This blog post is guest written by Alyssa Sweet, Member Relations Specialist at Op4G.
One of the unique perks of the market research industry is sharing the thoughts and opinions of different voices. This is especially true when sharing stories from audiences that often go unnoticed. But, we are not the only industry that has this power. Nonprofit organizations across the world work every day to speak up and be a voice for audiences that may not be able to do so themselves. August 17th is National Nonprofit Day, and there is no time like the present to support some of these voices.Nonprofits support a variety of different missions and come in all shapes and sizes. Every nonprofit is grateful for any support they receive. The easiest way to support your favorite nonprofit is by donation. Most nonprofits have designated buttons right on their homepage that make donating easy. They also usually have drop-off zones or locations where they accept gently used or new items such as clothing, food, and household items. And while these more traditional options are helpful, we have a few other ideas that can make your support more impactful this year.
Volunteering From Home
Most nonprofits rely not only on donations, but on volunteers as well. Volunteers are an intricate part of any nonprofit organization. They fill in the gaps where employees need help. While volunteers are used for anything from events to extra projects, not all volunteering is done in person. Catchfire and Volunteermatch both offer volunteer opportunities without leaving the comfort of your home. These sites allow organizations to post projects they would like help with. Projects can be anything from data entry, to IT consultation, to marketing content creation, and anything in between. This allows volunteers to use their skill sets to help nonprofits across the country. Projects can take anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks.
Matching Gifts
If donating is more your style, why not make that donation go a little further? Consider giving a matching gift that will make an even greater impact. Some companies offer a matching donation program as a part of their employee incentive programs. Matching information can typically be found in your employee handbook. Project Hope is a great resource, as it allows visitors to look up their companies matching donation plan and the benefits that come with it.
Of course, not all companies offer a matching program for their employees. That’s where Percent Pledge comes in. Percent Pledge can help build a custom matching donation program that allows employees to donate to nonprofit organizations that they connect with. They can also set up volunteering programs and help with other ideas to give back and support your community.
Donating Stocks
Donations come in all shapes and sizes. An alternative to donating funds straight from your bank account is donating stocks. If you are considering selling stocks you already have and using the profit as a donation, consider donating the stock instead. By doing this, you can avoid paying the capital gains tax on the sold stock, allowing the nonprofit to receive a larger donation. The key to donating stocks is waiting till they have increased in value before donation. Once a stock has increased and been held for at least a year, the fair market value may be itemized as an income tax deduction once it is donated. This can result in a tax savings, making the donation larger than if the owner sold it and used the profit as a donation.
National Nonprofit Day is the perfect time to give back! It is a celebration of nonprofits and their staff, donors, and volunteers. Hopefully, the above tips have inspired you to try out some new ways to support your favorite nonprofits.
How do you plan on celebrating National Nonprofit Day? Let us know in the comments!
