AmazonSmile has been sunset by Amazon, leaving a gap for non-profits that could collect donations from Amazon shoppers without charge.
Non-profit leaders are now looking for new platforms and venues to continue their low-overhead fundraising efforts in the wake of this decision.
To help them maintain their minor donations without the hassle of time and money spent in arduous fundraising conversations, we created a list of alternative integrated charity donation platforms.
We’ve compared AmazonSmile’s popular process and features – and compiled both positive and negative feedback from non-profits on the news.
What Is AmazonSmile?
Amazon discontinued its well-known charitable initiative, AmazonSmile, as of February 23, 2023.
The integrated charitable giving platform enabled non-profit organizations to accept donations from everyday Amazon shoppers at no extra cost or direct engagement.
The program has earned more than $400 million for non-profit partners in the U.S. alone and more than $449 million globally since its launch in 2013.
Through the marketplace giant’s charitable giving platform, Amazon customers could donate 0.5% of their purchase price through AmazonSmile to various non-profit organizations.
Through the AmazonSmile Foundation, the donations are automatically sent to the non-profit organization’s account in a relatively painless payout process.
For both customers and non-profit organizations, using the program is free, making it a desirable choice for anyone seeking to collect money without racking up overhead expenses.
Non-profit groups were pleased with the program because it gave them a simple way to earn money and let them concentrate on their mission without worrying about how to fund it (at least in part).
Although AmazonSmile was easy to use and had barely any overhead costs, non-profit groups had some reservations regarding the quantity of money being donated.
The 0.5% donation rate was negligible; many charities felt they weren’t getting enough money to have a meaningful impact.
Furthermore, non-profit organizations may only receive money through certain channels, such as bank transfers, which can take several weeks to process and make allocating funds a hurdle for some organizations.
Regardless of these issues, non-profit groups (large and small) continued to use AmazonSmile as a popular platform and a reliable source of funding.
After Amazon’s public statement online and in the news announcing the sunset of AmazonSmile due to leadership’s concerns about the platform’s low impact, many wonder if the tech industry’s recent volatility and Amazon’s budget cuts are involved.
Regardless, non-profit leaders are on the lookout for the next best alternative.
What Are The Best Alternative Charity Donation Platforms?
Fortunately, non-profit organizations have access to numerous additional integrated platforms for charitable donations.
They’ll likely require more setup and configuration than AmazonSmile, but they also provide much more control and customization that non-profits can use to their advantage.
My list of the best current options out there is provided below:
1. Benevity
Screenshot from Benevity, March 2023Benevity is a top platform for corporate social responsibility, giving businesses and non-profit groups a tool to oversee and monitor their social impact.
It provides several services, such as campaign donating, volunteer management, and donation matching.
The website also allows non-profit groups to set up fundraising campaigns and receive donations directly into their accounts.
The platform is a desirable alternative for non-profit groups wishing to connect with corporations because it includes various corporate partners, such as Google, Microsoft, and Target.
Benevity offers customized pricing plans based on the needs and size of the non-profit organization.
2. GiveGab
Screenshot from GiveGab, March 2023GiveGab is a one-stop platform for fundraising that provides non-profit organizations with various tools to design and administer fundraising campaigns.
Some of the functions it offers include peer-to-peer fundraising, event administration, and volunteer management.
To assist non-profit organizations in tracking their success and making fact-based decisions, GiveGab also offers a range of fundraising analytics and reporting tools.
With a 2% transaction fee for donations, the monthly price is zero dollars.
3. Donorbox
Screenshot from Donorbox, March 2023A user-friendly platform for donations called Donorbox enables non-profit organizations to design bespoke donation forms and collect recurring payments.
With the platform’s integration with well-known payment processors like PayPal and Stripe, receiving money is simple and rapid.
Moreover, Donorbox provides several services, such as donor management, data analysis, and integrations with well-known CRM systems like Salesforce.
For non-profit organizations, the pricing starts at 1.5% per transaction, making it an affordable option.
4. RallyUp
Screenshot from RallyUp, March 2023With the help of the fundraising platform RallyUp, non-profit groups can design and control a variety of fundraising initiatives, such as raffles, auctions, and crowdfunding.
It also provides social media connectors, editable donation pages, and progress tracking for fundraising campaigns.
The pricing structure of RallyUp is simple, with no setup fees, no monthly fees, and a flat processing fee of 4.9% on donations.
Because of this, non-profit groups looking for a flexible, affordable fundraising platform may find RallyUp to be an appealing choice.
5. JustGiving
Screenshot from JustGiving, March 2023A fundraising tool called JustGiving, which is based in the U.K., enables non-profit groups to design unique donation pages, keep track of payments, and receive money straight into their accounts.
Several services are available on the site, such as team fundraising, event management, and integrations with well-known CRM systems.
With over 22 million registered members globally, JustGiving has a sizable user base and is a fantastic choice for non-profit organizations trying to reach a global audience.
While there is no information on pricing on its website as of March 2023, JustGiving provides pricing estimates upon request.
How Should Non-Profits Move Away From AmazonSmile?
Many thought leaders in the non-profit sector interpret the news as a signal to reprioritize the development of their organization’s mission, vision, and values in an effort to attract major donations.
While this is incredibly important for any brand to prioritize, it takes time. And if there’s anything non-profit leaders don’t have, it’s time.
In conclusion, there are many other accessible, integrated charity donation platforms, even though AmazonSmile’s demise may be distressing for non-profit organizations that have grown dependent on the platform.
Despite the inconvenience, it’s crucial for non-profit organizations to carefully consider which platform best suits their needs because each of the platforms we’ve covered offers special features, pricing structures, and areas of specialization.
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Featured Image: Ground Picture/Shutterstock
