About Brad Sugars

Facebook has a Causes application.

Giving just got easier.

To fulfill your philanthropic goals in a digital world, all you need is a Facebook profile and a cause close to your heart.

Now you can easily and effectively make a birthday wish to save giant pandas, or help people with leukemia, or even help end world hunger (or whatever else tugs at your heartstrings).

Facebook’s Causes Birthday Wish application allows you to make a pledge and then, ask your friends and family to donate to your favorite cause/non-profit instead of buying you presents on your birthday.

So, how did this application, which began as an experiment (and catapulted into a movement), manage to raise $1 Million in less than two years?

The application (and for that matter Facebook itself) capitalizes on the psychology of collective influence –relying on the subtle influence exerted by social groups… and relatively small contributions have created million-dollar results through this simple, albeit empowering idea.

Such is the power of collective influence –an intrinsic aspect of Facebook’s design DNA.

According to the Causes blog published on July 10^th, people who have used this application so far have together donated a staggering $1 million for the non-profits they most care about. For his 38^th birthday, Brad Sugars made a wish to support the Cancer Schmancer organization and became the top fund raiser gaining the All-Star contributor status. He helped raise $7690 for his cause. Nature Conservancy was the top fund-raising cause with $300,000 raised.

Giving makes people feel good. Many independent studies suggest that charitable giving has several health benefits (it is even believed to increase the supply of dopamine to the brain) and promotes professional success (our society tends to look upon philanthropic people as leaders).

So go get a dose of the feel-good hormone and make it easy for people to buy you a birthday present by embracing this social media network to harness the power of your network –all for a noble cause.

Brad’s birthday has passed, but it’s never too late to donate for a good cause: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/birthdays/72495

Brad’s Facebook impact with 6 causes: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/activity/45880255