animals and has continued to grow into 44% increased donor engagement. More importantly, MyFiki has grown into an outstanding network of incredibly dedicated staff, volunteers, and donors who all want to make this world better. We’re grateful to know all of the people we have met from this experience and we’re excited to see it continue to create tangible change in our world. Rafik Tawadrous is a volunteer turned social entrepre- neur. For over 10 years, he’s been looking for ways to give back. By day, he analyzes numbers as a group health insurance financial consultant; by night and on weekends, he loves working toward leaving a positive mark in this world by leveraging technology.

info@myfiki.org www.myfiki.org

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10 I Nonprofit Performance Magazine