deja vu all over again

Seven years ago it was the charity portal. They were springing up like toadstools after a rain. Each spiffy with their VC-funded fulsomeness. Each certain that their particular variation of a charity portal was destined for great things.

Not one still exists. [Except Network for Good, which looks to clear $50 million in donations processed in 2007.]

Why? The portals were selling something for which there was no demand.

Now comes a new twist on the concept — the charity social network. Here is yet another one, already employing 10 people apparently, full of earnestness and apparently brimming with VC money. And Razoo is only the latest. they’re popping up like rodents in a whack-a-mole game.

With all due respect, there is still not a whit of evidence that the public is clamoring for this. I think Network for Good has this space pretty thoroughly covered.

Razoo: A for motivation, but D for likelihood of success.

I wish it wasn’t so…