Nonprofit Supporters Find Ways to Give Without Giving During This Economic Downturn

I get inundated with companies trying that sell to Nonprofits. I'm flattered that they look to Nonprofit Conversation as a way to reach their targeted markets, however, I am not inclined to promote goods and services just for the sake of doing so. When I got contacted by Aviva Schick of Goodsearch.com, I spent quite a bit of time on their website to determine if this was a worthwhile avenue for Nonprofits. The thing that I found was that Goodsearch lists companies that I use frequently. For instance, had I booked my stay at the Holiday Inn in Omaha next week through Goodsearch, Holiday Inn would have donated 1.5% of my room rental to a Nonprofit of my choice. And do you know how much I spend at HomeDepot each year? Well, 2% of my online purchases would go to a charity of my choice. I say spend some time exploring this resource. Bunnie Riedel

Nonprofit Supporters Find Ways to Give Without Giving

During This Economic Downturn

by Aviva Schick, Goodsearch.com

Declining contributions from traditional donors cause nonprofits to get creative, turning to services such as GoodSearch.com to raise funds without asking their supporters for money.

When the economy weakens, charitable organizations are often the hardest hit. Fear has led to a national drop in charitable contributions making it harder for non-profits to keep up with an increased demand in services. As more and more nonprofits begin to feel the pinch, many are refocusing their fundraising efforts.

One standout pair of solutions – GoodSearch.com and GoodShop.com – allows supporters to give to their favorite organizations without spending a dime. GoodSearch.com is the Yahoo-powered search engine that donates about a penny per search to the charity or school of the users’ choice. Similarly, GoodShop donates a percentage of every purchase from more than 1,000 top online retailers to the nonprofit the user selects.

Over 80,000 nonprofits and schools across the country are actively earning funds from the GoodSearch and GoodShop strategy with over 100 organizations submitting new applications daily. Success stories range from the ASPCA which has earned more than $27,500 to care for animals to the Bubel Aiken Foundation which has earned more than $11,500 to send disabled children to summer camp.

GoodSearch.com is the Yahoo! powered search engine which donates about a penny per search to the charity of the users’ choice. You use it exactly as you would any other search engine, but each time you do a search, approximately a penny goes to your cause. The pennies add up – just 500 people searching four times a day will generate about $7300 in a year. And, as the money comes from the GoodSearch advertisers, it does not cost the nonprofit or its supporters a dime!

GoodShop.com is the new online shopping mall that donates a percentage of your online purchase to the charity or school of your choice. There are more than 1,000 popular online merchants participating and the experience of shopping through GoodShop is the same as going to the retailer directly. You can even save money with the hundred of coupons that we have listed!

Nonprofits report that GoodSearch and GoodShop are not only a source of significant donations, but also an effective way for supporters to feel connected to the organization everyday. Especially in this time of recession, even small donations go a long way and every extra dollar counts. ABC News recently praised these sites as “Fast and Easy Philanthropy.”

GoodSearch and GoodShop have grown into a massive grassroots movement online, attracting the attention of leaders in the nonprofit industry, students, bloggers, writers, and even celebrities like Jessica Biel, Montell Williams, and Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 who have all created videos on behalf of their favorite charities and GoodSearch.

The GoodSearch and GoodShop team is revolutionizing online philanthropy so that no one is denied the opportunity to support the causes most important to them. “When the economy weakens, charitable organizations are often the hardest hit,” said Ken Ramberg, Co-Founder of GoodSearch and former President of MonsterTRAK, the largest online career site for college students (now a division of Monster.com). “GoodSearch and GoodShop are helping to alleviate that strain in resources and make it possible for everyone regardless of how much time or money they have, to give back.”