IStock Photo 8242625 © Daniel Bendjy

Samgo, a remote village in the Himalayas, has limited electrical service and little in the way of modern conveniences. It is in many ways cut off from the rest of the world. But this particular village has one item that allows it to connect: a cell phone. Scot Frank and Catlin Powers, youthful co-founders of the non-profit organization One Earth Designs, harness the village phone to improve the air and water quality of remote villages like Samgo, near the headwaters of the five major rivers of Asia. Using simple test kits, villagers text their results to One Earth Designs' US base in Cambridge, MA. The organization then sends back practical solutions to problems like chemical mine run-off or fecal contamination, also via text message. The idea behind this, says Frank, is citizen science. “We’re providing villagers with inexpensive and intuitive methods for testing their own air and water quality, and we’re trying to empower them to develop informed solutions locally.”

One Earth Designs is an organization started by the young and attracting the youthful. Frank and Powers blog, tweet, GChat, and more—they use social media and cell phone science to improve rural environments and help communities develop local solutions. While One Earth Designs is unique, it is also part of a general trend toward more creative social change.

Younger generations (Gen Y’ers and Gen X’ers) are more motivated to give to charities that address problems in the world—such as One Earth Designs—than older generations. According to data collected by the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University, the odds of being motivated to give to an organization focused on world problems are 1 in 4.2 for a Generation Y baby, 1 in 5.41 for a Gen Xer, 1 in 6.1 for Boomers, 1 in 6.76 for the Silent Gen, and 1 in 8.2 for the Great Gen.

Older generations tend to be drawn toward more traditional charitable organizations, such as those that take care of the basic needs of the poor. About half of the members of older generations—1 in 2.14 in the Silent Generation and 1 in 1.91 (52%) in the Great Generation—are motivated to give to an organization that helps the poor, while the odds decrease in younger generations. 1 in 2.54 Gen Y’ers are motivated by a desire to provide for the basic needs of the poor. Boomers especially are more likely to give to charities that take care of needy Americans, rather than providing services overseas.

In a 2009 report, Giving USA says that one of the sharpest and most surprising dips in charitable giving was towards organizations that meet people’s basic needs, such as food, shelter, and clothing. More than half said they were underfunded for 2009.

On the other hand, organizations working toward broader public/society benefit saw their giving increase significantly.

These trends suggest that organizations providing immediate relief are struggling to keep up with innovative projects that seek to solve complex problems. Digitally connected younger generations are looking more broad-scale and global with both their time and charitable contributions.