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Let's Talk about Money

2017-11-28 · announcement · John · 3:19 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Global development · mode: Advocacy & fundraising · tags: calendar ritual, fundraising ask, civic or action cta, self promotion, community lore

In a suit for a money talk, John explains that Vlogbrothers ad revenue is split between educational-content grants (now open for applications) and the Foundation to Decrease World Suck, and launches the 11th Project for Awesome: matched donations to Save the Children and Last Mile Health, then viewer-made charity videos and votes.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Ad revenue split since 2014; educational-content grants open for applications; aside plugging Turtles All the Way Down

  • ★★ John says that since 2014 all Vlogbrothers ad revenue has been split evenly between the Foundation to Decrease World Suck and a fund sponsoring online educational content. — 00:00:04 · Vlogbrothers, YouTube, online advertising, Foundation to Decrease World Suck, world suck
  • ★★★ John says the educational fund has given grants to dozens of projects, and submissions are now open for the next round of grants. — 00:00:14
  • ★★★ John asks viewers who know a great educational creator needing a few thousand dollars, or who are one, to apply through the link in the description. — 00:00:23 · doobly-doo
  • ★★ John says he and Hank don't do this because they are noble but because they can afford to: they have other jobs that pay well. — 00:00:33 · Hank Green
  • ★★ In a mock-casual aside, John notes that Turtles All the Way Down is in bookstores everywhere and the New York Times just named it one of its favorite books of the year. (playful) — 00:00:40 · Turtles All the Way Down, The New York Times

00:00:46 — The Foundation to Decrease World Suck: a real charity, a good year thanks to Kedi, and the 11th Project for Awesome on December 15th

  • ★★ John says the Foundation to Decrease World Suck, despite its silly name, is a real charity: federally sanctioned, with tax-deductible donations. — 00:00:46 · Foundation to Decrease World Suck, world suck
  • ★★ John says that despite the so-called adpocalypse on YouTube and wider challenges for ad-funded parts of the internet, Vlogbrothers has had a really good year. — 00:00:56 · YouTube, online advertising, Vlogbrothers
  • ★★★ John says the Foundation has about $125,000 in the bank, $15,000 more than a year ago, largely thanks to money made helping distribute the documentary Kedi. — 00:01:04 · Foundation to Decrease World Suck
  • ★★★ John says all the Foundation's money will be given away after the 11th annual Project for Awesome, a 48-hour livestreamed charity event beginning at noon Eastern on December 15th. — 00:01:13 · Project for Awesome

00:01:26 — How P4A works: matched donations to Save the Children and Last Mile Health, then viewer-made charity videos and votes; past grants and totals

  • ★★★ In P4A's first half money goes to pre-selected charities: this year (2017) Save the Children, a partner for a decade, and Last Mile Health, which trains and pays community health workers in Liberia. — 00:01:26 · Project for Awesome, Save the Children
  • ★★★ John says he and Hank will match every donation in P4A's first half up to $250,000, so each dollar counts as much more than one. — 00:01:40 · Project for Awesome, Hank Green
  • ★★ John says donors to both pre-selected charities will also match donations, so viewers' money will go a long way. — 00:01:47 · Save the Children
  • ★★★ In P4A's second half money goes to charities chosen by Nerdfighteria: John asks viewers to make a video about a charity and upload it at noon Eastern on December 15th, so people can vote at projectforawesome.com. — 00:01:52 · Project for Awesome, Nerdfighteria
  • ★★ John says having few subscribers is no reason not to make a video: every year charities get grants thanks to videos by creators with a few dozen or even zero subscribers. — 00:02:09 · Project for Awesome
  • ★★ John says making a P4A video is also an excellent way to support a charity even if you can't afford to donate to it. — 00:02:19 · Project for Awesome
  • ★★ John highly recommends Hank's guide to making a good P4A video, linked in the description. — 00:02:24 · Hank Green, doobly-doo, Project for Awesome
  • ★★ John says past P4A grants have gone to organizations from the Trevor Project to the Against Malaria Foundation. — 00:02:28 · Project for Awesome
  • ★★★ John says the Project for Awesome has raised more than $5.8 million for charities over the past five years, and they hope to make this the best year yet. — 00:02:32 · Project for Awesome
  • ★ John remarks that 'no pressure or anything, a little bit of pressure' is kind of his approach to everything. (playful, hedged) — 00:02:41

00:02:45 — Four last things: comments, co-host and perk suggestions, the matching donation fund; sign-off

  • ★ John says he will be in the comments to answer any questions. — 00:02:47
  • ★★ John asks viewers to say whom they would like to see as Project for Awesome co-hosts. — 00:02:50 · Project for Awesome
  • ★★ John asks viewers for perk ideas that would tempt their dollars toward charity. — 00:02:54 · Project for Awesome
  • ★★ John asks anyone wanting to give $1,000 or more to P4A and join the matching donation fund to email him with the subject line 'matching' at hankandjohn@gmail.com. — 00:02:59 · Project for Awesome

In the description and comments

  • ★★ Recent recipients of the educational grants funded by Vlogbrothers ad revenue include the YouTube channels Draw Curiosity, Step Back History, Mr Beat, Neuro Transmissions, Cogito, Up and Atom and Soliloquy, as well as Odd Quartet and the Anthropological Life Podcast. — video description · Vlogbrothers, YouTube

Threads in this video

Where the stories that moved here went next

Mentioned

Central: Foundation to Decrease World Suck · Project for Awesome

Also: Works: Kedi · Turtles All the Way Down

Organizations: Against Malaria Foundation · Last Mile Health · Save the Children · The New York Times · The Trevor Project · YouTube

Terms: doobly-doo

Concepts: community health worker · online advertising

Places: Liberia

Events: YouTube Adpocalypse

Only in the description or credits: Cogito · Draw Curiosity · Mr Beat · Neuro Transmissions · Odd Quartet · Soliloquy · Step Back History · This Anthro Life · Up and Atom

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