1. Now Watt?
2. The Model
3. Giving Watts
4. Where GIVEWATTS is making the installations
5. Duration of GIVEWATTS fundraising campaigns
6. Recognising your fundraising campaign
7. The installation process
8. What we report back on
9. How we work with installations
10. Organising an event?
11. GIVEWATTS merchandise and materials
12. Empower: Getting your business involved
13. Getting involved: Internships and employment opportunities
14. The energy crisis in the developing world
15. Where we work
16. A local NGO – procurement guidelines
17. Local buy-in – Community ownership
18. What we install
1. Now Watt?
Are you interested in sponsoring a renewable energy project that will empower children to get a better education? Learn more and donate online here
If you’d rather work with us offline to sponsor a project, please email
givewatts@givewatts.org.
You can also sponsor an installation as a company. Learn more about that here.
Don’t have the funds but think you can raise them? Start a campaign!
2. The Model
GIVEWATTS is all about impact and transparency. We want to create a direct link between the supporter and the people that they support. Therefore, we always strive to minimize our expenses, without compromising quality of our installations or our monitoring. What you are able to read in the reports from completed projects is what has actually happened, and what it has cost. If you have any questions about this, send us an email, and we will be happy to provide you with the information you need.
All funds raised go towards GIVEWATTS, and an admin fee is charged for running the projects and raising more awareness. We no not believe in fundraising separately for overhead costs, as we find that this makes the model less sustainable, less credible and less accountable. Of course, if you want to support us by giving to overheads separately, we would be more than happy, and we can guarantee that we spend the money in an accountable way. But we will maintain our vision to run the charity as a business, always striving to keep costs low, and efficiency as high as possible. That would not be possible if we had a separate chest with money for how we run it. Obviously we report on all our financials to the relevant authorities in the US, Sweden and Kenya, as well as our sponsors and supporters.
3. Giving Watts – All you need to know about your donation
GIVEWATTS currently has charities registered in the US (501(c)e non profit), in Sweden (non profit) and in Kenya (non profit). Regardless of how you choose to donate, we will never share you information with anyone.
Online donations: You can donate using any major credit card, or a PayPal account. You do not need a PayPal account to donate.
All international donations made on the GIVEWATTS website will be made in their respective currency, or a currency you choose. If you are in the US, this means that your donation is tax-deductible. As of today these are the only countries we can offer tax deductions on donations. If you have any questions of how to make a donation from another country, please get in touch.
Security for online donations: We have opted to use PayPal to process our online donations, the largest online global payment processor. PayPal has a highly sensitive fraud alert system. This protects both you and GIVEWATTS.
Bank transfers: Depending on where you are, you can make a bank transfer to either the GIVEWATTS US account (tax deductible), or GIVEWATTS in Sweden. The details are as follows:
US
If you would like to make a bank transfer to our US entity, please get in touch with us on usa@givewatts.org, and we will send you the information you need.
Sweden
Nordea Bank
Plusgiro: 90 02 84 – 1
Or, to Sweden from abroad, Nordea Bank, account number: IBAN SE71 9500 0099 6018 1654 8968
BIC: NDEASESS
International donations: We accept donations in all currencies. Please note that donations made from within the US directly to the GIVEWATTS US are tax deductible.
Money orders: For money orders, please collect donations in your currency, then mail a USD money order to:
GIVEWATTS INC
2117 HOPKINS ST
HOUSTON TX 77006
United States of America
Money orders should be made payable to GIVEWATTS US. At this time, we don’t accept foreign checks to the US. However, international banks can make checks out in USD. You can then mail us that check, using our address listed above and below.
By check: If you are in the US, you can send checks for general donations to our Houston office at:
GIVEWATTS INC
2117 HOPKINS ST
HOUSTON TX 77006
United States of America
If you’re donating in honor of someone, sponsoring an energy project or want to direct your donation to our operations costs, please write this in the memo of your check.
GIVEWATTS campaigns: If you want to donate to a friend’s GIVEWATTS fundraising campaign, you can use any of the methods mentioned above. To donate online: Go to their campaign page, click “donate” and fill out your credit card information. We’ll process your card with PayPal as we do with any online donation. To donate by check: Mail us your check with the campaign ID in the memo of your check. You can find the campaign ID on the Campaign page. To donate by bank transfer: make the transfer and include the project ID and you details (unless you want to be anonymous – regardless of your preference, we will never share your details with anyone).
Tax receipts: Receipts for online donations may take up to 5 working days to process and email to you. If you don’t receive it, please look in the spam box. If you don’t get your receipt within 5 working days, please let us know and we’ll gladly reissue you another one. For donations made to the GIVEWATTS US by check, money transfer or bank transfer will receive a formal tax receipt in the mail within four weeks after the donation has been processed. If you don’t get your receipt within that time, let us know and we will resend it.
4. Where GIVEWATTS is making the installations
GIVEWATTS implements its own installations, through its implementing organization GIVEWATTS Kenya, a registered NGO, to assess and determine areas and communities in Kenya where GIVEWATTS installations have the biggest impact. GIVEWATTS Kenya determines where our installations should be, and it is possible for you dedicate you funding to a particular project on our website here.
5. Duration of GIVEWATTS fundraising campaigns
The fundraising campaigns are limited to three months. The sooner the fundraising pages reach their goals and close the campaigns, the quicker we can put that funding to work and give light and energy to people. We grant funds to the field organization every quarter. If you raise more than you have indicated, you can increase your goal or start a new campaign. Send us an email to campaign@givewatts.org and we will organize that for you.
6. Recognising your fundraising campaign
Whatever you give, we are grateful! If you reach a target of at least USD 2000 (average cost of getting lanterns to a class) we will get in touch to get information for your recognition and our completion report. Regardless of what amount you reach, GIVEWATTS will track your donation to its specific project, and report back to you.
7. The installation process
Once we have received the funds required to complete an installation, we make the finds available for the next transfer to the field.
8. What we report back on
When GIVEWATTS makes an installation, we commit to reporting back over a period of 2 years. We report back on the Social impacts (more study time, improved grades, savings on kerosene, etc) and Environmental impacts (net effect of replacing kerosene lamps, savings on charcoal if we replace a 3-rock kitchen, common in school and wherever food is prepared at clincs.
We always start with a baseline survey, which tells us what the starting position is. We do the monitoring ourselves, and through our local partners. We know from experience that real and reliable monitoring is difficult unless you have people on the ground, that can also support in maintenance. We believe that this is the only way to build something sustainable.
9. How we work with installations
GIVEWATTS knows that the people that benefit from the installation at the schools and the clinics are more interested in the impact it has on their lives than anything else. Like everyone, they have dreams and ambitions, and they have ability. Before GIVEWATTS starts working on a project, we carry out a baseline study to find out what type of installation will have the biggest impact, and with whom we should work with in a particular area. Once we are satisfied that we know what we will do, and the community in which we will work has bought into the project and the requirements it will put on them, we identify all the aspects of the project. We then publish it on our website, and / or allocate funding we have already received (through your campaign for example). Once we can allocate the full budget, we launch our installation. Depending on the time it fundraising, this can take between 3 months and 1 year.
10. Organising an event?
If you want to organize an event to fundraise, we can supply you with information. If you send an email to event@givewatts.org and we will give you a few suggestions for things to keep in mind.
11. GIVEWATTS merchandise and materials
We have GIVEWATTS branded t-shirts. If you would like to buy one, send us an email to sales@givewatts.org.
12. Empower: Getting your business involved
There are many ways to get your business and/or workplace on board.
Many companies find it rewarding to sponsor an installation, or to start a fundraising campaign on GIVEWATTS. Colleagues can track donations and work towards a common goal. When you sponsor a project or raise more than USD 2,000 (the average cost of one getting lanterns to a class), we will recognize your company at the school. There will also be GPS coordinates and photos of the school or clinic and the community that received the installation because of your gift!
For an example of what this could look like, please see here.
Many companies have a matching gift program. That means that when you give an amount as an individual, the company donates the same. If you want to know more about this, please send us an email and we will look at your particulars and help you set it up.
If you have any questions about this process or our policies for how you can use the GIVEWATTS brand, please email us at corporategiving@givewatts.org
13. Getting involved: Internships and employment opportunities
Our positions are posted on our website, or idealist.org. We are always looking for fundraisers
14. The energy crisis in the developing world
More than 1.5 billion people around the world don’t have access to electricity. By conservative measures, nearly 600 million of those are Africans – 70% of the continent’s population – are un-electrified, and rely on fossil fuel, such as kerosene for lighting. These are inefficient and expensive sources of light. They are also polluting the environment and are a major source of hazard. Every year more than two million people mostly children) get serious burns in fires caused by accidents including kerosene lamps.
Not only do these un-electrified populations, mostly rural low income households and small businesses, have poor (and dangerous) lighting, but they pay a high price for it. The price of kerosene has been steadily increasing during the past years and is expected to keep climbing. Families relying on kerosene for light have seen their energy expenses go through the roof. We meet people that spend on average USD 0.5 per day, or between 20-40% of their household income, on kerosene.
In fact, rural, low income households tend to pay more for lighting than the families with more disposable income, as they tend to buy small, daily portions of kerosene from a local shop, which will charge them on average 30 % more1 (and up to 130 % in some areas) than urban dwellers who buy it in larger quantities. It is expensive to be poor!
The price is not the only cost. Indoor air pollution, and the weakening of the immune system and respiratory issues, is one of the biggest killers of children under the age of five. Smoke from kerosene lamps makes up a large part of that pollution.
Electrification in most sub-Saharan countries, is slow, with the grid expanding at a much slower rate than the population, and even if there is grid, the cost of connecting to it remains well beyond the means of low income these households.
Efficient, clean and safe lighting is not just a commodity. We think that having light in your school, or when you go to you nearest clinic, is a right. Spending up to 40% of your income on kerosene makes it very difficult to find money for school books, medication or family emergencies.
So what’s the way out?
Well, the solution is near, really. There are plenty of renewable energy sources in Africa, (sun, wind, biogas) and getting it installed in schools and clinics is not rocket science, but to make it a reality, we all need to do our part.
Together we can do something about this. By partnering with schools and medical clinics, we can make installations. These energy installations will help tip the scale in favour of the schools children (and their families), that will make it possible for a woman delivering babies at night to give birth in light, drastically reducing risks to her and the child’s life. The possibilities for a girl child who cannot do her homework are pretty dire. If she should be given the possibility to choose, access to energy is one of the basic necessities.
Energy you give makes a real difference. By the flip of a switch, you can give a child clean light. With energy, you can unleash the future.
15. Where we work
GIVEWATTS is currently doing installations in Kenya, and we are looking, by invitation, at several other countries in sub-Saharan Africa. We chose Kenya because of the need we could identify, and the local structure that quickly formed to ensure a good delivery of our installations. We will expand our geographical scope.
16. A local NGO – procurement guidelines
A lot of what we install is bought locally. Good quality equipment is available, and we believe in strengthening the local infrastructure, rather than bringing in alternatives. Our installers are all national, and GIVEWATTS Kenya is run by a Kenyan team.
We have a good overview of what is available, and what it should cost. All our procurements are competitive, and we are always striving to maximize the value we put in.
17. Local buy-in – Community ownership
Without community buy-in projects like ours are impossible to manage, and they have very limited impact. All our installations come as a result of close collaboration with the prospective community and school. The school, or clinic, contributes with some of the expenses required for the installation (strengthening the roof, making space available) and in-kind contributions. This is important for the buy-in, and the real sense of ownership of, and responsibility for the equipment and its maintenance.
GIVEWATTS supports and provides training to the school on the equipment and works with the school to set up a maintenance programme over the two year monitoring phase, and after that, the school is responsible for the installation.
Already from day one, the school assumes responsibility for the basic maintenance and repair. For example, if a lamp is broken, the school has its own budget to replace it.
18. What we install – Different needs in different contexts
GIVEWATTS is not technology specific. What is installed depends on the needs and the context. Light is most easily provided by solar installations. Lanterns for school kids require smaller systems, and for the school kitchen, the only viable option is biogas. Therefore, what you will find in our projects, will differ form place to place.