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Frequently Asked Questions

General​

What is Blockchain? In simple terms, a blockchain is a method of storing and transferring information. It can be considered a kind of database that is not stored in a single computer. Instead, many identical copies are distributed in several computers called nodes. Information on a blockchain is stored in a continuous chain of blocks with each block containing essential information (for example, transactions) and the cryptographic hash of the previous block. To change the information in any block, you have to make changes to all subsequent blocks. The content of the blocks is verified by the consensus of all nodes in the network. These two features makes it very difficult to alter any information already included in the blocks, and this difficulty increases with the number of nodes in the network.

What is Ethereum? "It's the world's programmable blockchain. Ethereum builds on Bitcoin's innovation, with some big differences. Both let you use digital money without payment providers or banks. But Ethereum is programmable, so you can also use it for lots of different digital assets – even Bitcoin! This also means Ethereum is for more than payments. It's a marketplace of financial services, games and apps that can't steal your data or censor you."

From Ethereum.org website

What is Tor.us? Tor.us is the non-crypto savvy way to sign in to, and use Giveth.io. It is our wallet option alongside Metamask. For a more detailed answer, see Tor.us documentation

What is the difference between Bitcoin and Ethereum? Bitcoin is intended to function as decentralized means of value transfer whereas Ethereum is a protocol that allows users to develop decentralized applications on top of a blockchain network. As prominent Ethereum developer Vlad Zamfir has confirmed on several occasions, Ethereum is “not money.” Ethereum’s native token, Ether (ETH) exists in order to facilitate the process of building and deploying distributed applications. Meanwhile, the Bitcoin currency exists on the Bitcoin blockchain to facilitate peer-to-peer (P2P) exchange of uncensorable, non-confiscatable money.

From cryptocompare.com

Why donate cryptocurrency? Cryptocurrency knows no borders and marginalizes no one. It can not be taken from you if you alone hold your keys. Another advantage: When you donate with crypto, you do not realize capital gains from the crypto you hold, and you can deduct it from your taxes. In other words, donating your crypto can often reduce your tax burden. Would you rather donate to the tax agency or your favorite cause?

Does the IRS recognize cryptocurrency donations? The IRS classifies cryptocurrencies as property, so cryptocurrency donations to 501c3 organizations receive the same tax treatment as stocks.

Giveth​

What is Giveth? Giveth is a community focused on Building the Future of Giving using blockchain technology. There are a lot of projects in the Giveth Galaxy, but the core two projects are: Giveth.io and the GIVeconomy. You can use Giveth to donate to projects or also propose projects that need funding, all using cryptocurrency and soon fiat currencies! We aim to foster a large network of organizations and to build a bright, transparent and decentralized Future of Giving.

How is Giveth founded? Giveth has been adding value to Ethereum since 2016, funded solely by donations and a few grants programs (i.e Panvala, Gitcoin). Our community has come this far without the help of any investors. You can support us by donating to our project.

Is Giveth recognized as an official charity? With the help of SDG impact fund the Giveth DAO and community based organizational structure is represented as a non-profit 501c3 in the United States. We are a community-led project and will not derive any direct profit from the platform. We guarantee all funds will get recycled back into the Community that is ensuring the Giveth Platform becomes adopted widely.

Is my donation tax deductible? We do not support donors in obtaining tax deductions and if a donor receives GIVbacks for donating to a verified project, we can not guarantee that the donation is legally tax deductible.

Are there fees for creating a project? Nope! Giveth will never charge any additional fees for creating projects on our platform. If you create a project on Giveth.io it creates an entry in our database that directly points to your chosen Ethereum wallet. You can do this as well with a brand new account that holds zero funds. There are minor fees when using the ethereum network, and if you use other exchanges or services, there are likely associated fees. To learn more, read up on some of the foundation mechanics of Ethereum.

What percentage of the donations go directly to the project? 100% of funds raised on Giveth go directly to the project. Giveth does not charge fees to givers or makers. There are minor fees when using the ethereum network, and if you use other exchanges or services, there are likely associated fees. To learn more about fees and how Ethereum works, visit their website.

Can I donate on Giveth if I don't have Crypto? Fiat integration (donate funds from your credit card or bank account) is coming soon! Stay tuned... Giveth has also partnered with SDG Impact Fund to make it possible for donors to contribute tax-deductible donations, in fiat or crypto, to altruistic projects on the blockchain. This is a major development in finance innovation to effectively care for the commons. We are very close to having fiat options integrated with the Dapp. Until then, fiat donations will be accepted here. To learn more about the partnership between Giveth and the SDG Impact Fund, please refer to this blog post.

I'm a donor. How do I know projects are getting my money? Each project description page shows a list of all donations made to that project and by who. Giveth.io does not collect any fees and your donation is sent directly to the project's provided wallet address. You can also find your donation on the blockchain by the link to the transaction on a block explorer (i.e etherscan.io after you make a successful donation.

How can I be sure my donations are making a difference? We believe that every human being should be able to transparently see their funds create good in the world. Transparency is the key to staying focused on the work at hand. Project owners will be responsible for providing updates on how donations to their project are used.

How do I know the project I contributed to was completed? Each project has the opportunity to post updates as its status changes, and donors who contributed to that project will receive notifications when a project owner posts an update. Donors can log back on to Giveth to see photos, written updates, and sometimes videos of a given project. Updates are the responsibility of the project owner, Giveth has no direct control in facilitating these updates.

Is there a maximum funding cap for a single project? There is no maximum funding cap for projects. However, projects are encouraged to define specific funding requirements for better transparency.

What types of projects are prohibited? Projects that are found to exhibit "unacceptable behaviour" and/or violate our Covenant and/or Terms of Use are considered prohibited and will be cancelled immediately and an email will be send to the project owner. Learn more in our documentation article.

I still need more detail on how Giveth works. Where can I find this? For information about how Giveth works, its governance structure, developer documentation and user guides for the Donation Application please have a look at the docs. You're always very welcome to join our chatrooms. Please visit the Join Page.

I love Giveth but right now I have no funds to Donate, How else can I contribute? We are a very inclusive Community and would love for you to join and see how you can get involved. Join us on any of our social channels and come talk to us!

GIVeconomy​

Why is Giveth launching a token? Giveth’s mission is to reward & empower those who give -- to projects, to society & to the world. The GIV token fuels and drives the GIVeconomy and some has been already distributed to those who have contributed to making Giveth what it is today. Anyone with an Ethereum wallet can get GIV via our GIVbacks program by donating to verified projects. GIV is a governance token that allows our community to actively participate in shaping the future of Giveth in a decentralized way.

What nerwork is the GIV token on? GIV was deployed on Ethereum Mainnet and is used most heavily on Gnosis Chain (xDai). However, the GIViverse is multi-chained and GIV will likely be bridged/transferred to other chains and Layer 2 networks.

Why are you using the Gnosis (xDai) network? Giveth was part of the creation of Gnosis Chain (formerly xDai Network) and loves the low-gas fees!

What can I do with GIV? With GIV, you can Govern, Donate, Farm & Earn! Explore the GIVeconomy here.

How can I get (more) GIV? You can get GIV by interacting with the GIVeconomy and Giveth in several ways:

Who is elegible to receive the GIVdrop? Recipients of the GIVdrop include members of the "Giveth trusted seed" - our community of crypto philanthropists, Giveth users & builders, Blockchain4Good DAO members, and other ecosystem partners. Check your GIVdrop or learn more about eligibility in our documentation.

Will there be another GIVdrop? No, there are no more GIVdrops planned, but anyone can get GIV from GIVbacks by donating to verified projects on Giveth.

How do I claim my GIVdrop? GIVdrop claiming ended on December 31st, 2022. If you have not claimed your GIVdrop, you can no longer do so.

What is the GIVbacks program? GIVbacks is a revolutionary concept that rewards donors to verified projects on Giveth with GIV. Learn more about GIVbacks in our documentation.

What is a 'Verified' Project? 'Verified' is a top tier status for projects wishing to join the GIVbacks program. The GIVbacks program is a revolutionary concept that rewards donors to verified projects with GIV tokens. By applying for a 'Verified' project status, you will be able to make your project stand out and encourage more donations. Getting your project verified also builds a relationship of trust with your donors by demonstrating your project's legitimacy and showing that the funds are being used to create positive change. This simple verification process requires some additional information about your project and the intended impact of your organization. If you would like to apply to receive the 'Verified' badge, encourage more giving and give back to those who have helped you reach your goals, learn more about how to apply here.

I earned GIVbacks, but the GIVbacks page says my balance is zero. What happened? When you harvest GIV rewards on GIVfarm, or GIVstream pages, you get all liquid GIV allocated to you in our token distro in a single transaction. If you earned GIV but don't see it on the GIVbacks page you may have already claimed this allocation from another page.

What is the GIVfarm? The GIVfarm is the Giveth liquidity mining program that allows GIV holders to provide liquidity and stake tokens to earn GIV rewards. To learn more, check out the GIVfarm documentation.

What is the GIVstream? The GIVstream aligns community members with the long term success of Giveth and the GIVeconomy. With the GIVstream, anyone who adds value to the GIVeconomy gets GIV continuously for up to 5 years. The GIVeconomy starts out small but as more value is created, the GIViverse expands -- More GIV becomes liquid and more GIV spreads out to our community of stakeholders. To learn more, check out the GIVstream documentation.

Why is there a GIVstream? The GIVstream nurtures the GIVeconomy at inception by having only 10% of the total supply of GIV liquid and transferable to start. As the GIVeconomy grows & stabilizes, more GIV become liquid and available for everyone. We want to empower those who support the Giveth ecosystem with steadily increasing governance rights, this includes participants who donate to verified projects, or stake in the GIVfarm. Participants benefit from their GIVstream flowing as the GIVeconomy flourishes over time, therefore we ensure that Giveth is not just governed by people who buy tokens on the open market but by those who contribute in a more meaningful way.

How do I get a GIVstream? You can get (or increase) your GIVstream flow-rate by getting GIVbacks, receiving Praise rewards, or by staking in the GIVfarm.

Can I speed up my GIVstream? You can increase your GIVstream flow-rate by participating in the GIVeconomy through GIVbacks, or the GIVfarm. You cannot, however, accelerate your GIVstream to decrease the time remaining. The "GIViverse expansion" time period ends on December 23, 2026 and is the same for the entire GIVeconomy.