GivingMarket/WeblogDirectory

The GivingMarket as a Weblog Directory?

This solution follows the /MembersWebsite and /PublicFoundation solution ideas. This time, simplicity is the key. How dirt simple can we make it and how can we implement this from what already is? from what's already working? and what other folks have already built and documented and educated folks about?

Maybe it looks like this...

• A GivingMarket blogger template with suggested questions to answer in sidebar or postings. Individuals with some passion for an issue use blogging resources and tools and services that already exist to tell their stories... on both the organizing and the funding sides of things, the volunteering and other sides, too.

• A self-organizing sort of directory system like http://www.chicagobloggers.com - this still incorporates many of the /SiteFunctions named in the /MembersWebsite approach to the Market but needs only to index all of the project, funding and other Blogs. Perhaps the GivingMarket doesn't need need to own the transactions and conversations themselves -- at least not at the outset. eBay started as peer not parent to PayPal.

• Links to groups already providing services to bloggers, which allows GivingMarket to stay smaller, cheaper, and more nimble, and perhaps more powerful in its ability to invite many already using these services and already connected through the blogosphere.
  • http://www.blogger.com and other blog tools
  • http://www.blogrolling.com to list links
  • http://www.paypal.com for payment/giving accounts info to blog
  • http://www.feedroll.com to add custom news links to blogs
  • http://www.bloglines.com news aggregator for tracking changes to many project blogs
  • http://www.technorati.com for finding new project blogs
  • http://www.usemod.com for adding wiki function for those who would build larger sites
  • http://www.yahoogroups.com for email list function that could distribute project blog news postings

In this solution, existing and new bloggers could be gathered into a single directory site that had all the functions shown at http://www.chicagobloggers.com. Giving would be done exclusively through direct and online (paypal) payments as requested and provided for in the individual project blogs. Transaction processing could be developed in tandem with /PublicFoundation fund that could then take donations and make matching gifts to boost direct giving transactions. Main accounts could stay with existing commercial banks that could provide trust-type accounts with credit cards, with services developed over time to respond to and support maturity of the GivingMarket. This latter bit in line with /BigChange visions.