A blockchain is a smart electronic database, distributed to all users, immutably tracking every transaction that has ever taken place between nodes on a network. The technology is being used by some nonprofits to address various operational challenges, including attaching automated conditions to charitable donations facilitated by programmable “crypto-giving” platforms. Drawing from analysis of technical documents provided by active crypto-giving projects, this review considers how these platforms enable radical shifts in sectoral power relations through “surveillance philanthropy”. This algorithmic surveillance ensures project funding fully reflects the interests of donors, while potentially restricting nonprofits in meeting the dynamic and complex needs of project beneficiaries. The paper considers the benefit trade-offs from crypto-giving platforms in three areas of utilization: (a) new forms of donor engagement and fundraising, (b) new tools for organizational governance, and (c) novel provision of development assistance. Despite the possible efficiency and transparency benefits of crypto-giving platforms, more research and practitioner engagement is required to ensure the sector's funding is secure and sustainable, without entailing significant risks for proposed beneficiaries.

中文翻译：

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加密捐赠和监督慈善事业：探索非营利组织区块链创新的权衡

区块链是一个智能电子数据库，分发给所有用户，不可改变地跟踪网络节点之间发生的每一笔交易。一些非营利组织正在使用该技术来应对各种运营挑战，包括将自动化条件附加到由可编程“加密捐赠”平台促进的慈善捐赠中。通过对活跃的加密捐赠项目提供的技术文件的分析，本次审查考虑了这些平台如何通过“监督慈善”实现部门权力关系的根本转变。这种算法监督可确保项目资金充分反映捐助者的利益，同时可能会限制非营利组织满足项目受益人动态和复杂的需求。本文考虑了加密捐赠平台在三个利用领域的利益权衡：(a) 捐助者参与和筹款的新形式，(b) 组织治理的新工具，以及 (c) 提供新的发展援助。尽管加密提供平台可能具有效率和透明度的好处，但仍需要更多的研究和从业者参与，以确保该部门的资金安全和可持续，而不会给拟议的受益人带来重大风险。