October 29, 2008 | Read Time: 1 minute
Kjerstin Erickson’s charity is in financial trouble — and she’s telling the world about it.
On a blog, Ms. Erickson is disclosing the money woes facing Forge, an African aid organization she started in 2003.
Due in part to a failed direct-mail campaign, Forge is facing a $100,000 budget shortfall, she writes on Social Edge, a Web site run by the Skoll Foundation.
“The pressure can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially as people are making the sacrifices now for hopes of the future. Through it all, I find myself taking solace in what I’ve always taken solace in with tough decisions: that the pain now is for the best in the long run,” she writes.
Sean Stannard-Stockton, author of the Tactical Philanthropy blog, and others are discussing Forge’s “radical transparency,” questioning whether it will appeal to donors.
What do you think of Ms. Erickson’s approach? Does such public disclosure hurt or help during an economic crisis?
