A group of Dublin students are set to launch a new and innovative way to fundraise online. “Adtruism” will allow bloggers and website owners to raise funds for charities of their choice by placing a small widget on their website. The widget will show advertisements to website visitors with all revenue raised going directly to charity.
“So many websites and blogs have unused space. We want to put this space to good use by placing targeted-advertisements that will raise funds for important charities all across Ireland and the world, help ” Adtruism’s founder Brian McCormick explained
“Businesses and organisations can advertise with us knowing all revenue will go directly to good causes, and website owners can put unused space on their website to good use by adding the easily-installable Adtruism widget to their page.”
“Adtruism,”a play on the words “ad” and “altruism” will even allow users of blogs and websites with a low number of visitors to raise money for charity. “Every little bit adds up, we would like to get as many website owners involved as possible, no matter how big or small the website. A lot of smaller website together could help raise large amounts for good causes and help achieve valuable change,” Brian added.
Brian, a law student in UCD and also an avid computer programmer, has been developing the initiative for over a year. His efforts have attracted the attention and support of several international technology companies, including Zedo, one of the world’s largest online advertising agencies.
“The support we’ve received from charities and those in the Irish and international tech sector has been invaluable in developing Adtuism,” Brian added.
Mr. McCormick is working on the project with a small team of fellow-student volunteers from UCD, Trinity College, and Queen’s University Belfast. The initiative will be officially launched this summer however interested advertisers, charities, website owners and volunteers are invited to get in touch via the project’s website, www.adtruism.com.
-Stephen West
