As a Nonprofit professional, you’re probably always looking for easy, innovative fundraisers that engage your supporters and provide sustainable revenue to fund your mission. From 2013 onward, more than a million organizations found a solution by signing up for Amazonsmile. This program that allowed shoppers to donate a portion of their purchase totals on Amazon.com to their favorite nonprofits at no additional cost.

Although AmazonSmile had its disadvantages (particularly its low commission rates), nonprofits of all sizes relied on the program for ongoing fundraising between events and giving campaigns. However, all of this ended on January 18, 2023, when Amazon announced they would discontinue the Smile program a month later.

If AmazonSmile’s discontinuation impacted your organization, you’re probably in the process of figuring out how to replace that lost revenue stream in your budget. In this guide, we’ll look at four fundraising alternatives to AmazonSmile that your nonprofit can try:

1. Online Shopping Fundraisers
2. Branded Merchandise Sales
3. Matching Gifts
4. Shoe Drive Fundraisers

Remember that the best alternatives to AmazonSmile will provide your organization with unrestricted revenue that can be put toward any underfunded expenses. Also, look for fundraisers that are easy to set up and convenient for supporters to participate in. Let’s dive in!

1. Online Shopping Fundraisers

AmazonSmile wasn’t the only program that allowed supporters to give back to nonprofits while making everyday online purchases—other online shopping fundraiser platforms enable your organization to replace lost revenue in a similar way. Rather than being tied to a specific retailer like AmazonSmile was, these platforms operate within a wide network of e-commerce businesses, so supporters can contribute through many of their favorite sites.

ShopRaise’s guide to shopping for a cause explains that nonprofits like yours can launch an online shopping fundraiser in three easy steps:

• Sign up to use the platform. The platform’s fundraising experts will walk you through a simple onboarding process, answer any questions, and handle all necessary negotiations with retailers for you—all at no cost to your organization.
• Promote your fundraiser. When switching from AmazonSmile to a different online shopping fundraiser platform, you’ll need to make supporters aware of the change and instruct them on how to download the free app and browser extension they’ll use to contribute. The platform you partner with can help with this step by providing a landing page, email templates, flyers, and other marketing materials branded to your nonprofit.
• Track the results. You’ll be able to view real-time data on your fundraiser to see which supporters are shopping for your cause and how their contributions add up over time. To protect shoppers’ privacy, you won’t see exactly which items they purchased, but knowing their names and fundraising totals will allow you to thank your top supporters individually.

Besides access to a broader network of retailers, these online shopping fundraiser platforms provide other advantages over AmazonSmile. Commission rates are often higher—your nonprofit can receive up to 10% of supporters’ purchase totals, compared to the 0.5% rate AmazonSmile offered. Plus, the platforms can be used for nonprofit, school, faith-based, and even sports team fundraising.

2. Branded Merchandise Sales

Another option to fundraise through supporters’ purchases is creating an online store for your organization. Consider working with a graphic designer to create merchandise branded to your nonprofit, such as:

• T-shirts in a variety of designs and sizes
• Beverage containers like water bottles, ceramic coffee cups, and insulated travel mugs
• Keepsake items such as magnets, keychains, or stickers
• Other convenient and popular products like pens or stick-on phone wallets

Although supporters might not be actively looking for these products, they’ll appreciate that all of the profits from purchases made through your online store will go directly toward your mission. You’ll also benefit from increased brand recognition. When supporters wear or use products that feature your organization’s logo and color scheme, they’ll spread awareness of your nonprofit in their community.

3. Matching Gifts

In addition to being a year-round opportunity to bring in unrestricted revenue, matching gifts are one of the most lucrative nonprofit fundraisers. When a supporter whose employer has a matching gift program gives to your nonprofit and submits a match request, their employer will also contribute, usually matching the original donation amount at a 1:1 ratio.

By embedding a matching gift tool into your online donation form, you can make it easy for supporters to check their eligibility and get their contributions matched. According to Double the Donation, some of these tools have auto-submission functionality that allows supporters to submit match requests simply by entering their work email addresses.

The main challenge of fundraising through matching gifts is that many eligible donors aren’t aware that their employers will match their contributions. To solve this problem, market matching gifts on your nonprofit’s website, social media, email newsletters, and other communication channels.

4. Shoe Drive Fundraiser

Consider holding a shoe drive fundraiser if you’re looking for a creative and unique fundraising alternative to AmazonSmile. This option is also completely free and engaging for supporters. Your nonprofit can launch this fundraiser in three easy steps:

• Partner with a shoe drive provider that will provide supplies and support for your fundraiser.

• Collect gently worn, used and new shoes from your supporters either by designating community drop-off sites or scheduling pick-ups with them directly.
• You receive a check from the organization after they pick up the donated shoes.

Besides bringing in revenue for your nonprofit, shoe drives also help supporters clean out their closets and dispose of their old shoes in an environmentally friendly way, benefiting everyone involved.

The ideas in this guide are just four of the many possible fundraisers your organization could implement as alternatives to AmazonSmile. As you narrow down your options, remember to revisit your operating budget to ensure you can earn at least as much from the new initiatives you launch as you estimated you would have received from AmazonSmile this year. Happy fundraising!

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