The utility of blockchain technology is boundless, and beyond decentralizing the world of finance, has played a significant role in various socio-humanitarian causes.
The past few years have been very challenging for most people around the world, with most nations recovering from the effect of Covid-19, as well as targeted crises such as the ongoing Ukraine invasion by Russia.
However, as the world continues to face numerous crises of various degrees, the web 3 community has stepped up in solidarity with vulnerable populations to help them wade through the storm.
So far, blockchain and crypto-backed projects, as well as the web 3 infrastructure as a whole, have demonstrated time and time again, that they are capable of making meaningful change and providing much-needed aid during humanity’s most trying moments.
In this article, we have compiled a list of 10 crypto-backed projects that are geared toward socio-humanitarian causes:
10. Blockchain for Humanity (B4H)
This particular project is a non-profit foundation with the mission to drive the adoption of emerging technologies that can offer a positive social impact. This they do by aggregating donations and contributions from like-minded individuals and organizations who share the same core values and beliefs as B4H.
The non-profit organization believes in the power of technology and its ability to transform the world into a better place. Thus, it focuses on three main areas, including social innovation, which entails funding initiatives that empower developing communities to adopt emerging technologies that address certain problems.
In this case, these problems are mostly related to instability of local economies, financial exclusion, and lack of liquidity. Likewise, the funds raised by B4H also facilitate social entrepreneurship mentorship and tech adoption through educational programs and research, as well as provide NGO tech support while ensuring the implementation of a purpose-driven framework for for-profit businesses through consensus leadership.
That said, B4H is continuously in search of partners who share their beliefs and are willing to contribute to the same course. So, interested partners can donate via a dedicated landing page on the website and can do so by paying into one of the three available crypto wallet addresses including BTC, ETH, or any other ERC20 token of choice.
9. Built With Bitcoin Foundation
Built With Bitcoin (BWB) is a non-profit humanitarian organization that places a strong emphasis on community development. Notably, the community-focused fundraising platform has the vision to build no fewer than 100 communities, and improve the physical, mental, environmental, and financial health of those in need.
Likewise, they are devoted to creating equitable opportunities for the vulnerable through the provision of clean water, access to quality education, sustainable farming, and general humanitarian support.
Furthermore, based on the project’s popular statement, “Building communities around the world, one Bitcoin at a time,” it is clear that the organization provides a platform for good Samaritans from all over the world to donate to their cause using the Bitcoin payment option.
8. Molecule
This decentralized science (DeSci) project is focused on life science research and is one of the very few dedicated to socio-humanitarian causes in the health sector. Molecule can be best described as a biotech project that decentralizes ownership, financing, and governance processes within drug development.
However, more precisely, the Molecule leverages its open-source protocol, Bio DAOs, and IP-NFTs, all of which are powered by web 3 technology, in creating a marketplace for research-related Intellectual Property (IP).
By creating collaborative ecosystems, Molecule makes it possible for stakeholders in drug development to work together towards expediting the process of bringing novel therapeutics to patients. This way, the project is also able to democratize biopharmaceutical research and development for humanity.
Essentially, there is a dedicated portal on the Molecule website that enables investors to contribute in the form of funding the “next breakthrough” in their area of interest. Basically, the portal is a marketplace for pre-screened projects that require funding; each project is accompanied by a brief description and the specific amount of funding required.
Furthermore, the Molecule DAO ecosystem consists of three major sub-projects that are focused on different areas of the health sector. The first known as VitaDAO is a decentralized organization responsible for funding early-stage longevity research, while the second, PsyDAO, is focused on furthering research into psychedelic medicine.
LabDAO, which is the third project under the Molecule DAO ecosystem, is a community-run network of wet and dry laboratory services to advance progress in life sciences. And finally, there is a dedicated launchpad for those planning to launch a Bio DAO via Molecule.
7. VitaDAO
As briefly discussed under the Molecule project, VitaDAO is one of three main sub-projects within the Molecule DAO ecosystem. However, VitaDAO is very important for many reasons including its dedication to socio-humanitarian causes.
Specifically, VitaDAO is building a global community of longevity scientists and enthusiasts discovering and funding the most promising biopharmaceutical research and developments (R&Ds). More like a venture capital company, Vita DAO funds medical and health-related research, especially research focused on longevity and combatting aging and age-related diseases.
Likewise, VitaDAO adopted a venture development process that’s similar to most traditional VCs. In particular, it makes use of a three-part process consisting of the application stage, evaluation, and voting & funding.
VitaDAO has also launched various non-profit initiatives including GR12, a longevity quadratic donation round with Gitcoin that helps curate and fund projects that further the mission and goals of longevity science.
There is another initiative known as the Vita DAO fellowship that funds promising individuals who are entering longevity with micro-agents. And the most recent one, the Longevity prize, awards outstanding progress in longevity research.
6. Klima DAO
At a time when the world is becoming highly intolerant of the increasing rate of carbon emission and its hazardous impact on the global climate, Klima DAO is offering a sustainable approach to combat climate change and earn rewards.
Particularly, Klima DAO awards individuals who participate in the socio-humanitarian cause with its native asset known as KLIMA, a digital currency backed by real-world carbon assets. In addition to its usefulness as the network’s reward token, KLIMA also enables holders to participate in and govern the entire network’s economy.
Also, the KLIMA token is used to offset carbon emissions, interact with DeFi applications, as well as get exposure to the rapidly growing global carbon market. In addition, the platform doubles as a decentralized open market for carbon trading which essentially entails the process of buying and selling permits and credits that allow the permit holder to emit carbon dioxide.
So far, Klima DAO claims on its website to have absorbed over 17.5 million tons of carbon, which is equivalent to the emissions from over 3.8 million cars annually and over 522 million liters of gasoline.
5. Social Impact NFTs: ARTXV
Claiming to be the number one community for neurodivergent NFTs, ARTXV creates an ecosystem for artists, allies, and collectors to collectively promote diversity in the NFT space. Specifically, the ecosystem is able to achieve this by empowering neurodiverse artists and celebrating them in the art community.
4. Social Impact NFTs: Impact
This particular social impact of NFT is unique in the sense that it enables users to donate to the causes they care about using NFT fundraising. Although it offers crypto donations like most of its peers, Impact, on the other hand, accepts crypto donations on behalf of charities and subsequently issues commemorative proof of donation in the form of NFTs as well as exclusive NFTs from cause-driven artists.
3. Habitat for Humanity
This particular project was founded long before the inception of Bitcoin. However, it is one of the most prominent and oldest traditional non-profit organizations to adopt cryptocurrency donation in its effort to ensure that everyone enjoys access to safe and decent shelter.
The platform’s offerings are categorized into three main parts: one for volunteers, another for advocates, and the third for general support and partnerships. Currently, there are more than a dozen ways to donate on the platform, one of which includes cryptocurrency donations.
2. UkraineDAO
Following Russia’s unprovoked full-scale military invasion of Ukraine, which began in February, the world has witnessed what could be described as undeserved destruction in the attacked nation.
Sadly, amidst the ongoing war, Ukraine, which has run out of options, particularly as over 14 million people have fled the country, has been forced to seek alliances from other governments and non-governmental organizations.
In the same vein, the country launched a dedicated website in an attempt to solicit funding from well-wishers. Namely, UkraineDAO(.love), with a website painted in the color of the national flag (blue and yellow), enabled individuals and organizations to donate in cryptocurrency towards a humanitarian cause.
According to the website, 100% of the proceeds from the donation site go directly to support Ukrainians suffering from the effect of the ongoing war.
1. The Giving Block
At the top of the list in descending order is The Giving Block, which is dubbed the number one crypto donation solution, and provides an ecosystem for nonprofits and charities to fundraise Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and other cryptocurrencies.
Although the leading crypto donation platform was recently acquired by Shift, a provider of integrated payment and technology solutions, its mission to make cryptocurrency fundraising easy for nonprofits still remains intact.
Particularly, the platform’s offerings are categorized into three main parts: “for nonprofits,” “for donors,” and general “partnership,” cutting across the crypto industry, media, non-profits, NFTs as well as institutional partners. As such, interested partners or contributors can participate on the platform according to their interests.
Lastly, there is a dedicated portal for resources on a variety of topics ranging from the basics of how to accept crypto donations as an organization to the types of causes crypto donors can support. Plus, interested partners can check the campaign page on the website to see a curated list of crypto campaigns and fundraisers.