Newfoundland and Labrador will run a digital identification pilot in 2023 – what will this mean for community organizations and the people they serve?

Why It Matters

Digital identification could alleviate certain accessibility issues, but at the same time, exacerbate inequities when it comes to digital literacy and device accessibility. It’s also unclear how exactly digital identification will benefit or intersect with the work of community-serving social purpose organizations.

Inspired by mutual aid, this crowdsourced digital map of Halifax shows which vacant properties could be turned into housing. How useful is that data?

Why It Matters

Crowdsourcing data from the community can take the onus away from local social purpose organizations to gather their own data. However, it also raises concerns about the quality and reliability of the data, and members of the community may not understand ethical issues that surround data collection, such as privacy, ownership and sensitivity.

Benevity cuts 14% of workforce: A ‘canary in the coal mine’ for corporate charitable giving?

Why It Matters

Benevity offers one of the country’s most-used giving platforms among large companies. Experts say the cuts could signal a forthcoming decline in corporate donations from some industries; and some worry the company’s layoffs could worsen customer service for charities and non-profits who receive donations through Benevity’s platform.

Explainer: How are humanitarian aid organizations using blockchain and Web3?

Why It Matters

Blockchain promises utopian ideals of decentralization and transparency, which are particularly appealing to the aid sector. However, as aid organizations and technology vendors build more public-private partnerships, it’s vital for the former to develop technical capacity and risk awareness among staff.