By Carmen Adamson, Content Marketing Manager at Blackbaud
I recently read a post on Linkedin by Amar Shah, president and co-founder of Change, titled “A New Era of Philanthropy”, where he told the story of how Made in America embedded giving into their mobile app, social media, on stage and in-between acts, to engage their consumers through their entire experience with the brand to be a part of their philanthropic efforts. Change allows companies to build giving experiences for their customers by adding things like a donation round-up as part of the online checkout process. We interviewed Amar to learn more about why he’s passionate about this software and how they envision companies engaging consumers to participate alongside them in social responsibility.
What is Change and how can companies use this to build giving experiences for their consumers?
Change is a donation processing platform that powers customer-facing giving experiences. Companies around the world use our platform for charitable initiatives ranging from roundups at checkout, carbon-neutral shipping, loyalty programs, to even charitable NFTs. Companies can jumpstart their giving experiences in minutes with our Shopify app or build a custom experience with our Donation APIs.
What other ways can companies engage consumers in philanthropy besides the traditional ‘Would you like to donate to XYZ charity?’
Companies can add donation rewards to their loyalty program to boost user engagement. Companies love it because they’re not left with the liability of unused points in their loyalty programs. Consumers love it because they’re able to donate their leftover points to a cause they are passionate about. Separately, companies are always trying to drive particular user actions — anything from completing customer surveys to trying new in-app features. Instead of sending over a $5 gift card, companies can build a much more meaningful relationship with their customers by gifting a donation on their behalf to a cause that consumer is passionate about.
How do you see this impacting the future of corporate philanthropy?
The 2020s are the decade of purpose and corporate philanthropy is the new way to build a brand community. Customers are demanding change from corporations and are aligning themselves with companies that reflect their personal values. Today, we’re just scratching the surface of corporate philanthropy and this market will continue to grow. From charitable NFTs to luxury fundraiser experiences, companies will continue to innovate and launch new philanthropic initiatives.