Web tools available to fundraise for nonprofit organizations

By Ali Pavlicek
Western Herald

Whether you belong to an on-campus registered student organization, a church group, or a local charity effort, the crunch for money always seems to stand in the way of reaching goals quickly.

However, a California-based company has started up an online method of fundraising to aid nonprofit organizations—without the door-to-door sales pitches.

Give2Network, a nonprofit company that provides free online resources to other nonprofit organizations, established a Web site in 2007 in order to provide fundraising alternatives with an embedded search engine, a downloadable toolbar and an easy-access homepage.

But how does this benefit participating organizations?

“You download the Yahoo toolbar from Give2Network.com,” Give2Network marketing and public relations employee Deborah Amar said.  “Yahoo donates dollars, [and] there are lots of participating merchants.”
Participating online merchants donate up to seven percent of the sale price for items purchased from Give2Network links. The percentages vary depending on what the company is willing to give and the fact that different searches yield different amounts, said Amar. Additionally, a downloadable toolbar, sponsored by Yahoo, gives users an easy way to earn money by searching online.

“The amount earned is relevant to how much you use the Internet, the toolbar, and how many people use it,” Amar said.

Besides just searching and shopping on the Give2Network site, it offers groups the opportunity to make Give2Network their homepage for even more opportunities to follow an organization’s updates and progress.

The toolbars or homepages can be updated by uploading an image, changing the scrolling message ticker, setting upcoming dates and times, or changing the quick shopping links, said Chelsea Wright, head of marketing for Give2Network.

To get started, the interested nonprofit’s group coordinator would provide the necessary information through a form online, Amar said. The form is then reviewed by Give2Network staff and approved if the information is accurate.

“It’s really easy to add a group, just setting up the coordinator takes time,” Amar said.

Once everything is set up, individuals can search and shop from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Wal-Mart, Nike, Circuit City and many more online stores.

“We’re really looking into the college demographic,” Wright said.  “It is a great resource for college students.  Different clubs trying to do fundraising can use the toolbar as well.”

“College students are using the Internet anyway doing all sorts of things,” Amar said.  “Why not get money for student groups while you’re at it?”

Give2Network was originally targeted to schools and PTA’s where it would be possible to fundraise around the clock for a free, easy, proactive way to earn money without any real effort, Amar said.  Since then, the company has expanded to all nonprofits and now allows any United States-based group to sign up for an account or a Web site.

“We are definitely getting referrals from schools and news articles,” Wright said.  “[It has] spread quickly by word of mouth.”

For the future, Give2Network would like to see the technology grow to make their online resources even easier to use and to give users more ability to express the needs of organizations that people care about, Amar said.

“Being able to give back to charity makes me feel good,” Wright said.  “It’s especially useful since the Internet is a prevalent thing in society.  We are just getting the word out, reaching to PTA’s and nonprofits.”

Participating online merchants see the benefits in Give2Network, since it is something that gives them quality traffic and shows that they help out, Amar said.

To check out other free marketing materials that Give2Network offers, visit the Web site at
Give2Network.com.  Tools such as wish lists, group information, event setups, and sign-up lists can be accessed after initial registration is complete.

Short URL: http://www.westernherald.com/?p=1712

Posted by HeraldAdmin on Oct 28 2008. Filed under Campus, News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

Cody Kimball
Web Manager: I'm a Communication Student at WMU, a SCUBA Diver, Boater, Ordained Minister, Notary Public, Web Designer, Film Maker, DJ, and of course a Journalist. Born and raised in Port Huron, MI and a graduate of SC4. http://www.codykimball.com