From research to community action
A guide for both audiences — researchers sharing their expertise, and the community members ready to act on it. Find your path below.
For Researchers
Posting a card is not fundraising. It is not a grant application. It is not a pitch to a board.
It is an open call to a community — grounded in your expertise — inviting people to contribute what they can. Some will offer professional skills. Some will offer time. Some will make introductions. Some will help amplify your work to the people who need to hear about it. Others may point you toward funding channels you did not know existed.
The exact form of support is as varied as the needs you describe. What stays constant is this: your research is no longer waiting.
To post a card, you will need:
- A clear, problem-focused summary of your research — 2 to 3 sentences written for a general audience, not an academic abstract. Think: what is the problem, who does it affect, and why does it matter right now?
- A description of the key problems your research identifies, written in plain language
- A specific list of the community support that would help advance your proposed solutions — be as concrete as possible. “A web developer to build a farmer marketplace” is far more actionable than “technical help.”
- A working link to your original research paper, policy brief, field report, or documentation hosted externally (Academia.edu, ResearchGate, a personal site, an institutional repository — any accessible URL)
All submissions go through a review by the Faseelat Ummah team before publication. We may suggest light editorial changes for clarity. Once approved, your card goes live on the homepage and becomes discoverable by community members worldwide.
Doers who want to support your project will reach out through the platform’s private message system. You will receive a notification in your inbox and by email. You can read their message, see what kind of help they are offering, and reply directly — all within the platform.
You can also search the Doer Directory yourself and reach out to community members whose skills match your needs.
You remain in full control of your project at all times. Faseelat Ummah facilitates the introduction. What comes next is yours to shape.
When your project has received the community support it needed, you can mark it as “Community Support Received” from your dashboard. Every doer who reached out will receive a thank-you note. The card will display a green badge so the community knows the call was answered.
Researchers can also contribute to the community by taking part as doers in projects they are able to help and support. Simply pick any project you are interested in and click on “Help This Project” to take part in it!
For Doers
A Doer on Faseelat Ummah is anyone ready to contribute what they have in service of a cause they believe in. You do not need a PhD. You do not need to live in the country where the problem exists. You need only the willingness to offer something real.
Contributions on this platform take many forms:
- Professional skills — web development, legal advice, translation, graphic design, data analysis, medical expertise, engineering, architecture, finance, communications
- Time and presence — community organising, fieldwork support, administrative help, research assistance
- Advocacy and amplification — sharing cards within your networks, writing, public speaking, campaigning
- Introductions and connections — linking researchers to institutions, funders, media, or other experts
- Mentorship and guidance — advising researchers on systems, sectors, or countries you know well
- Funding referrals — pointing researchers toward grants, foundations, or campaigns relevant to their work
- Something else entirely — if none of these capture what you can offer, describe it in your own words
Every contribution starts a conversation. And some of those conversations change things.
Note: Faseelat Ummah does not process money. If a project needs financial support, the researcher will describe their preferred channel on the card, and you connect with them directly.
You can browse every card on the platform without creating an account — no sign-up, no commitment, just exploration.
When you find a project you want to support, click “Help This Project.” You will be asked to log in or register. Registration takes under two minutes and asks only for your name, email, and the basics of what you can offer.
Once registered, you can:
- Send a message to any researcher describing how you want to help
- Complete your profile (skills, location, a short bio) so researchers can find you directly — your profile is never publicly visible and is shared only with registered researchers
- Save projects you want to return to using the Bookmark button on any card
- Manage your data and privacy preferences from your account settings at any time
Your involvement is entirely on your terms. There are no obligations, no commitments, and no minimum contribution. Show up with what you have — that is enough.
Before deciding to move forwards with direct donations for a project, please read the disclaimers in our financial-transactions section.