As a fundraising professional, you’re continually looking for new ways to engage supporters and give them more ways to interact with your nonprofit online. From virtual fundraising events to text-to-give campaigns, there are a variety of ways to connect with supporters digitally while also earning revenue for your cause. 

Of course, launching new fundraisers can take a considerable amount of your staff’s time and effort. Fortunately, there is one online fundraiser that’s convenient for both your supporters and your team: nonprofit shopping fundraisers. 

Nonprofit shopping fundraisers allow supporters to generate funds for your nonprofit by shopping for your cause when they make everyday purchases online. If you’re unfamiliar with this type of fundraiser, this guide is here to help. We’ll dive into four questions nonprofits are likely to have about shopping fundraisers:

• What are shopping fundraisers?
• What are the benefits of running a shopping fundraiser?
• How can my nonprofit launch a shopping fundraiser?
• What are some best practices for running a shopping fundraiser?

This guide aims to take an educational look at shopping fundraisers so your nonprofit’s leadership can be well informed about this type of campaign. Then, you can determine if now’s the time to launch one of your own. Let’s get started. 

What are shopping fundraisers?

Shopping fundraisers are fundraising campaigns wherein your nonprofit partners with an online shopping fundraising program. Then, your supporters will generate revenue for your organization by making online purchases through your program’s app or browser extension at participating retailers. 

The revenue generated by nonprofit shopping fundraisers comes from the participating retailers based on each purchase your supporters make. The amounts will vary depending on your program and from retailer to retailer, but Double the Donation’s fundraising ideas recommendations highlight that some programs allow supporters to earn up to 10% for their chosen nonprofit when making a purchase. 

The best part is that since all of these funds come from the retailers, your supporters won’t be paying any more than usual on their purchases. That means that for you and your supporters, shopping fundraisers essentially earn free money for your nonprofit.

Additionally, many different types of charitable organizations can launch a shopping fundraiser. Large and small nonprofits alike can benefit from shopping fundraisers, as can schools, churches, clubs, teams, and other organizations. 

What are the benefits of running a shopping fundraiser?

Before launching any new fundraiser, it’s important to have a clear understanding of what your nonprofit can gain by doing so. After all, different fundraisers have different strengths, such as their return on investment, potential for engagement, or low upfront resource costs. 

Here are a few benefits shopping fundraisers can bring to your nonprofit:

• Reliable additional revenue. Shopping fundraisers can help your nonprofit diversify your revenue streams. While you’ll still be primarily relying on the same group of supporters who donate to your organization, since participating in a shopping fundraiser comes at no additional costs, they can easily donate and shop for your cause. Plus, revenue generated from shopping fundraisers are unrestricted funds, meaning your nonprofit can allocate them to essential operating costs, such as office rent, staff payroll, and other necessities for keeping your organization running. 

• Fundraising all year-round. There are many types of fundraisers that last for a short time period or can only be run at certain times of the year. By contrast, shopping fundraisers are  year-round fundraisers, allowing your nonprofit to continually generate revenue from the moment you begin one. 

• Easy for supporters to participate in. As mentioned, supporters can participate in shopping fundraisers without spending any extra money. If your shopping fundraising program is partnered with retailers your supporters already shop at, they can contribute to your campaign without even changing their normal shopping habits. 

Shopping fundraisers also appeal to supporters for a variety of other reasons outside of just convenience. For instance, ethical shopping research shows how consumers appreciate the chance to shop ethically, with 56% of shoppers refusing to buy from brands they feel are unethical. Shopping fundraisers can help them feel better about their purchasing choices, because they know they’re helping a meaningful cause like yours at the same time.

How can my nonprofit launch a shopping fundraiser?

While many online fundraisers can be engaging but also time consuming, shopping fundraisers are actually relatively simple to host. As shopping fundraisers are also meant to be run all year-round, the ease of maintaining one is essential to its longevity. To get started, your nonprofit will need to follow just three steps:

1. Research online shopping fundraising partners. Your nonprofit will first need to partner with a shopping fundraising program. Your partner will manage relationships with participating retailers and facilitate payments to your organization. When assessing programs, look for one that has connections to businesses your supporters likely already shop at, making involvement as easy as possible. 
2. Sign up with a program. Once you find a program, you’ll be able to sign your nonprofit up and begin setting up your app and browser extension. Some programs will go out of their way to customize your supporters’ app and browser experience, branding it to your organization. For example, providers like ShopRaise will create marketing materials, such as custom emails and social media posts, branded to your nonprofit, saving organizations the time and resources they would otherwise need to dedicate to developing them. 
3. Market your fundraiser. Start getting your supporters involved in your fundraiser by sending out messages, making social media posts, and featuring information about your shopping program on your website. As many of your supporters may be new to shopping fundraisers, be sure to share detailed instructions about how to participate, including links to download your program’s app and browser extension. 

As shopping programs are a relatively unique fundraiser, it’s normal if your nonprofit’s staff or supporters have additional questions about how your program works. When assessing potential programs, be sure to also look for one that offers a positive customer support experience, as your program will be your primary resource for learning more about your fundraiser. 

What are some best practices for running a shopping fundraiser?

Like any fundraiser, the success of your shopping fundraiser will depend on the best practices your nonprofit uses to manage and promote it. Many best practices that work for other online fundraisers, such as sending out focused calls-to-action and ensuring your web pages are user-friendly, will also work for your shopping fundraiser. Additionally, here are a few other strategies that work particularly well for this type of fundraiser:

• Keep marketing. Keep in mind that shopping fundraisers are not a type of “set-it-and-forget-it” fundraising. To ensure your program continues to earn revenue through purchases, make sure to promote it to your supporters regularly. This will allow you to get new supporters to sign up and remind your current supporters to continue using the app or browser extension when making purchases online. 

• Thank your participants. You can encourage your supporters to continue participating in your shopping fundraiser by regularly thanking them for their efforts. Your shopping program will provide your nonprofit with insight into who your fundraiser’s top earners are so you can reach out to them and show your gratitude. 

• Make it a team activity. The more people you have involved in promoting your shopping fundraiser, the better. Shopping fundraisers can be hosted at organizations of any size, but work particularly well for nonprofits and charitable organizations with many members ready to promote the fundraiser, such as teams, schools, churches, and clubs. Encourage volunteers with a bit of friendly competition to get as many people signed up for your shopping fundraiser as possible. 

When determining how to run your shopping fundraiser, take a look at your nonprofit’s resources to determine how you can play to your organization’s strengths. Do you have a strong social media presence? Or, lots of excited volunteers? Assess and identify these factors so you can then leverage them to make your shopping fundraiser as successful as possible.

Shopping fundraisers can help nonprofits expand their fundraising strategies to bring in extra revenue all year-round. To get started with a shopping fundraiser, assess your current supporters’ online shopping habits, find a shopping fundraiser program that fits your needs, and let your supporters know about this new way to earn for your cause.

About the Author

Korri Piper

Sales and Marketing Consultant & Director of Vendor Relationships at ShopRaise.

Relationship director, project manager, writer and general life enthusiast. Let me tell you how online shopping can solve the world's problems.