Focusing on the Unfocused: Corresponding Perspectives on Connectivity among Small-scale Non-profit Organizations Working for Street Children in Bangladesh and Their Donors

Abstract

Non-profit organizations (NPOs) serve marginalized communities, such as street children. Their success highly depends on donation raising and their connections with donors, where online platforms (e.g., social media, individual websites, messaging applications, etc.) play a significant role. However, small-scale NPOs face several challenges due to their resource constraints while connecting with their donors and potential donors using existing online platforms. Therefore, we performed a mixed-method study to investigate the connectivity settings among such NPOs, donors, and potential donors. Consequently, we performed semi-structured interviews with seven NPOs working for street children and 21 current donors and conducted an online survey of 42 potential donors in a developing country (Bangladesh). The findings of our study reveal influential factors pertinent to the non-profit work contexts and gaps in connectivity among the stakeholders (small-scale NPOs, donors, and potential donors). We discover that, although having an online presence positively impacts the credibility of small-scale NPOs to the donors by introducing familiarity, possessing such an online presence is challenging for the resource-constrained small-scale NPOs. We further provide several design implications for improving the connectivity settings, especially in terms of online connectivity, among the stakeholders by focusing on their essential roles and reduction of their encountered challenges.