While taking part in a huge community volunteer event years ago, Rys Fairbrother was amazed at the number of people who came out to give their time. “There were literally about 3,000 people sprinkled throughout Central Oregon who were doing all types of volunteer activities,” he says. “It showed that people really wanted to give back to their communities.”
The challenge, he thought, was to make people aware of all the nonprofits that needed not just funding, but in-kind giving and volunteers throughout the year.” As an entrepreneur with a marketing background, he always loved solving problems. “I thought, ‘How could we solve this problem with technology, one that people could really understand?’” says Rys.
Since crowd-giving campaigns, such as Go Fund Me, had been popular for years, and people really understood the concept, he decided to build on that. Three years ago, he founded What If We Could, a crowdsourcing platform with the goal of bringing awareness of—and support to— nonprofits, while at the same time showing people and businesses the opportunities available to help them.
For example, if the inside of a local nonprofit’s offices needed to be painted, the organization could request people for tasks such as heavy lifting, painting, and cleaning up. People logging on to the What If We Could website, would go to that charity, see what their favorite nonprofit’s needs might be, then decide if they wanted to be a part of that particular project. “When someone signs up, and let’s say they need 10 people, then the counter shows 10% of the goal is achieved,” says Rys. “When the next person joins the project, then 20% of the need is fulfilled. That’s what gets people excited; they want to be part of an initiative that’s growing.”
What If We Could also helps nonprofits utilize social media in a way that enables them to tell their stories and foster an understanding of the passion they feel for their causes. “We give nonprofits tools that they can easily share with their current supporters,” he says. Those supporters can then share these effective campaigns with family and friends to expand their outreach and garner even more action for their cause. In addition to providing these tools, Rys does a four-to-five minute radio interview monthly where he talks about the current initiatives that are going on to generate excitement and support. A full-page description of the opportunities will be available each month in Bend Lifestyle Magazine. “Plus, our guide, Together We Can, will be available in print as a resource for the community to see what these nonprofits are all about and what they’re doing all year long,” Rys says. “People and companies can then plan their giveback efforts.” Watch for a digital newsletter, the new initiative, Business Connect, and Shop 4 a Cause.
A foundation for this unique model of connection is the question Rys encourages others to ask about their own goals and passions. Individuals as community can finish this sentence themselves: What if we could … (feed houseless neighbors/protect open spaces/create the community we want to live)? In the growing community of Central Oregon, needs of nonprofits are also growing. What If We Could is a link between our hearts and our actions. WhatIfWeCould.com