Why are you doing this work? What are your motivations? That’s an easy one. We’ve had a “blessed life” and this feels like a perfect time to pay something back to the Universe and assist others less fortunate.

If I contribute to your Foundation, how much of the money will actually go into the field? The short answer is 100%. We personally cover all the related costs.

What about your overhead, fundraising, and administrative expenses? As a practical matter, that is not a relevant issue. We cover all those expenses personally.

Why work in SE Asia? Why not work at home where the need is also great? First off, we believe that we are all one humanity on this shrinking planet. So, help is help wherever it is delivered. Secondly, we find that in light of economic differentials and foreign exchange rates, our money goes 10 to 20 times further in Asia than it would at home. For example, $500 typically covers food and school fees for a girl for an entire year in many of the places we support. How far would that go in America?

How can you know that your money is being used wisely? I personally visit and vet each organization we support. I know the leadership. I work closely with them to be sure we are in agreement about project scope, cost, and duration. I don’t visit just once; I return often. I look at the financial records. I pay attention.

Why do you emphasize supporting girls? Time and time again experience in developing countries has shown this to be a high leverage investment. Simply put, educated girls gain control over their bodies, marry later, have fewer children, have healthier children, and direct their energies and financial resources towards taking care of their family. For a deeper explanation click here.

What is your privacy policy for donors? We, of course, maintain relevant records about our supporters. We do NOT, under any circumstances, share those records with other organizations.

Does this website use cookies? We do not use cookies to track you or collect personal information. We use Google Analytics to generate website traffic statistics, and we link to PayPal or Venmo to process donations. If those services use cookies, they are not available to or used by us.

Will I get a formal letter acknowledging my donation? Yes. I will send each donor an official letter acknowledging the tax deductibility of all donations of $20 or more.

Other questions? I’m always happy to answer them. Just send me an email and I’ll respond promptly. Simply click here: bill@seafund.org