I recognized the power of negative media from a 1994 cover article in Time Magazine, on Rwanda - and felt disgusted by the powerlessness not just of policy makers, but of humanity. As a result, I ended up working for CARE in Rwanda. And I saw first-hand not only the horror of human massacres, but also the difference between well and poorly-run organizations. Effective organizations on the ground didn't necessarily get the lion's share of financing.

I would like to figure out a mechanism to create that positive force in philanthropy, that would help to funnel capital and services to those organizations that "deserve" it the most. Loaded proposition, I know. I helped organize a series of social venture fora in London for high net worth investors to do just that, and uncovered some of the challenges inherent in philanthropy, as well as the true meaning of "non-profit"!

I've been following Tom Munnecke and Givingspace from a distance, and am looking to uncover opportunities for virtuous cycles, self-organizing online communities, and information exchange based upon levels of trust - all within the context of philanthropy.

There may be ways to create a form of charity rating system open to the masses, full of personal opinions rather than "expertise", positively reinforcing, and actionable. I'm working with a friend of mine to discover how to breathe life into, and sustain, such a network, and am always open to collaboration. In my day job, I'm a banker.