We were recently asked by a friend how they could earn money for their charity by utilising the web. There are a number of services that charities can potentially join to start generating revenue and these are just some of the ones on offer:
Charity Search Engines
By searching the web with sites like Everyclick or Magic Taxi you can earn revenue for selected charities. This is done via clickthroughs on the search results. As a user you can opt to search and earn for a chosen charity. We couldn’t find out where a charity signs up to take part in the scheme, but advise contacting the services if you’re interested.
Charity Affiliate Shop
By using the charity shop service from Buy.at you basically get your own shopping portal (e.g XL Wales). If your users and supporters shop via the links on your site then you’ll earn commission on any sales made. The shops include top names including Amazon, John Lewis and Play.com.
Charity Cashback Sites
A cashback site is one where any commission earnt on a sale is given back to the consumer. They then can decide whether to keep the cash or opt to give the cash to a chosen charity. Give or Take and Charity Checkout are two such sites, but again we found it difficult to find out where to sign up as a charity to take part in the scheme.
Duck Races
Sign up to promote The Great British Duck Race and your charity can earn funds from the money raised.
Will These Schemes Earn You Money?
The key to all these schemes is getting your supporters involved and aware. Many people shop online, but few are aware that they can earn revenue for their favourite charities or online sites simply by shopping. It doesn’t (or at least shouldn’t) cost them any more than by shopping direct either.
It’s important, therefore, if you do join the programs to make sure you let people know what you’re doing. If you have a Buy.at Charity Shop for example, make sure you include the link - e.g. Shop Online and Support XL Wales - http://buy.at/xlwales on all emails, mailshots etc.
Include links on your website - perhaps even set up a “shop online” facility at your charity centre so visitors can use the internet and support you?
Initially you may find that revenue generation is small, but keep at it! These are not immediate money makers, but with a bit of creative thinking and constant pushing to your supporters, you might find that they can help with your fund raising efforts.
