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The Future of Giving is On-Chain: NFTs for Social Causes

RΞSIST” by Camibus, 2022

The Future of Giving is On-Chain: NFTs for Social Causes

4 weeks ago
What else is the purpose of a polity in Web3, if not to spread resources and build upon shared principles? The majority of NFT collections tout communal utility, member perks, and a vote to determine how joint funds are spent. In an effort to vamp like-minded investors, some developers designate a portion of proceeds towards social causes, opening the opportunity for NFT communities to make impactful contributions in real life. Like an Elks Lodge or a Rotary Club from the last century, soft-hearted individuals pool resources and spread good will through the world.The philanthropic nature of an NFT polity is a factor that binds all the project holders under a salubrious worldwide purpose.

For instance, Ukrainian boxing legend Wladimir Klitschko released an NFT hodgepodge with WhIsBe tabbed “Vandalz for Ukraine,” with 100% of the sales going to help fund Red Cross Ukraine, UNICEF Ukraine, and Ukrainian Relief Fund. So far, the project has raised a modest sum of money for the people of Ukraine; currently, the most expensive Vandalz on Open Sea is valued at 4.0 ETH.

“Satin Vandal for Ukraine” by Wladimir Klitschko and WhIsBe, 2022
“Shaq Gives When #8469,” 2021
Closer to home, the famous basketball player Shaquille O’Neal created an NFT project tabbed “Shaq Gives Back” where 100% of its proceeds help to fund The Shaquille O’Neal Foundation which, equal to the website, “works to instill hope and bring well-nigh transpiration in communities, collectively shaping a brighter future for our children.” And even the BAYC requirement to have donated 1% of their proceeds from their ApeCoinDAO to the Jane Goodall foundation, a soft-heartedness with an aim of protecting chimpanzees and inspiring whoopee to conserve the natural world.

Although idealism endorsements have a strong influence on the NFT marketplace, individual creators are moreover stirring up NFT sales and generating donations for efforts they believe in supporting. Some of these self-sustaining artists create 1/1 artworks, like Camibus who auctioned off “RΞSIST” for 2.0 ETH on SuperRare and donated all of it to @Ukraine_DAO. SuperRare Labs unsalaried too, and well-set to match the 15% legation received by the SuperRare DAO and requite it when to the artist’s preferred charity. Camibus, a visual versifier who lives in Romania, sympathizes with the Ukrainians. In the days pursuit the Russian wade on Ukraine she created “RΞSIST” and equal to her description, “it’s inspired by the unflinching resistance of the people fighting for liberty.” In Camibus’s view, “people are inspired by other people’s actions, and you can’t unchangingly just expect your fellow human to do right instead of you. The first person you need to convince to be generous is yourself. The increasingly people in the polity contribute in a visible way, the increasingly they will empower others to do the same.”

RΞSIST” by Camibus, 2022
While searching for increasingly NFT projects geared towards philanthropy, I discovered BRAVA NFT and reached out to their founder CryptoDragonis, who promotes the project online.

NFT enthusiasts have been known to rally virtually collections that promote positive social programs, which raise sensation well-nigh pressing issues. To that end, BRAVA NFT’s NFT waif aims to mitigate gender-based violence. Without minting the collection, BRAVA NFT teamed up with and donated 2.24 ETH to Fondo Semillas, a non-profit organization that mobilizes resources and supports women’s organizations that push for gender equality in Mexico.

According to CryptoDragonis, “BRAVA’s versifier Jois Nahual envisioned BRAVAs to be Female Cyberpunk Amazons, who siphon some sort of a wrestle scar (physical or psychological) signifying their fight versus gender-based violence, and emerging as not just survivors, but heroes.”

CryptoDragonis, who grew up in Singapore and now lives in Dubai, discovered NFTs while looking to decorate her suite in late 2020. “My first NFTs were from Hic Et Nunc. I chanced upon the works of Mario Klingemann, otherwise known as Quasimondo. And, I thought ’hang on a second, I know this guy!’ I met Quasimondo when in 2005 in Singapore at a Macromedia Max conference. Hic Et Nunc marketplace was my gateway to NFTs. I realized NFTs were increasingly than art, they were well-nigh the people, the community, and well-nigh connecting stories.”

“Brava #107” by BRAVA NFT, 2021
After quitting her day job, CryptoDragonis jumped throne first into marketing in the metaverse, “From stuff a collector, to a founder, I am now passionate well-nigh creating jobs and opportunities for talented artists and innovators, so they too can goody from the power of polity and Web3 culture.”

By limiting the hodgepodge to only 320 NFTs, BRAVA NFT looks to foster a tropical community. “We kept the BRAVA hodgepodge small and tight, so that each BRAVA would land in the hands of holders who truly believed in the rationalization and who had a personal connection with the project.” CryptoDragonis observed, then added, “The reality is that scrutinizingly one in three women have been subjected to partner or non-partner physical and/or sexual violence. This needs to change, and the BRAVA project is working surely to help realize this change.” In keeping with this goal, BRAVANFT’s Discord polity collaborates together to raise funds to help ensure the personal safety of women all over the world.

While scrolling through Twitter trying to decipher between a movement and a rug pull, I stumbled upon the sunnies. Their sunny disposition, coupled with my marvel led me to their Discord group. Soon without joining, I quickly noticed that the minutiae team made it a point to focus on addressing mental health sensation in the Web3 space. Curious to learn more, I contacted the founder who directed me towards Scales.

To unzip their objectives, the sunnies partnered with National Alliance of Mental Illness, a huge nonprofit that raises sensation well-nigh mental illness. “After the launch,” Scales said, “we made a $25,000 donation to NAMI Seattle. One thing we can’t emphasize unbearable is the importance of mental health in the Web3 space and life in general! All things that can lead to a nice refresher for the mind.”

When the sunnies founder reached out to Scales, the minutiae team–which hails from the Seattle area, where they met in college–started to assemble. “After stuff in the space minting and ownership projects,” Scales told me, “my friend and co-founder, placid approached me with an offer to help run the sunnies. Ever since then I’ve been the Project Manager, working everyday to make the sunnies and the NFT space a largest place.”

“The cadre idea of the sunnies came from the weather in Seattle, which is known for stuff overcast and rainy. Therefore, they wanted something that challenged or complicated that. A sun was the first thing that came to mind, so our versifier reedle made the first sunnie and we all knew this was the one!” Scales exclaimed.

We have made multiple campaigns to highlight the importance of mental health, like our mental health week where we had people post on Twitter well-nigh what they were thankful for, what they do to relax, etc.

— @scales

“sunnies #8895” by reedle, 2022
The group at the sunnies make it a point to cultivate a healthy working environment. “We have been latter our Discord on Saturdays in hope that other projects will follow. We know how stressful this space can be and we as investors and creators should be worldly-wise to have one day a week of peace, just like any other market,” Scales remarked. Later, they added, “We have made multiple campaigns to highlight the importance of mental health, like our mental health week where we had people post on Twitter well-nigh what they were thankful for, what they do to relax, etc.”

CryptoDragonis told me over email that “charity-based NFTs are a unique way to connect people wideness the globe over one cause. With growing NFT enthusiasm traditional charities have been worldly-wise to uplift their conviction when it comes to securing donations.” It still remains to be seen if donation-oriented NFTs will come to pinpoint society’s unstipulated opinion of NFT ownership. Yet, forward-thinking NFT communities are picking up where the once progressive-minded social clubs like the VFW (the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States) and Kiwanis Clubs (dedicated to improving the lives of children) have left off. These virtual social organizations meet online on Discord forums to host game nights, poker tournaments, and fundraising events.

Philanthropic NFT projects provide collectors with a sense of solidarity, community, and satisfaction that they are supporting a just cause. Needless to say, investing in crypto projects to bring well-nigh social transpiration is equivalent to tossing a forge in a wishing well. Non-profit donations are sometimes used as a form of virtue-signaling, or contributors may not understand where their money is really going. Investors are attracted with inflated philanthropic promises but are potentially left disappointed when they goof to make a significant real-life impact where the help is unquestionably needed. Even though uncontrived outreach, like making eye contact with the people you help, is usually the surest way to spark fruitful connections, bringing people together through art and tolerance can make a positive difference as well. But the possibilities of socially-impactful NFTs are there, expressly as we uncork to track the spritz of mazuma on the blockchain–it will just take the people to see them through.

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Tony Fantano

Tony is a freelance journalist who lives in San Diego and has been published in the East Village Times and Juxtapoz Arts & Culture Magazine

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