By: Elissa Hays

Is there anyone else out there that felt better knowing a portion of your new heart-shaped waffle maker was going toward an organization you care about? Raise your hand! AmazonSmile is a program that gave 0.5% of your Amazon purchases to a charitable organization of your choice.

As a consumer, it was a good feeling to know that some of the (mostly) unnecessary items purchased on Amazon weren’t all for naught. But for nonprofit organizations, with the minimal income that was being generated through the program, it probably wasn’t too surprising that it would not continue forever.

However, it is a great concept for both organizations and consumers. A large population of people are already purchasing from Amazon, so this was an easy way to support a cause with no additional costs. So, the question now is: As a nonprofit organization, what are your other options for easy, passive income?

While nothing can completely replicate the AmazonSmile program, we want to highlight some alternative programs that allow the community to support your organization:

Target Circle Community Giving

How this program works: Once someone has signed up to be a Target Circle member and after purchases are made at any Target store or online, they are given the opportunity to vote for a nonprofit organization that they would like to support. Once the voting period is over, Target then awards grants to the different organizations based on the votes.

Why we like it: In this case, convenience is key. Much like Amazon, Target is a retailer that many people already purchase from. This program does not require any additional costs to the consumer and is a way for them to support your cause without hassle.

Givebacks

How this program works: Shoppers can use the Givebacks app to find products from various stores that they were already planning to purchase. When they complete their purchase in the app, they will get up to 10% cashback and 1% of their purchase will automatically go to their nonprofit of choice.

Why we like it: Although this one is not as convenient since it requires additional steps to make a purchase, it does bring in more income than many other programs we found in our research. Additionally, this is a win-win for nonprofits and the consumer since both benefits from each purchase. We also love this program because it allows the buyer to choose the organization that they want to support.

Charity Miles

How this program works: The user can download the free Charity Miles app and create an account. They are then able to choose a charity that they would like their fitness journey to benefit. Once they are all set up, they can start a peer-to-peer fundraiser. After that, the charity they are supporting can enlist sponsors, and they can also work with their employer to sponsor or be sponsored by Charity Miles’ brand sponsors.

Why we like it: What better way to ask your supporters to give back to your organization than to encourage them to be healthy in addition to supporting a good cause? This option does require more work from those wanting to support your mission, but it is a great way to energize your community with wellness.

There are many programs out there similar to these that can help to encourage your supporters to give back to your cause. The bottom line is this:

People want to support good in the world and your organization is the good that they are looking for.

Hopefully this blog post gives you a starting point on the new post-AmazonSmile era and encourages you to continue to engage your community to support your mission in a hassle-free and enjoyable way.

We have your back!

Do you need additional recommendations on ways to fundraise for your cause? We are here to help! Our team of experts at Doing Good Digital would love to hear from you and help your organization reach its goals.