What’s ahead:
- Shop for everyday items from brands that donate to ethical causes
- Set up automatic donations with your favorite non-profit
- Talk to your employer about a donation-matching program
- Find a new banking app or credit card that makes donating easy
As a society, we are more connected than ever. Each of us has the opportunity to have a voice and a platform, and people are using their platforms to bring attention to the causes and issues that are closest to their hearts.
But beyond our words, what can we do to impact more significant change in the world around us? After you get home from the march or put the camera down, what more can you do to continue to advocate for the causes you most believe in while you’re balancing the necessities of daily life?
Believe it or not, where and how you spend your money can directly impact “tipping the scales” toward the causes you care about.
No matter what causes strike nearest and dearest to you, here are some simple ways you can make your money fight for what you believe in:
1. Shop for everyday items from brands that donate to ethical causes
From cleaning up our oceans to fighting for social equity, it’s not just activists in the streets working towards building a better world. From independent sellers to globally-recognized labels, brands of all sizes are making commitments to use a portion of their profits to further causes that are important to them.
Delilah Home Goods not only produces home goods made from sustainable materials, they donate 10% of their proceeds to local charities supporting children, families, even animals.
RIO, a company that produces sustainable household paper products and plastic alternatives, also donates a portion of the proceeds to clean up trash-laden beaches in Indonesia.
Whatever your passion may be, look for brands that automatically donate a portion of their profits to non-profit organizations that are active in the areas you care about. With a simple, everyday purchase, you automatically put money in the pockets of organizations working hard to do good.
2. Set up automatic donations with your favorite non-profit
With the nonstop rhythm of everyday life, it can be difficult to budget for and prioritize giving. Thankfully, with the rise in online donation platforms, many non-profits offer an option to give a set amount every month automatically.
Even a small amount adds up over time, and by “setting it and forgetting it,” you can donate to your favorite causes without breaking up the rhythm of your everyday life.
If you’re looking for an even easier way to set up automatic donations, new ethical banking¹ service Spiral allows you to donate to your favorite charities in the same place you manage the rest of your spending. Spiral will even match your donations to eligible charities up to $150 per year³. And all Spiral bank accounts are issued by nbkc bank, Member FDIC and insurance of accounts of up to $5,000,000 is available.⁷
3. Talk to your employer about a donation-matching program
Many workplaces already offer donation-matching programs where your employer will match whatever donation amount you give to your favorite non-profits up to a certain amount. This means you make double the impact with the same amount you already give.
For example, Google offers its employees donation matching from a minimum of $50 all the way up to $6000 per year. This means employees who donate $6000 a year to causes they believe in make a $12,000 impact overall. That’s not small change.
If your employer doesn’t have a donation matching program, suggest one! There are many benefits that employers can access by increasing their charitable giving, and by leading the way in getting one off the ground, you can suggest causes that are most important to you be included in their approved non-profit list.
4. Find a new banking app or credit card that makes donating easy
We all love our rewards points, but many people don’t realize that in addition to flights, many credit card companies allow you to donate your rewards points directly to approved charitable organizations. This means that a percentage of every purchase can be going directly to the causes you believe in.
There are some limitations to these programs, as most major credit card companies only let you donate to a handful of approved organizations. However, some banking apps and debit cards are taking things further.
Spiral, for example, is the pioneer of the Impact-as-a-Service™ platform that helps banks and financial institutions easily embed sustainability, social impact, ESG, and CSR into their businesses. Their mission is to empower 10,000+ U.S. financial institutions and millions of people to contribute to a better world.
As Booker T. Washington once said, “those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.” We all want to do our part to positively impact the world around us, and we can do so even in our everyday spending. You can live a better life while building a better world with each conscious dollar you spend. We are here to help you fight for what you believe in.
