Make money while you sleep!
Isn't that what all those get rich quick schemes promise? Yep, it is.
This isn't that. But it IS a way to generate additional income without any additional work on your part.
Let’s get you signed up for some passive income programs!
Before you get started, have the following handy:
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EIN
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Copy of 501(c)3 Letter of Determination (file and hardcopy)
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First Page of Organization Bank Statement (file)
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Voided Check (hardcopy for bank info)
FIRST, sign up for these passive income
These programs require no effort on your part once you sign up. You enroll your organization, then ask your supporters to use the program. Once THEY enroll, they don’t have to do anything else. Your group must be a 501(c) 3 to use these programs except for igive.com:
Shopping programs:
Amazon.com
Amazon Smiles program
Register your group here: https://org.amazon.com/npo/portal
Then send your members here to sign up to support your group: http://smile.amazon.com
While you’re on the Amazon site, get a couple of wish lists started.
Your amazon.com wish list:
http://www.amazon.com/wishlist
And put this button on your toolbar so anytime you see something that’s not on your wish list and is not on amazon, you can add immediately: http://www.amazon.com/wishlist/universal
Other shopping programs
igive.com
First, set up a personal account here: http://www.igive.com/welcome/lp7/cr41c.cfm
If your group is not listed, go HERE: http://www.igive.com/welcome/list_new_cause.cfm
Then get your supporters to sign up for personal accounts and list your group as their cause.
Escript
Sign up here: https://secure.escrip.com/olm/signup.jsp
And download this app that automatically alerts you when you’re shopping online at a store that gives: https://shopping.escrip.com/client/
Register your group here: http://groups.escrip.com/enrollment/enroll_gc.pdf
Loyalty Card Programs:
There are changes afoot in the loyalty card programs that are both good and bad for you. First, many stores are doing away with individual loyalty cards. But many are replacing it by using a service like Escrip, which is essentially a loyalty club umbrella donation program. (NO, they do not give you umbrellas!)
What happens is you sign up for Escrip and register all your loyalty cards with them. Their stores submit the data and the donation percentage and Escrip divides up between the causes you designate. It’s like using the Amazon Smile program, except that it’s linked to your individual loyalty cards.
Escrip has a big presence in California and the west coast, but expect this to spread.
Here’s where you go to sign up individually: http://www.escrip.com/
And here’s where you register your group. http://groups.escrip.com/enrollment/enroll_gc.pdf
There are still a lot of individual loyalty card programs as well. Below are the ones that I know donate directly to the charity rather than use Escrip.
Kroger Card Affiliate program: https://www.kroger.com/communityrewards
Then send your supporters to the same link to open an account and select your group.
Pierce’s (in Wisconsin): http://www.centerforfamilies.org/images/Pierces%20Charity%20Rewards%20Card%20App%20Charity%201222.pdf
Baker’s: Sign up here: https://www.bakersplus.com/account/create
Enroll your group here: https://www.bakersplus.com/topic/community-rewards-6
Tom Thumb: http://www.tomthumb.com/ShopStores/Good-Neighbor.page
Here’s a pretty good list of stores that have loyalty cards. Many do NOT currently support charitable donations automatically, but you should check with your local store occasionally to see if there is a local program: http://www.sunday-paper-coupons.com/grocery-loyalty-programs.html
Car Donation program:
http://donationline.com (Note: there are other programs, this is just the one I’ve dealt with that I like.)
THEN, sign up for these programs:
MissionFish is now the PayPal Giving Fund.
https://www.paypalgivingfund.org/charity/web.us/register.jsp
People can list stuff on ebay and donate a percentage to your group:
And can add your group to their charities:
http://givingworks.ebay.com/charity-auctions/charity/search/?keywords=At+Risk+Intervention
Pick one Affiliate program to push per month:
Flower growers and all sorts of affiliate programs:
http://www.affiliatebot.com/index2.htm
Event Sponsorships
Next time you have an event, ask for sponsorships and donations.
Kroger
Event Sponsorship https://www.communitygifts.com/Default.aspx
Note that you can request from Kroger, Ralphs, Smith’s, King Soopers, Food4Less, City Market, Fry’s, and Food’s Co. on this event sponsorship link, as they are sister companies.
Food Lion
Donation requests/Event sponsorships: Open from Jan-March -- check dates. This is only for stuff, not money grants.
http://www.foodlion.com/CommunityOutreach/SponsorshipAndDonationRequests
Food City
Food City only supports linking to schools to support them now, not any nonprofit. but you can sell Food City gift cards for 5% off the face amount. https://www.foodcity.com/community/community_cash/
Now sit down and make these phone calls to find out policies at local stores. These are all locally administered.
Trader Joe’s http://www.traderjoes.com/announcement/trader-joes-food-donation-guidelines
Walmart: http://giving.walmart.com/apply-for-grants/ Note that Walmart has national, state, and local giving programs. While they do have some “focus areas”, they also award grants outside those focus areas. Pay attention to the deadlines and requirements for the national (greater than $250,000) and state ($20,000-$250,000) programs. The local programs fund $250-$2500. Flexibility varies from store to store in terms of which programs can be funded. NW Arkansas, Benton and Washington counties, have a separate program.
Sam’s Club: http://giving.walmart.com/apply-for-grants/sams-club-giving-program (Note: run by the Walmart program)
Costco: http://www.costco.com/charitable-giving.html Note: donates only to children, education or health and human services, and specifically NOT to animal rescue. Included in case you know another group that could use it.
Earth Fare: https://www.earthfare.com/living-well/donations
Will often donate items for gifts baskets/auctions.
That’s it for now! I’ll be adding to this list over time, so check back frequently.
OH, and sign up for those ‘push’ notifications from the obeythebeagle.com website. That way you’ll get an unobtrusive note when I update it.