Google.org is the search giant’s philanthropic arm that helps enforce positive change around the world. Now the company is helping non-profits and charities with a new mobile app.
Google launched a new Android app – One Today – in beta today. The app features a new charity or non-profit everyday in which people can choose to donate a dollar to. The app is designed to increase the discoverability of lesser known charities by letting them tap into the millions of Android users around the world.
The charities and non-profits currently featured in One Today include Ahsoka, an organization dedicated to teaching children empathy; Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, an organization dedicated to protecting rhinos; Trees for the Future, an organization dedicated to growing trees in Kenya; and more. Each organization requires a certain amount of money to reach their goal with each dollar donated going towards that goal so Google encourages donators to challenge their friends to donate as well to help the non-profits reach their goals.
What’s interesting is that Google will be applying an algorithm to all of this. As you give to non-profits and charities, Google will curate a list just for you that includes charities that it thinks you’ll be interested in based upon your past history.
One Today is a great example of harnessing the spending power of mobile users for good. Heavy mobile users spend at least a dollar every day on games, in-game add-ons and other apps. Tapping into those heavy spenders to give just one dollar a day can make a huge difference.
This all sounds good, but you can’t just start giving money to charities just yet. One Today is available through a limited pilot in the U.S. for now so interested parties must request an invite to get the app. You can download it from the Play Store if you want, but it will be useless without the invite. The app will be available at a later date on iOS, Windows Phone and BlackBerry so generous minded folks without an Android device will still be able to give in the future.
[h/t: Droid Life]