JuliusHuijnk.nl/project

Charitius

2019+ version of Charitius; a global charity search engine. Open source and based on open data.

Charitius.org
Code on Github
Follow on Twitter

First attempt

In 2006 I created Helpalot.org. It had about 300+ accounts and over 100 charity projects. After a few years I had to pull the plug, because I couldn’t find the time to do it properly. More about Helpalot.org.

Second

Ten years later, in 2016, I made a new attempt with a more clear focus; It was no longer a social network, but a search engine for all charities in the world. More and more relevant context could be added, perhaps in later stages even social. After a couple of months, I ran into technical problems when my database grew and put the project on pause.See Charitius 2016

Third

At then end of 2019 I rebooted the project and decided the platform had to run on public data, should be open source (code on Github), and I would automate as much as possible with scripts, allowing me to add more content and features with as little time as possible.

Updates

Join me in creating an open global charity search engine
Dec 22, 2019
Category filters
Dec 21, 2019
You can now search Charitius.org
Dec 14, 2019

Status

How far along the plan is it?
Circle representing a challenge (illustration)
Find worthy challenges
2019+ version of Charitius; A global charity search engine to help you find charities you can trust.
Person thinking (illustration)
Think it through
The core goals and vision remain the same since the 2016 version, but but the approach is different. This time, the data is all open data, no web-scraping. Also the code itself is open source.
Circle with edges of a star (illustration)
Create prototypes
The website is live at Charitius.org.
Two people with a star above them, as combined thoughts (illustration)
Collaborate
The project could use a partner with legal expertise and connections to different charity plaforms. In general, suggestions for good open data sources and code contributions are very much welcome.
Star surrounded by smaller stars (illustration
Make it sustainable
Charitius is designed to be cheap. All data updates are as automated as possible. There is no need for moderation, or management of any sorts. The only costs are hosting, and my personal hours. If it gains tracktion, the hosting costs might become a challenge. I would try to find a hosting partner who would be willing to help out. In the 2016 version, the plan was to provide a paid API. Since all the data is in the open, that no longer seems like a viable path.
Three people with star on their chest (illustration)
Produce real impact
To early to tell.

Effort for Tools for fairness

Create tools that increase understanding by providing context and fresh perspectives. By including diverse human perspectives, the aim is to enable fairness as an integral part of the choices we make when we build our future.