Clicks and purchases
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CloseHow to raise money through everyday activities such as shopping or searching online.
More and more websites are launching which donate a percentage to 'your favourite charity' everytime you search or make a purchase. But do these really work? Are the amounts so low so it is not really worth it or are you waiting for the tipping point where this is just the way we all search or shop online?
Here are some sites to explore if you are thinking about raising money in this way. Please add additional suggestions as comments or via the forum.
Buying online
- The Giving Machine - users shop online in their usual way, retailers give a percentage to their chosen charity. (See also TheGivingMachine case study about how they set up and what they learnt about fundraising).
- Give as you live
- Easy Fundraising
- Simply Fundraising
- Travel2Give - people buy holidays and a percentage goes to their chosen charity. (See also the Travel2Give case study about how they operate as a Community Interest Company).
- Charity Greetings - virtual cards generate a charitable donation.
- GiveADifference - insurance policy purchases generate a commission, 2/3rds of which is donated to your charity.
Auction sites
Searching online
- Everyclick - an ethical alternative to Google
- Search2Give - users choose a charity to support. For each search you do, Search2Give donates a percentage of their advertising income to your charity.
- WhiteBox - in Official Search Partnership with Yahoo! Raise unlimited funds while searching Yahoo in your normal way, NCVO and Fundraising Standards Board Approved.
Other online fundraising sites
- Ploink - members make donations of their small change.
- GiveACar - scrap cars are donated to charity.
- raffle.it - reach more people, run a raffle online.
- timto - children's birthday parties generate charity donations.
Making money from clicks and purchases
It's all very well to sign up to these sites but to actually raise any money you need to tell your supporters about them. Get as many people as possible to use them and the small amounts of money will soon add up.
Do all you can to promote this activity as a simple way to support you. Regularly remind your supporters that shopping or searching using these sites raises money for you. Why not tell your supporters how much has been raised this month and make it competitive - 'can we get five more supporters or raise an extra £50 this month?' Newsletters, email and Twitter are good ways of getting momentum. Don't forget to add a link from your website.
Think about times of the year when people are likely to be using the sites (eg Christmas for shopping, summer for buying holidays) and remind your supporters again. Don't forget that your staff and volunteers are your supporters too and can raise money for you in this way.
Have your say
Are you a charity who has signed up to one of these schemes? Does it make you any money? Is it worth the effort? Are you a consumer who only clicks and buys through sites which are involved with charities?
Have your say on the fundraising forum.
louisebarker wrote on Apr 29, 2009 07:55 PM
RNIB has signed up to eBay for Charity and Everyclick. For a minimal investment of time, we raise a small but steady (and increasing) amount of income. It's also a useful way to reach a new audience of potential supporters as both sites offer us the opportunity to feature information, a logo and links to our website. We also have affiliate relationships with companies including Virgin Wines and Amazon.