Online Fundraising, Cause Marketing and Crowdfunding Platforms that Benefit Nonprofits

I have previously written about many impressive online fundraising, cause marketing and crowdfunding platforms such as CovergeUS, Razoo, Give2gether, Kickstarter, Kiva City, Givmo, Broadcause, Startsomegood, Donorschoose, Kopernik, FirstGiving, ClickYourSupport and Causecast.  Each is unique and meets the needs of a variety of nonprofits and causes in different ways and I continue that theme today spotlighting SmallChangeFund and DonationMatch.

Small Change Fund

Small Change Fund helps grassroots projects in communities across the country by giving them an online presence where they can benefit from online fundraising and skill outreach appeals for their environmental-based projects.  When less than 1% of our national giving goes towards grassroots projects and even less than that to those geared to environmental causes, the need for a platform such as this is vital.

Founded by environmental philanthropists Mary McGrath and Ruth Richardson, they saw a need where communities can present their projects to the world and, in turn, get the necessary support.  Projects are vetted by Advisors who not only approve projects, but lend their experience and expertise to ensure that each project is a success.  Supporters not only get the satisfaction of knowing the legitimacy of the project, but exactly where their donation is going and how it is spent.  Even if the project’s fundraising goal is not reached, donations ultimately still reach the cause.

With a minimum donation of $5, there are several categories in which supporters can donate to projects including air, water, food, place, voice and education.  Supporters who can’t decide can give to the ‘Good Karma Fund’ where SmallChangeFund invests the donation to one of the projects on their behalf.  Completed projects have ranged from helping save Fish Lake in British Columbia from Acid Waste to skill training programs for Aboriginal youth.

Images courtesy of smallchangefund.org and donationmatch.org

SmallChangeFund has also strategically partnered with some great organizations to make their platform and the projects they support viable.  These include Canada Water Week, Global Green Grants, Ivey Foundation, LUSH Handmade Cosmetics, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Tides Canada and many others worthy of a look.

Donation Match

Donation Match was founded in 2010 by Darryl Rettig who possessed over 20 years of Information Technology experience. In reviewing DonationMatch, I quickly understood and appreciated the concept.  I coordinated a fundraising event a few years ago for a dog rescue charity and was fortunate enough to connect with small and large businesses that were willing to donate products or services rather than cash and I was able to do this mainly through referrals and word of mouth.  The event was a success but I could have saved time and stress had I known about DonationMatch.  Much like a dating site, DonationMatch connects nonprofits that are running events, with businesses and organizations that are looking to make in-kind (non cash) donations.

Businesses register for a plan which gives them the ability to create unique in-kind donation profiles, post to specific American Metro Areas (as currently it’s only available in the US) and provides unlimited matches to nonprofits that are looking for specific products or services that businesses may offer.

Nonprofits benefit from the DonationMatch platform by registering and using the site for free, provided they are a registered IRS tax exempt nonprofit.  Once registered, nonprofits can post their events and can control whether or not to accept any of the matched in-kind donations.  This online tool saves valuable time and money for nonprofits and allows them to focus on their fundraising event. Donation Match has helped raise over $260,000 worth of in-kind donations in 2011 which are key to the success of a nonprofit event. Hopefully soon they will expand to Canada.
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Miratel Solutions is a Toronto call centre, eBusiness, and letter shop mail house specializing in professional fundraising services including telephone fundraising, online fundraising, lottery services, donation caging, donation processing and other donor management services. We are committed to our CSR business values in all contact centre services and mail house operations and advancing the missions of the nonprofits we proudly serve.