AmazonSmile is Shutting Down: How You Can Make Up for Lost Revenue 

Amazon announced that it’s shuttering the AmazonSmile program in February 2023. Amazon felt the program’s impact was spread too thin to make a measurable difference. And while the average donation to an organization was just over $230, many organizations received thousands of dollars, and are left frustrated with its abrupt end.  

If you’re facing an unexpected loss of revenue, there are things you can do to expand your reach and make up the difference. Some instances involve launching internal fundraising campaigns, while others require starting or expanding relationships with corporate partners.  

Wish Lists

Create a wish list fundraiser to either gather the funds or the actual in-kind items you need to serve your mission. Donors like to know where their money is going, and wish lists give that transparent view.  

For physical goods such as pet food, school supplies, books, and cleaning products, many organizations create wish lists on Amazon or another preferred retailer, and items can be directly shipped to you.  

GiveSmart offers you the opportunity to create “Instant Buy” items on our platform. People can donate funds to cover the cost of physical items or other bills, such as roof repairs, electric bills, and other rising costs to support your bottom line.  

Your organization can promote these wish list opportunities via GiveSmart. Connect with our team today. 

Recurring Giving 

AmazonSmile was a program that after setup and regular promotion, recurring revenue was generated. But it was portions of pennies on the dollar. Consider a subscription model, recurring giving, for your organization. 

Consumers are accustomed to subscription services. It is a growing $120 billion industry. Offering a program like recurring giving or memberships can be much more beneficial to you AND your donors.  

Consider the difference between a $100 one-time donation at an event versus monthly $15 donations. Recurring giving donors are also far, far more likely to come back year after year. Their lifetime value is significantly higher than that of an event-based donor. Studies shows that recurring donors are worth 5.4 times more than one-time donors over their lifetime. 

Recurring giving on GiveSmart is easy and can make a significant impact on your goals AND your mission. 

Donors Cover the Fees 

GiveSmart doesn’t charge variable transaction or ticketing fees, unlike our competitors. 

As is an industry standard for any company that processes payments, there are nominal, fixed credit card fees. GiveSmart offers the opportunity for your supporters to cover those limited fees with no extra effort on your part.  

When our customers provide this option to donors, 40% of people opt in. Your donors give to support your mission and are happy to help! These savings can help make up for AmazonSmile loss of revenue.  

Corporate Giving  

Corporate giving—from Fortune 500 companies to cornerstone local businesses—takes form via matching gifts, volunteer grants, donations, and sponsorships. An estimated 90% percent of companies on the S&P 500 have a Corporate Social Responsibility plan. While big sponsorship dollars take relationship building, stewardship, and time, there are quicker corporate wins.  

Matching Gifts 

Matching gifts are a secure giving program that after being set up by the company, requires little work on behalf of the nonprofit. With 65% of Fortune 500 companies offering these programs, there are a lot of opportunities for nonprofits to get funds without a lot of manual work. And, some companies offer a two-to-one or three-to-one match, so it can be lucrative! 

Send a monthly email to your donors asking them if their company matches, some general information about how they can request a match, and contact information for someone at your organization who can help donors troubleshoot. 

GiveSmart partners with DoubletheDonation to make matching easy. Learn more from our team.  

Volunteer Grants 

Some companies will provide volunteers for your events, campaigns, or pre-event support AND will then donate if their team volunteers for a minimum number of hours.  

Donors may not be aware of these programs at their own employers, or they may be unaware of how they can volunteer and get those funds for you. Educate, inform, and ask your supporters a few times a year. You could make up your AmazonSmile funds and get some help! 

Alternative Retail and Corporate Giving Programs 

Walmart and Sam’s Club 

Walmart and Sam’s Clubs focus on eight areas with their local community grants, including education, community, public safety, and more. Learn about their Local Community Grants program here. 

Target 

Target Circle members earn votes for each Target trip that they cast for local and national nonprofits through the Target Circle App. As each voting period ends, candidates receive their percentage of the grants based on rank.  

Learn more about becoming a Target Circle partner here. 

Microsoft Rewards and Give with Bing 

Support your cause just by searching on Bing. Points earned for Bing searches are automatically donated to a user’s designated cause.  

Learn more about Give with Bing here. 

Google Ad Grants 

The Google Ad Grant program is one of the most powerful, consistent, and scalable ways to drive new supporters, volunteers, and donors to your nonprofit organization each and every month! 

Check out our comprehensive guide here.  

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) 

Because peer-to-peer fundraising volunteers request donations on your behalf, people you might not contact otherwise give. Integrated social media sharing allows individuals to easily communicate with their family and friends, inviting them to get involved. 

The social aspect of P2P fundraising is what makes it so powerful. People may trust others they know personally over an organization. Donors have more trust in your organization when their friends or family members share a personal connection. Peer-to-peer fundraising expands your audience and your network, grows awareness for your mission, and brings in new donors. 

Aside from these options, consider the campaign options your fundraising management platform offers. With GiveSmart, you can use unlimited peer-to-peer campaigns, text-to-donate, digital wallets (Apple Pay and Google Pay), and more with any plan we offer.   

As you adjust your outreach to make up for the lost revenue, be honest about the impact of any lost dollars from AmazonSmile or losses. Transparency is key for donors. Share why any new giving program you start is so important for your mission and impact. 

Learn more about using GiveSmart to boost your lost revenue from AmazonSmile. Request a personalized demo of the GiveSmart suite or contact us today for more information.