CNN’s Great Big Story Harnesses YouTube’s Donation Cards For Charity

Earlier this year, YouTube announced an extension of its card-based annotations that gave creators the opportunity to raise funds for charities and nonprofits from within the video site’s player. Six months later, that feature is forming the base for an exciting partnership. YouTube has partnered with CNN-funded Great Big Story for a series of projects that will use cards to assist the latter company’s fundraising efforts.

The first “Great Big Film” launched out of the partnership within YouTube takes viewers to Palau, where poachers are causing great damage upon the island nation’s marine life ecosystem. The film, titled “Sea Change” and produced by Vacationland, documents this issue and urges viewers to take action. By clicking an icon in the video’s upper-right hand corner, concerned citizens can donate to the Wildlife Conservation Network, a nonprofit that fights for balanced co-existence between humans and animals.

“Sea Change” is presented across two videos, both of which are available on the Great Big Story YouTube channel.

While “Sea Change” is the first Great Big Story film to make use of YouTube’s donation cards, it won’t be the last. According to an introductory article posted on the Great Big Story website, “There are hundreds of qualified non-profits (hand-picked by YouTube) we’ll align with.” Viewers are also encouraged to leave comments that suggest other charitable organizations Great Big Story could work with in the future.

Great Big Story launched last year as an alternative to hip content producers like Vice and BuzzFeed. The company’s YouTube channel now has 250,000 subscribers.