Scott Beale, Atlas Service Corps

We're about half way through the six-week long America's Giving Challenge sponsored by the Case Foundation, Parade Magazine, GlobalGiving, and Network for Good. At this half way point, I am excited to share with you that Atlas Corps is in the second spot of the Global Causes category. I want to share with you what has worked for us in this contest, as we have motivated over 275 people and $8,000 to put us in the second spot (as of January 14th) of this contest.

Before we begin, What is Atlas Corps? Atlas Service Corps Inc. (Atlas Corps) is a new international nonprofit organization that is developing a global partnership for development through an innovative and sustainable fellowship program. We take nonprofit leaders with 3-8 years of experience to volunteer overseas for one year to learn best practices, share unique insights, provide valuable services, and return home to create a global partnership for development (some call it a "Reverse Peace Corps"). In our pilot year, our signature program has been taking developing world (India and Colombia) nonprofit leaders to volunteer at U.S. nonprofits like TechnoServe, YouthVenture/Ashoka and other Host organizations. Senator Harris Wofford , one of the founders of the Peace Corps, has praised our "Reverse Peace Corps path towards development" and Bill Drayton, the founder of Ashoka, stated, "Atlas Corps is a great idea and an important cause."

First Key: Start Early. We got started on America's Giving Challenge almost as soon as it started, on the December 15th. We had 100 donors by Christmas and 150 by New Years. It was hard to get people's attention so early in the game, but we also found a lot of people who were going to do end-of-year donations, anyway. While other organizations waited to start, Atlas Corps built up a lead.

Second Key: Communicate Effectively. Especially since Atlas Corps is new, we are using every method possible to communicate who we are, what this contest is, and why people should donate. We have a 6,000 person newsletter, created a YouTube video, blogs, and an 840 person Facebook group, did a BBC radio interview, phone calls, and more.

Third Key: Recruit Help. I passionately believe that your ability to succeed is directly proportional to your willingness to ask for help. I asked people to be Campaign Captains who would each find 10 other donors, and our volunteer base has been the most important ingredient in our organizational success.

Fourth Key: Bring it Home. $10 is small enough that many people will say "yes", but also small enough that people will forget to do it. Reminders are not bad things – especially if they already said they would give. This is not a contest to see who can get the most people to say they will give: they actually need to donate for it to count.

And of course: What does not work. Not asking, not following up, asking at a bar on a Saturday night and not sending a reminder, asking people who live overseas without a credit card, asking strangers on the bus, creating an event on Facebook that people RSVP to because they think you live 100 miles apart, asking people at New Years Eve, asking someone after they have already given and not received a thank you, asking your two year old nephew, waiting till February, then asking everyone you know, giving a 10-minute speech to ask for $10 (shorter is better), asking in English to people who speak Spanish, asking your bulldog...

Finally, a short reflection. While I don't think this contest is perfect, I am very excited about it. We have a broad base of support for such a new organization (people from 85 countries visit our site and 2,500 people read our monthly newsletter), but we still remain unknown in large parts of the U.S. nonprofit (and foundation) sector. We see this contest not only as a great way to win a large sum of money, but as a fantastic way to encourage new small donors, and hopefully, a positive opportunity to raise awareness about our program.

Furthermore, our average donation has been $32: once you get someone online, most of them will give more than $10.

At Atlas Corps, we believe in the power of individuals to make a significant difference in the world. Our program empowers nonprofit leaders from around the world to cross borders, share ideas. and strengthen organizations, much like globalization in the private sector can benefit economies. America's Giving Challenge is also about empowering individuals to "vote" for causes they believe in, to show we can all make a difference, even $10 at a time.

Scott Beale is the founder of Atlas Corps. He previously served in the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India coordinating the U.S. Government's efforts to fight human trafficking. He has also worked in the White House with President Clinton, at Ashoka helping lead their Youth Venture program, and in Bosnia coordinating elections with the OSCE. He likes to run marathons and spends too much time on Facebook.