Mention online charitable contributions and listen to cautions and protests of the doubtful! How can affiliates become involved in ethical online contributions, to further both their business and the fundraising of charities?

Some charities will pay affiliate commissions for the contributors they send them. Some merchants will also pay a small percentage of sales to a particular charity. When the commission paid is equal to or less than the costs of alternative methods of fundraising, the charity is a bonafide one, and there is a logical link between the niche of the affiliates website and the purpose of the charity, why not consider it?

Consider the costs of printing, making personal presentations, mailing, depositing checks. Fundraising can have steep administrative costs. And one measure for evaluating charities is the percentage of funds received that flow directly to the organizations programs. Affiliates with an interest or mission related to the charity can help them with more than a flow of money with a way to accomplish more and increase their standing and credibility.

Researching the record of a non-profit can often be done online, at sites such as www.guidestar.org where mission statements and filings are available online for many charitable organizations. A thorough web search of news and a review of the companys site should be done, at a minimum. Being the unfortunate affiliate linked with a dubious charity can hurt your name immeasurably. If the charity checks out, and is related to the cause of your organization, helping its efforts by including it in your affiliate options is one more way to enrich your site, your pocketbook and the perception of your company with your visitors.