Frequently Asked Questions

How do you select your projects and allies?

There are many ways to make the world a better place, and many organizations doing it. Unfortunately, we can’t work with all of them … at least not yet. For now, we look for two main things in our projects and partner organizations: sustainability and accountability.

Sustainability is important to us because we understand that a short-term commitment to an impoverished area can only accomplish so much. We want to work with allies who will engage members of the local community, and we want to fund projects that will have a long-term impact after we’re gone.

Accountability is important because we need to trust our allies’ ability to successfully manage the day-to-day operations of the project. Even more importantly, we want our donors to feel comfortable that we are using their donations in the most responsible way possible. We want to work with project allies who have strong management teams in place, a history of financial responsibility, and, to the extent possible, a track record of success in their missions.

How much of my donation goes to the project? How much does to you?

Right now, about 95% of your donation goes to the project. We use the other 5% for overhead costs, which we have kept very slim. Our goal is to use 100% of donations for project costs, and we believe that goal is attainable as soon as we can establish our brand and start soliciting funds separately for ourselves.

Will all your projects be in Africa?

Probably not. We are open to funding projects anywhere in the world, as long as the situation is right.

Do you have any experience building schools in Africa?

No, but Flying Kites does. Our model is dependent on the experience and expertise of our partner organizations, and we will work vigorously before selecting a project to ensure that our partners have the experience and expertise necessary to bring it to life.

I’m not particularly interested in this project, when’s the next one?

Our timeline is unclear right now, but we hope to introduce a new project soon. Once we become a little more established, we will introduce new projects regularly, and we may eventually introduce multiple projects at once. We probably would never introduce a new project, though, unless we are comfortable the current project will be fully funded.

Is my donation tax deductible? What does that even mean?

We are a tax exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. What that means for you is, under some circumstances, money you donate to us can be deducted from your pre-tax income. Everyone’s situation is different though, and we don’t know if you can deduct your donation. You should check with a tax professional.

I have an idea for a project…

Great! Please send it to us at contact@unitechange.org. Have any other ideas or feedback? We’d love to hear that also.

Are these your final answers?

No! We are just getting started, and some parts of our model may change over the coming months and years. Our vision is clear, but the means to make it a reality are still in flux. One thing will remain constant though: our commitment to providing donors with worthwhile charitable projects and the ability to follow those projects closely from start to finish. Check back and watch us evolve.