Amazon recently announced that they are shutting down their AmazonSmile program as of February 20, 2023. It was an abrupt announcement with not a lot of warning for the non-profits who have benefitted from this program since 2013, many of whom are my clients. It seems that the smaller non-profits especially will feel this negative impact.
As an impacted non-profit, what can you do? I’ve been reading about this issue and here are some of the top ideas I’ve gleaned:
- If you aren’t too angry with Amazon… continue or expand your Charity Wish List program. This is a tool on Amazon where you can create and share your wish lists of needed items. Share this wish list via your email and social media marketing efforts as well as on your website. You might be losing dollars from the Smile program but maybe you can make up for it in donated items.
- There are various charity browser extensions that can passively generate income if you can convince your followers to install it. Examples include Tab for a Cause and Tabs for Good, among others. I tend to avoid browser extensions at all costs, they can be a bit dicey in my opinion. But these may be an option for your followers depending on their level of tech savvy.
- Replace your passive AmazonSmile income with a new fundraising idea. I’ve recently been working with GiveButter, a free fundraising platform for non-profits. (You can see some example implementations at https://freemedicalclinic.org/give-money/ and https://johnsoncountyhistory.org/become-a-member/.) They share great fundraising ideas through their blog and here are some I thought sounded interesting.
Movie night 🎥: Schools have auditoriums, parking lots, and other large spaces that often go unused. Take advantage of this vacant real estate to host a movie night for your community, charging an entry fee to raise funds.
Color run 🎨: Give the typical charity fun run/walk-a-thon a unique twist by hosting a color run in your community. Charge a race entry fee, then throw paint as supporters run throughout the race course.
Food truck Fridays ðŸŒ: Host food truck Fridays, where local businesses serve their best grub out of trucks or stands. Supporters will pay a small registration fee to attend the event (which goes toward your nonprofit organization) then pay for their actual meal, which the restaurants keep to cover their food, labor, and overhead costs. If you find enough businesses to join your cause, consider making it a weekly or monthly event with a different selection of restaurants each time.
GiveButter allows your donors to give through their donor-advised funds (DAF). These types of funds are growing at 30% per year and represent a largely untapped donation resource. Check out how GiveButter does it here.
Those are just a few ideas. I’d love to talk with you more about yours! Contact me anytime.
