My Forrester Groundswell Awards Submission!
Knowmore.org is applying for a 2008 Groundswell Award!
Here is our application info!
Knowmore.org describes itself as a “Corporation-Watch Search Engine,” designed to aid activists and responsible consumers in shopping with a conscience.
Users visit Knowmore.org, enter the name of any brand, product, or company, and view the corresponding company’s Knowmore rating. Companies are rated for Worker’s Rights, Human Rights, Enviornmental Concerns, Political Influence and Business Ethics.
Using a modified version of MediaWiki software, Knowmore allows its hundreds of volunteer editors and contributors to collaborate on the most audacious of social impact projects: the creation of a Social Responsibility profile for every major company in existence!
In June 2008, Knowmore launched it’s revolutionary new Firefox Extension, which delivers Corporate Abuse alerts straight to users’ web browsers. The Knowmore Firefox Extension is fully integrated with Amazon.com and Google, allowing users to view Knowmore ratings as part of Amazon shopping pages and google search results.
As consumers, we vote every time we open our wallet. By buying a company’s product we send the message: “I approve of this product and the way it was manufactured and marketed to me.”
Knowmore.org teaches consumers to educate themselves, spread knowledge, and shop accordingly.
How does Knowmore.org accomplish business or non-profit goals?
Since it’s creation in 2005, Knowmore has been promoted and enabled by thousands of volunteers and donors.
The site’s co-founders, Sage Francis and B. Dolan, double as hip hop performance artists, and have used national and international tours to promote the site and engage their fanbase with the project.
Since 2005, Knowmore.org’s readership has doubled every year. The site is currently accessed by 30,000 unique visitors monthly.
Networking with other sites and organizations has also been a continuing process, leading to exciting partnerships with sites like Alonovo.com and news organizations like Corpwatch and Democracy Now!
Funding for the organization is provided by hundreds of private donors, as well as the sale of Knowmore merchandise.
Additionally, Knowmore was awarded $15,000 from Netsquared in June 2008, for it’s revolutionary new Firefox extension. This money is being used to expand the organization’s infrastructure and develop the site’s search and edit features further.
Wish us luck! When we put it like that, Knowmore sounds like a pretty cool site!