This Mashup Connects Donors to Charities So They Can Give Faster and More Transparently

Austin-based 121Giving uses its ecommerce and crowdfunding platform to help charities get the goods they need to do good. Partnering with brands lets 121Giving sell its inventory of furniture, medical equipment, food, and more to charities at discount. Charities use the platform to crowdfund those purchases. Donors can see what charities spend donations on, and brands can incorporate philanthropy into their supply chains.

Charities like St. Vincent De Paul121 use 121Giving to purchase supplies for disaster relief.

121Giving launched at SXSW in March 2015.

Here is some of what we learned from Mark Courtney, 121Giving’s CEO and co-founder …

• 121Giving has sold 17,841 products to charities. That’s 117 tons of products.
• The company helps charities with grant writing, too.
• Courtney sees 121Giving acting as an extension of charities. By sourcing products and coordinating delivery, it frees up a charity’s time and resources.
• By Courtney’s estimate, charities save an average of 35 percent on purchases made through 121Giving versus retail.

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