Covid-19 has impacted many areas of philanthropy, from live fundraising auctions to in-person volunteering. It&rsquo;s more challenging today to volunteer or put together an event because of the need for social distancing. Due to this great limitation, nonprofits and organizations need help now more than ever before.
In a <a href="https://www.cafamerica.org/covid19report/">survey</a> conducted in December 2020, <a href="https://www.cafamerica.org/">Charities Aid Foundation of America</a> reported that 93% of the 805 organizations surveyed had been negatively affected post-pandemic. The organizations reported that the biggest disruptions due to Covid-19 were in regards to reduced financial support and sustained travel limitations. With fundraising and in-person events canceled, 92% of the respondents reported that they had shifted much of their operations online.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Whether you consistently volunteered before the pandemic, or you are just dipping your toes into getting involved with a cause, Donor360 gives you options to support your favorite charity, without needing to leave home. Here are some ways you can support causes you care about through our ethical eCommerce platform.&nbsp;
<h1 style="text-align: left;">1. Do Your Online Shopping through Fundraisers</h1>
Online fundraising is prevalent now more than ever, for it expands the campaign&rsquo;s audience while creating a strong online presence. <a href="https://nonprofitssource.com/online-giving-statistics/#Online">In 2017, online revenue increased 23% from online fundraising</a>. As in-person fundraising events are rarely happening these days, one of the easiest ways to support your favorite charities on Donor360 is to shop for what you already need on fundraising campaign pages. The Donor360 catalog includes great gift items, such as organic stuffed animals and handmade bracelets. Oftentimes, charities will run fundraisers for specific needs or goals, enabling you to choose which specific cause you want to contribute to. By buying from an online fundraising campaign, you can help contribute to the greater good without leaving your home.&nbsp;
You can buy from <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/">Donor360</a> campaigns, which feature organic and Fair Trade certified brands, that support a particular charity struggling during this time. Up to 50% of your purchase with Donor360 will go straight to the organization it supports. Voting with your dollar&mdash;choosing ethical and sustainable places to spend your money&mdash;is a huge way to support charities.
<h1 style="text-align: left;">2. Add a Cash Donation at Checkout</h1>
With Donor360, you can add a cash donation at checkout on top of your purchase of a product. Adding a cash donation is another wonderful way to continue supporting your favorite charity. From a $5 to a $50 additional donation-- every bit counts. This amount goes directly to the organization in full. Therefore, you know exactly how much you are giving.
<h1 style="text-align: left;">3. Share Campaigns with Your Followers</h1>
<img src="https://donor360-media.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/img_6039947feec833-03472999-46159003-md.jpg" alt="" />
Social media is a critical tool of communication and the spread of information. When you share a campaign, you are spreading awareness to those who follow you. Exposing the campaign to your network will influence people to get involved and will help immensely in your outreach. Sharing a charity&rsquo;s campaign to wide audiences is one of the best ways to support them. With Donor360 you can do this by clicking on &ldquo;Share this Campaign&rdquo; on the fundraising page, giving you the option to showcase it on various social media platforms.
Make sure to include clarity involving the organization, why you are sharing it, what personal attachment you may have to the charity, why you donated, and why you believe others should donate, too.
<h1 style="text-align: left;">4. Start a Campaign of Your Own</h1>
Starting your own campaign for your favorite charity is another way to support a cause, and Donor360 makes it easy. A Donor360 campaign allows you to choose the charity you want to help, name your campaign, add details and photos, pick out products, and more. Within a few simple <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/blog/five-easy-steps-to-start-a-fundraising-campaign">steps</a>, you can set up a successful online campaign and share it with your prospective supporters. Start your <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/signup">account</a> with Donor360 to begin.&nbsp;
Make sure to include the organization's mission and values, as well as what they are doing and why it&rsquo;s important. Transparency and compelling storytelling will allow others to hop on board more readily. Your personal connection to the charity is something very important to share and will drive others to listen, encouraging them to get involved. Donor360 provides a platform for you to do just that.
<h1 style="text-align: left;">5. Share Your Campaign on Social Media</h1>
Since the pandemic, people are spending increasingly more time on the internet, boosting screen-time across the globe. When you start a campaign of your own, utilizing social media is important. Again, social media is powerful and should be taken advantage of when the goal is to spread awareness. Whether it&rsquo;s Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, sharing your personal campaign with your followers will widen your reach and support as a whole. Through marketing your campaign in this way, you are also motivating others to start campaigns with their own networks in support of charities.&nbsp;
It&rsquo;s important to be consistent and clear when posting on social media. Uploading a photo or video on your platforms once a day is an appropriate amount to start with, and you can track what times are best to post in order to increase traffic within your analytics. When you post online, inform your audience clearly and efficiently, include relevant details without overwhelming your followers, provide real-time updates, and make it intriguing!
<h1 style="text-align: left;">The Need is Greater Now More than Ever</h1>
It can be difficult to know how to support charities during this unprecedented time, but Donor360 is trying to make it as easy as possible! Although charities are undergoing challenges, they and their supporters must learn to adapt accordingly through finding new ways to receive support from their advocates and provide support to those they serve.&nbsp;
Now is the time to get involved in online campaigning when charities need it most. Help your favorite charity today by starting a campaign today with <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/">Donor360</a> or by donating to one already in action!

Whether you consistently volunteered before the pandemic, or you are just dipping your toes into getting involved with a cause, Donor360 gives you options to support your favorite charity, without needing to leave home. Here are some ways you can support causes you care about through our ethical eCommerce platform. 

5 Alternatives to Volunteering During Covid-19

5-alternatives-to-volunteering-during-covid-19

The world consumes an estimated 7.2 million metric tons of chocolate each year, making it one of the top-selling commodities in the world. Due to the world&rsquo;s love of chocolate, fundraising by selling chocolate is one of the most popular routes to raise funds. For example, each year, thousands of schools, clubs, and non-profit organizations raise money by selling See&rsquo;s Candy.&nbsp;
However, the dark side of the chocolate industry makes the practice of fundraising with chocolate an ethical dilemma. Most non-profit organizations and charities only desire to do good for the world, but by selling chocolate that is not Fair Trade or Organic, organizations are contributing to an industry that thrives off child slave labor and harms the environment.&nbsp;
In order to raise money while selling chocolate ethically, non-profits and charities must sell chocolate that is Fair Trade and organic. If they don&rsquo;t, they run the risk of supporting slave labor and dangerous growing practices. Read on for our five reasons to fundraise with Fair Trade and organic chocolate brands.&nbsp;
<h1>1. Fair Trade Chocolate Doesn&rsquo;t Use Child Labor</h1>
Most of the world&rsquo;s raw chocolate comes from West Africa. According to a report by the U.S. Labor Department in 2015, more than 2 million children were engaged in dangerous labor in the cocoa-growing regions of West Africa. In 2010, major chocolate companies like Hershey&rsquo;s, Mars, and Nestle&rsquo; committed to reducing child labor by 70% by 2020, but a leaked study by the University of Chicago shows that <a href="https://humantraffickingsearch.org/after-decades-of-voluntary-corporate-efforts-child-labor-is-still-being-used-to-make-chocolate/?gclid=CjwKCAiA9vOABhBfEiwATCi7GAJRouhLe9Yv4dDUefgSpLnjxs8-HwA2ssBSeW6XnUZCdGU6jMNGnRoCkPoQAvD_BwE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">there is actually more child labor happening now than in 2014</a>.
To be certified Fair Trade, a chocolate company must prove that no child labor, forced labor, or slave labor is used to harvest and process the cacao where their chocolate comes from. Fair Trade certifiers have strict guidelines and require companies to trace their supply chain and be transparent. By fundraising with Fair Trade chocolate brands, such as TCHO Chocolate and Alter Eco, you can be assured that your organization is not inadvertently supporting child slave labor.&nbsp;
<h1>2. Fair Trade Chocolate Helps Ensure Farmers Get Paid a Fair Living Wage</h1>
<img src="https://donor360-media.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/img_60398f12a60c25-63021821-13172310-md.jpg" alt="" />
Most cacao farmers live on less than a dollar a day, due to the extremely low price of cacao and chocolate. Although they work tirelessly, their crops can barely bring them enough money to eat. This causes many farmers to take shortcuts in their processes, utilize slave labor, and work in dangerous ways.&nbsp;
Fair Trade standards ensure that chocolate farmers get paid a fair living wage, even when volatile market prices fluctuate, by requiring a minimum price per pound. After global cocoa prices dropped by almost one-third in 2018, the <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/01/18/1702117/0/en/Fairtrade-Announces-New-Minimum-Price-for-Cocoa-Establishes-Living-Income-Benchmarks.html">Fairtrade Minimum Price</a> for conventional cocoa was raised from $2,000 to $2,400 per metric ton of traditionally grown cocoa and to $2,700 for organically grown cocoa. This means that cocoa farmers who grow by Fair Trade standards know they can always expect a good price for their product. If the global market price rises above this minimum, they can negotiate for an even better price.&nbsp;
<h1>3. Fair Trade Chocolate Supports Communities</h1>
Farmers that operate by Fair Trade standards also receive an extra community fund amount on top of what they get paid for their chocolate. That money is deposited into an account where a co-operative of farmers can decide democratically how they want to use the money to improve their businesses and communities.&nbsp;
For example, they may spend a portion of the money investing in their processing equipment to become more efficient and profitable. They might dedicate another portion to becoming more sustainable and another portion to improving the lives of workers and surrounding community members, like improving roads or providing education.&nbsp;
<h1>4. Organic Chocolate is Better for the Environment and Farmers</h1>
Conventional chocolate and sugar are grown with the help of harsh chemical herbicides, fertilizers, and pesticides. These chemicals are linked to numerous health risks, and not only pose a threat to the farmers using them but also to the land the chocolate and sugar are grown on. Farmers in developing countries often don&rsquo;t have the protective gear necessary to safeguard them from the effects of harsh chemicals. When these chemicals end up in the soil, they can have devastating effects on ecosystems on a farm and surrounding areas.&nbsp;
Organically grown chocolate and sugar are produced using biodynamic and organic fertilizers and pest deterrents. These natural products pose little to no risk to farmers and the environment where chocolate and sugar are grown. Organic growing methods protect farmers and the planet. Likewise, organic cacao is often grown in a more sustainable way. Conventional chocolate farms often clear forests to make huge plots in the sun, which destroys the balance of the soil and surrounding ecosystems.&nbsp;
<h1>5. Organic Chocolate is Better to Consume&nbsp;</h1>
Organic chocolate doesn&rsquo;t contain traces of nasty chemicals. When you consume organic chocolate, you&rsquo;re consuming something grown in a healthier way, most likely by a small farm that deserves your support. By only fundraising with organic chocolate, you&rsquo;re enabling your supporters to make a healthier choice and avoid products that may contain harmful chemicals.&nbsp;
<h1>Get Started Today</h1>
Now that you know all the reasons to fundraise with organic and Fair Trade chocolate instead of See&rsquo;s candy, you&rsquo;re probably excited to get started! Donor360 makes it easy to do just that. Our catalog is full of not just amazing organic and Fair Trade chocolate, but also coffee, stuffed animals, and more. <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/signup">Create an account</a> with Donor360 to get started! Have more questions? Talk to our fundraising specialist, Sydney, at <a href="mailto:sydney@donorthreesixty.com">sydney@donorthreesixty.com</a>.&nbsp;
 
&nbsp;

The dark side of the chocolate industry makes the practice of fundraising with chocolate an ethical dilemma. Most non-profit organizations and charities only desire to do good for the world, but by selling chocolate that is not Fair Trade or Organic, organizations are contributing to an industry that thrives off child slave labor and harms the environment. 


5 Reasons to Fundraise with Organic and Fair Trade Chocolate

5-reasons-to-fundraise-with-organic-and-fair-trade-chocolateinstead-of-sees-candy

Ecommerce has become the primary means of shopping for households in the time of coronavirus. Before the pandemic, <a href="https://www.supermarketnews.com/online-retail/online-grocery-sales-grow-40-2020" target="_blank" rel="noopener">only a quarter of American</a> households had ever shopped for groceries online, but in 2020, that changed to over 50% of households. <a href="https://time.com/5870826/amazon-coronavirus-jeff-bezos-congress/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Time Magazine</a> reported that in the beginning of the worldwide lockdown, when most businesses were most feeling the strain of shelter-in-place mandates, Amazon exceeded expected growth by several billion dollars.&nbsp;
However, as Amazon&rsquo;s bottom line grows, their ethics and policies have been questioned in regards to the treatment of their employees, their impact on the environment, and how they handle customer data. The EU has even slapped <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/10/tech/amazon-eu-antitrust/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">antitrust charges</a> on Amazon&rsquo;s market dominance.&nbsp;
Though eCommerce has become a preferred and necessary means of shopping, many conscious consumers don&rsquo;t want to support huge corporations like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart. Unfortunately, they have lacked more ethical options. Donor360 seeks to change that, and disrupt the eCommerce industry with what we call &lsquo;Ethical eCommerce.&rsquo;
<h1>What is Ethical eCommerce?</h1>
Ethical eCommerce is a heart-based consumerism. Its driving force is kindness and a belief that if we all work together to support people and the globe, we can all thrive. Ethical eCommerce injects community support into day to day shopping by giving profits to charities, rather than big businesses. It supports the globe and people by only trading goods that are good for the planet and for people.&nbsp;
Donor360 has strict criteria for its products. Our chocolate is ethically sourced, our <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/blog/why-drinking-fair-trade-and-organic-coffee-matters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coffee</a> is fair trade, and even our teddy bears are organic. Ethical eCommerce begins at the environmental, community, and industrial levels. We strive to ensure that any products sold via Donor360 eCommerce stores and fundraisers are eco-friendly and that the entire supply chain supports fair living wages.
With Ethical eCommerce, shopping isn&rsquo;t just about finding what you want, but helping those in need.&nbsp; Donor360 supports charities by connecting consumers to causes with every purchase. &nbsp; When a conscious consumer buys a product from a Donor360 fundraiser or eCommerce store, up to 50% of the cost goes directly to a charity. Customers receive tax refund receipts automatically at checkout.&nbsp;
<h1>What&rsquo;s so important about Fair Trade?</h1>
<img src="https://donor360-media.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/img_28-md.jpg" alt="" />
Too many businesses look to get a leg up on the competition through exploitation, corner cutting and outsourcing. It may look harmlessly frugal, but Fair Trade has come to protect exploited workers and farmers from the abuse many corporations have employed. <a href="https://www.gallantintl.com/what-is-fair-trade-in-detail" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fair Trade</a> is about creating economic relationships that don&rsquo;t exploit or disrespect working communities through transparency and cooperation.&nbsp;
Donor360 wants to show that online shopping doesn&rsquo;t have to mean supporting industry giants like Amazon. Our business model has been designed to disrupt and rewrite the rules of eCommerce. Fair Trade can be the model of the future of shopping, rather than the exception to the rule.&nbsp;
<h1>How can I be a part of this?</h1>
Big businesses are not the focus of Donor360. Ethical eCommerce prioritizes communities in need, and makes helping them as easy as ever. Up to 50% of a purchase can go to a charity, and buyers have the option to add a further donation to their purchases as well.
Disruption starts here, and you&rsquo;re invited.&nbsp; Find a campaign or cause you connect with and buy a product you already need. Read more about supporting a <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/campaign/katemillar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">student-run animal shelter,</a> and <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/campaigns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many other worthy causes</a> on Donor360.

Though eCommerce has become a preferred and necessary means of shopping, many conscious consumers don’t want to support huge corporations like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart. Unfortunately, they have lacked more ethical options. Donor360 seeks to change that, and disrupt the eCommerce industry with what we call ‘Ethical eCommerce.’

What is Ethical eCommerce? 

what-is-ethical-ecommerce

Due to the spread of Covid-19, many organizations and nonprofits have limited ways of fundraising in person, making online fundraising more necessary than ever. Yearly fundraising events have been canceled, but needs are still present. Meanwhile, people are spending more time online surfing the internet, liking and sharing social media posts, and taking part in virtual communities. The uptick of time spent online is an opportunity for charities and non-profits to reach more audiences and supporters.
Gaining support through online fundraising has great potential, but if you don&rsquo;t have an effective online fundraising strategy, your efforts can fall short. Donor360 is committed to helping you achieve your fundraising goals for serving the greater good! Read on for our tips on improving your online fundraising strategy.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h1 style="text-align: left;">1. Go Social</h1>
Your social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are where you can showcase your brand through hashtags, captions, images, videos, and more. Your social strategy should be thoughtfully considered and planned out depending on your organization&rsquo;s goals, as it will be a powerful communicator of your organization&rsquo;s values. A presence on social media allows your supporters to like and share your posts, which helps to spread your brand and message organically. A few tips for your social media strategy are:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Post frequently&mdash;ideally once a day. However, do not overwhelm your audience with too much information or irrelevant content.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Post relevant, creative, and intriguing content.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Know your audience (age, gender, interests, etc.)</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Be consistently active&mdash;engage with similar accounts and supporters through following and commenting on their accounts.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Keep track of your analytics to optimize your channel.&nbsp;</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Utilize hashtags.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
Social media platforms are a great way to remind your supporters why donating is important and where their donations are going. Remember to make it simple for your visitors to locate your online profiles using social media icons on your webpages.&nbsp;
<h1 style="text-align: left;">2. Strengthen Campaigns through Storytelling&nbsp;</h1>
Storytelling is a critical aspect in gaining support. As humans, we connect to stories that provoke emotion and empathy. This will humanize your brand and spark interest in supporters. It will show that your supporters' donations are not just a transaction, but a tangible way to make a change in the world.&nbsp;
For example, if your organization rescues animals, use a campaign to illustrate one of the animal&rsquo;s stories from when they were first rescued to when they found a home. Incorporate testimonials, videos, and images to strengthen this storytelling. You can do the same thing with a story of an individual who your organization impacted.
<h1 style="text-align: left;">3. Illustrate your Mission Statement, Vision, and Values&nbsp;&nbsp;</h1>
People want to know what they are supporting when they donate to an organization. If someone is just learning about your organization through an online campaign, your goal is to answer any questions supporters might have&mdash;who, what, and why right from your campaign page. Present these elements explicitly, and you will be able to utilize them in your storytelling. Details and clarity are important here, and including your mission statement, vision, and values will help build your brand overall.&nbsp;
<h1 style="text-align: left;">4. Drive Donations with Goals &amp; Real-time Updates&nbsp;</h1>
Real-time progress graphics that show your fundraising goal and how much you&rsquo;ve raised so far will promote real-time engagement. By providing real-time updates, you will not only show that your organization is trustworthy, but you will also trigger powerful psychological triggers in your donors. This <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256096992_Driving_toward_a_goal_and_the_goal-gradient_hypothesis_The_impact_of_goal_proximity_on_compliance_rate_donation_size_and_fatigue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> showed that &lsquo;driving towards a goal&rsquo; garners a higher amount of donations than asking for donations without a specific goal in mind.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Furthermore, &lsquo;goal proximity&rsquo; will help drive more donations as you get closer to your goal. Studies have shown that donors will give more often when a fundraiser is closer to achieving its goal. This means that in the beginning your donations will be harder earned, but as you start to build momentum, your donations will come faster and easier!&nbsp;
Donor360 campaign pages automatically include goal progress bars that show real-time giving updates. This will help your organization be transparent and earn higher rates of donation.
<h1 style="text-align: left;">5. Utilize Social Proof</h1>
Due to the &lsquo;bandwagon effect,&rsquo; people are more likely to give when they see that others have. When you incorporate a live donation feed board with comments, visitors will be able to see when someone else donates. This provides social proof, which will help others see that your organization is worth donating to and help build a sense of community among your donors. People love to feel like they are a part of something and by recognizing each of your donors with a live feed update, you can include them in your efforts publicly.&nbsp;
With Donor360 live campaign feeds, your donors will be able to see who has given recently. They will also have the option to comment on the feed, which builds an even stronger sense of community engagement.&nbsp;
<h1 style="text-align: left;">6. Increase Giving by Including Levels of Donation</h1>
Instead of leaving a blank space to fill in a donation amount, including preset donation amounts. This can help influence your donor to give a higher amount or add an additional donation to a purchase. By setting benchmarks, you will help steer your donor towards the donation amount you are looking for. In general, you want the highest donation amount to be a bit higher than your biggest donations historically. Displaying a range of donation amounts will help your donors to quickly decide what they want to give. Donor360 campaigns have preset amounts for donations at checkout to maximize your contributions.&nbsp;
<h1 style="text-align: left;">7. Follow-up with Supporters</h1>
Following up with your supporters after your campaign&rsquo;s completion is crucial for transparency and continued support. You can continue engaging your donors by providing progress updates after-the-fact, pertaining to the progress of the project that they helped fund. This will also strengthen your organization&rsquo;s trustworthiness.&nbsp;
There are various ways you can inform your supporters. Newsletters and blogs can be implemented regularly to spread information relevant to your campaign and cause. It&rsquo;s important to link to your website and other pages where supporters can continue to engage and learn. Your donors and supporters will want to know where their donations are going. Following up with your organization&rsquo;s progress gives donors insight into how exactly they&rsquo;ve helped and will increase your chances of receiving more support from them later.&nbsp;
<h1 style="text-align: left;">8. Leverage Your Network to Grow Your Reach</h1>
After you&rsquo;ve completed one round of fundraising and grown your connections, you can utilize this network. Ask your supporters to start fundraisers on your behalf in order to passively build awareness and financial support for your organization. Using a platform like Donor360 makes this easy. With Donor360&rsquo;s widget, you can preconfigure fundraisers that your supporters can start with just a few clicks. Display your &lsquo;Start Fundraiser&rsquo; button on your website, send a link in follow-up emails, or in monthly newsletters.&nbsp;
<h1 style="text-align: left;">Make a Plan and Get Started</h1>
Take time to plan your next campaign using these aforementioned online fundraising strategies. Know your goals and have a plan to reach them before you launch your fundraiser. These strategies will help you build a comprehensive fundraising plan that will be unstoppable!.&nbsp;
With Donor360, you can create an accessible campaign with real-time transparency. Sign up <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/signup" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> to start your first fundraiser with Donor360!

Gaining support through online fundraising has great potential, but if you don’t have an effective online fundraising strategy, your efforts can fall short. Donor360 is committed to helping you achieve your fundraising goals for serving the greater good! Read on for our tips on improving your online fundraising strategy. 


8 Ways to Improve Your Online Fundraising Strategy

8-ways-to-improve-your-online-fundraising-strategy

In recent years, concern about the potential dangers of harsh chemicals in baby and children&rsquo;s products has led to a rise in organic baby foods and clothing. However, many parents haven&rsquo;t yet considered that their children&rsquo;s toys may contain harmful additives and chemicals. Toy manufacturers are often more concerned with profits than with making a safe product.&nbsp; All parents want to protect their children from potentially harmful materials, especially when they are in important developmental stages. Organic toys for children are a healthy alternative made from eco-friendly, safe materials.&nbsp;
<h1>What&rsquo;s wrong with non-organic toys?</h1>
The corporate toy market produces goods that are easily constructed and cheaply disposable, which are good for passing trends and changing interests. This approach isn&rsquo;t necessarily good for the environment or for the children who will be repeatedly exposed to their products.&nbsp;
From the oil extraction to produce LEGO sets to the artificial stuffing pumped into cheap plushies and the heavy metals in paints that pose exposure risks for kids, the toy industry often overlooks safety and environmental health when making their products. In fact, the <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/environmental_risks/docs/scher_o_121.pdf">Scientific Committee On Health and Environmental Risks in the EU</a> found that there was a considerable threat in the inhalation of CRMs (carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic) from multiple toys on the market.&nbsp;
Teething babies can be exposed to harmful materials on the surface level of toys as they erode over time from continuously being bit. In the long term, plastics, formaldehyde, and even common fire retardants used in toys can present health risks to kids&rsquo; skin, hair, and eyes both immediately and later in life according to the same report from the EU.&nbsp;
<h1>What makes organic toys better?</h1>
Conscious consumers and parents are choosing to buy organic toys for several reasons. Organic toys tend to be safer for children as well as safer for the environment. Because the corporate toy industry hasn&rsquo;t produced many organic toys yet, buying organic toys often supports small businesses as well.&nbsp;
<h2>Organic Toys are Safer For Children</h2>
Organic toys for children are built with the clear intention of keeping children safe from CRMs and other byproducts of inorganic production. To even earn the label of being an organic toy, the product must be completely grown and processed organically, with no chemical additives in the manufacturing process. Dyes come from natural plant sources, stuffing and plush are sourced naturally, and hard materials can be made from wood without pesticides.&nbsp;
The Global Organic Textile Standard is an international cooperative managing the definition and labeling of organic textiles. For toys, this mostly applies to stuffed animals and plush toys. Toys labeled as &lsquo;organic&rsquo; by the GOTS must be made from at least 95% organic fibers or can be labeled as &lsquo;made with organic materials&rsquo; if it&rsquo;s made from at least 70% organic fibers. Children&rsquo;s toys can be reviewed under <a href="https://global-standard.org/the-standard/gots-key-features/ecological-and-social-criteria">these global standards</a> to test their organic quality.&nbsp;
<h2>Organic Toys are Safer for the Environment</h2>
Organic toy manufacturers have also adopted a more eco-friendly approach than other toy brands. By creating longer-lasting products, with recycled and organic materials, they&rsquo;ve minimized waste. It&rsquo;s an approach that&rsquo;s disrupted the toy industry. Industry giants have followed in that leadership, with LEGO planning to replace its storied plastic bricks with new <a href="https://www.pcmag.com/news/lego-pledges-to-ditch-plastic-packaging-for-recyclable-paper-bags">bio-bricks made of organic materials by 2030.</a>&nbsp;
<h2>Organic Toys Support Small and Ethical Businesses</h2>
Larger corporations and big businesses are the most likely to deliver non-organic toys to children. Taking the time to find small companies that care about the safety of children and the environment is a great way to support small business and the organic toy industry. By refusing to buy dangerous toys that are harmful to the environment, you can &lsquo;vote with your dollar&rsquo; to reject the irresponsible side of the toy-making industry. Supporting the manufacture of organic toys supports the small businesses that have pioneered the success of similar products.&nbsp;
One of our favorite organic toy manufacturers is Bears for Humanity. They produce a variety of stuffed animals, such as eagles, giraffes, and classic teddy bears. The toys are hypoallergenic, free of harmful plastics and chemicals, and 100% certified by the GOTS. Bears for Humanity also uses a &lsquo;Buy one, give one&rsquo; model, which means that whenever you buy a toy from Bears for Humanity, a child in need also receives a stuffed animal. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a gift to feel good about,&rdquo;&nbsp; they say.&nbsp;
<img src="https://donor360-media.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/img_600da513703b57-11205298-39108530-md.jpg" alt="" />
<h1>Support the Organic Toy Industry &amp; the Greater Good</h1>
Bears for Humanity plush toys can be purchased on Donor360 through several fundraisers already being hosted. <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/campaign/kidstoparks">These</a> <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/campaign/heartofemerson">campaigns</a> <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/campaign/ElaynasBearsthatCare">feature</a> Bears for Humanity organic toys. Or, if you&rsquo;re looking to raise money for a good cause, then you can use Bears for Humanity&rsquo;s organic toys to further your own fundraisers. Sign up <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/signup">here</a> to start your first fundraiser on Donor360.&nbsp;

In recent years, concern about the potential dangers of harsh chemicals in baby and children’s products has led to a rise in organic baby foods and clothes. However, many parents haven’t yet considered that their children’s toys may contain harmful additives and chemicals. 

Are Organic Toys Safer for Children?

are-organic-toys-safer-for-children

The coffee industry is in a state of emergency. Coffee is one of the most in-demand commodities on the planet, with the global coffee industry worth over $200 billion. Yet, many coffee farmers struggle just to feed their families.&nbsp;&nbsp;
This global coffee crisis is due to the incredibly cheap price of coffee. Coffee farms, many of which are located in developing countries, are struggling to cover their costs, let alone make a profit. They are forced to lower their standards, lower wages or fire workers, and grow in a hazardous or unsustainable way. We contribute to this problem when we purchase cheap coffee from companies that value ease and speed over quality and fair wages.&nbsp;
<h1 style="text-align: left;">You Can Help by Drinking Fair Trade and Organic Coffee</h1>
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All of us can impact the coffee industry in a positive way. By purchasing Fair Trade and organic coffee, you can &lsquo;vote with your dollar&rsquo; for a quality product, ethical farming practices, and fair living wages for coffee growers. Read on to see how drinking Fair Trade and organic coffee can help with the global coffee crisis.
<h2>Fair Trade Helps Farmers Get Paid Fairly</h2>
&nbsp;The incredibly cheap price of coffee is one of the main culprits of the global coffee crisis.&nbsp; Something called the &lsquo;C Price&rsquo; largely dictates what a coffee grower can sell a bag of coffee for on the market. The &lsquo;C Price&rsquo; is what coffee is sold as a commodity for on the New York Stock Exchange. Although this doesn&rsquo;t directly control how much a supplier will be able to sell their coffee for, it is the basic guideline for anyone buying or selling coffee.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;The C Price dropped from $2 a pound in 2014 to a 14 year low of 89 cents a pound in 2019. At this price, almost any coffee producer would be selling at a loss. This means debts pile up, laborers&rsquo; wages are slashed or they&rsquo;re fired, and communities go hungry.
&nbsp;Although the reasons for the volatile coffee price are complex, Fair Trade Coffee offers a solution. The Fair Trade minimum price guarantees those who sell on fair trade terms at least $1.40 per pound, or $1.70 per pound if the coffee is also certified organic. This is only a minimum benchmark, and if the market price goes over the benchmark, then coffee growers would be able to trade at a higher price.&nbsp; Having a minimum price helps coffee farmers make smarter investments, hire and pay workers with confidence, and feed their families.
<h2>Fair Trade Terms Help Communities</h2>


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An estimated 90 percent of globally traded coffee comes from developing countries, and the global coffee crisis has&nbsp;hit poor, rural communities the hardest. In some cases, the health and welfare of an entire community depend on the success of a single farm. In places like Guatemala, coffee farmers who are forced to operate at a loss because of the falling market price of coffee <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2019/06/19/why-are-people-leaving-central-america/?sh=5c9f071b6c51">sometimes abandon their farms and attempt to migrate to the US</a> in hopes of a better life.&nbsp;
Fair Trade coffee is sold with terms that help communities. On top of the minimum benchmark price, producers also earn an extra $.20 on each pound of coffee sold on fair trade terms for their Community Development Fund. From this fund, coffee farmers in their cooperative can vote democratically on how they want to allocate their funds.
Farmers can put this money towards supporting their communities on a social, economical, or environmental level. At least 25 percent of this money must go to improving their own operations, by leveling up their productivity and quality initiatives. This helps farms be more resilient in the face of climate change and a volatile market.&nbsp;
<h2>Fair Trade Encourages Healthy Growing Practices</h2>
When farmers are operating at a loss due to lowered market prices, they often are forced to cut costs by any means. They may begin to use unsafe methods to grow their crops more cheaply. In some cases, they are compelled to fire workers and rely on chemicals more than labor. Instead of growing coffee in its natural, shady environment, they may grow hybrid plants in full sun. These hybrids can be harvested more quickly and planted more densely. This puts the farm at risk of soil erosion and destroys the natural balance of the local ecosystem.&nbsp;
When farmers are being paid an adequate amount for their products, they are able to maintain healthy growing practices and invest in environmentally sustainable processes. Although Fair Trade USA doesn&rsquo;t require coffee growers to operate organically, they do offer a premium price for organic coffee. They also have an Agricultural Production standard that, according to the <a href="https://www.fairtradecertified.org/news/fair-trade-coffee-myths">Fair Trade USA website</a>, includes &lsquo;a range of environmental protections with criteria related to efficient water usage; protection of biodiversity, forests, and waterways; prevention of the use of GMOs and reduction of harmful pesticides; utilization of techniques for integrated pest management and soil health; and waste disposal management.&rsquo;
Luckily, more organically grown coffees are certified as Fair Trade than &lsquo;conventionally&rsquo; grown coffees. Between 1998 and 2018, Fair Trade USA certified around 1.06 billion pounds of organic coffee. They only certified 780 million pounds of conventional coffee.&nbsp;
<h2>Organic Coffee Is Grown Without Chemicals</h2>
Meeting the huge demand for coffee around the world, at incredibly cheap prices has not been easy on farmers. As a result, farmers are forced to grow coffee in a way that puts themselves, the environment, and the consumer at risk.&nbsp;
Conventionally grown coffee is one of the most heavily chemically treated foods in the world. Growers use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides in order to increase production with less manpower. These chemicals are harmful to the workers who handle them and to surrounding communities who are subjected to them through air or water.&nbsp;
Farmers grow organic coffee without chemicals. You know that by drinking an organic cup of joe, you&rsquo;re not inadvertently contributing to the poisoning of a village&rsquo;s water supply. Organic practices include feeding the soil with natural products, like compost, and often help the entire ecosystem of a farm become more healthy and viable.&nbsp;
<h1 style="text-align: left;">You Can Do Something About the Global Coffee Crisis </h1>


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By drinking Fair Trade and Organic coffee, you can have a positive impact on the coffee industry. Fair Trade and organic coffee are more expensive and that is a good thing. If you value the lives and livelihoods of the people&nbsp;who grow and produce your coffee, then you should want them to get paid what their coffee is worth,&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; not less.&nbsp;
Unfortunately, our society has come to value cheapness and convenience more than quality, and this has detrimental effects on the world at large. 
As conscious consumers, we should be happy to switch our thinking from &lsquo;cheaper is better,&rsquo; to &lsquo;I am happy to pay a higher price for products that are good for the earth and people.&rsquo;
Ready to buy some awesome, Fair Trade and organic coffee? Double your impact by purchasing your next batch of Fair Trade and organic coffee from a Donor360 fundraiser. Thirty to fifty percent of your sale will go directly to a charity, instead of big business. See some of our live fundraisers <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/campaigns">here</a>.&nbsp;

Coffee is one of the most in-demand commodities on the planet, but many coffee farmers struggle just to feed their families. Find out how drinking Fair Trade and organic coffee can help with the global coffee crisis. 


Why Drinking Fair Trade and Organic Coffee Matters

why-drinking-fair-trade-and-organic-coffee-matters

Fundraising on Donor360 is not only fun and free, but it&rsquo;s also incredibly easy! In this blog, we&rsquo;ll go over how to start your first campaign, so you can quickly start raising funds for your non-profit or for a charity you support!
To get started you&rsquo;ll first need an account. If you don&rsquo;t have a Donor360 account yet, sign up <a href="https://www.donorthreesixty.com/signup" title="Signup for Donor360">here</a>.
Once you&rsquo;ve logged into your Donor360 account, you&rsquo;re ready to start your first fundraising campaign. From your Donor360 dashboard, click &lsquo;Start New Campaign.&rsquo; This will bring you to our beautiful campaign builder. As you begin to populate the entry forms, you&rsquo;ll begin to see your campaign page preview take form on the right side of the screen. Use the arrow in the upper middle part of the screen to toggle back and forth between mobile and desktop views. Then, follow the steps below to create your first campaign!
<h3>1. Enter the Charity You Want to Support</h3>
From the dropdown list, you&rsquo;ll select which charity you want to support. Their name, EIN, and address will populate as you begin to type. If you don&rsquo;t see the charity you want to support, try using the exact name they use for their tax returns. You can use <a href="https://www.guidestar.org/search" title="Charity Search">GuideStar&rsquo;s</a> free search to help you find their exact name. If you still can&rsquo;t find the charity you want to support on our database, they may not be recognized as a 503(1)(C) tax-exempt entity yet. Email us at <a href="mailto:sydney@donorthreesixty.com" title="Write to Sydney">sydney@donorthreesixty.com</a> for more information.
<h3>2. Craft Creative Campaign Details</h3>
Next, enter a creative campaign name. We recommend using something that has to do with what you&rsquo;re raising money for, a seasonal or holiday focus, or just something simple and fun.
Examples are:
<ul>
<li>New Year Pick-Me-Up for a campaign featuring coffee</li>
<li>An Even Sweeter Valentine&rsquo;s Day for a seasonal campaign featuring chocolates and teddy bears</li>
<li>St. Mary School&rsquo;s Scholarship Fundraiser for a campaign benefiting a school&rsquo;s scholarship fund</li>
</ul>
Below, pick a URL for your campaign - something that is easy to say and remember so people can find your campaign directly. We recommend using the name of your fundraiser. Enter your fundraiser goal, start date, and end date. Finally, write a paragraph or two about the organization you&rsquo;re raising money for, why people should support them, and something fun about this fundraiser in particular. Click next when you&rsquo;re done.
<h3>3. Add Photos and Media</h3>
Next, you&rsquo;ll come to the media section of your campaign. Here, you can choose photos to add to your campaign page. We recommend using high-quality images that showcase what you are raising money for or something that has to do with the theme of your fundraiser. You can select up to five images. You can also enter a video here by entering an embed code from a video hosting source.
<h3>4. Pick the Products</h3>
One of the most exciting parts of building a fundraising campaign with Donor360 is choosing which products you&rsquo;d like to sell. Our catalog is full of amazing USDA certified organic and Fair Trade products that are good for the earth and people! You can pick up to six products to vend for each fundraiser. We recommend picking products that have to do with your theme, such as chocolates and teddy bears for a Valentine&rsquo;s Day fundraiser.
<h3>5. Submit Your Campaign for Review</h3>
After you&rsquo;ve filled out all of your campaign details and picked your products, go over the campaign preview to make sure everything looks correct. When you&rsquo;re satisfied with your campaign, click &lsquo;Submit Details.&rsquo; Our campaign specialists will review your campaign for authenticity and will approve it within 24 hours.
<h3>6. Share It and Watch the Funds Come In</h3>
Once your campaign is approved, you&rsquo;ll be able to share the page link on your social media pages, in newsletters, and on your website. From your Donor360 dashboard, you&rsquo;ll be able to see details about your campaign, like how much you&rsquo;ve raised and who has donated. Happy fundraising! Need more help? Get in touch with one of our campaign specialists at <a href="mailto:sydney@donorthreesixty.com" title="Write to Sydney">sydney@donorthreesixty.com</a>.

Fundraising on Donor360 is not only fun and free, but it’s also incredibly easy! In this blog, we’ll go over how to start your first campaign. 

5 Easy Steps to Start a Fundraising Campaign

five-easy-steps-to-start-a-fundraising-campaign

Chocolate is one of the great loves of humanity, but few people know or think about the harm it can cause to farmers, communities, and consumers. Like many consumer products on this planet, when produced in bulk, low-costs become the highest value, while quality and safety fall by the wayside.&nbsp;
At Donor360, we want to ensure that any chocolate you buy or vend is good for people and the earth. This is why we only partner with organic and Fair Trade chocolate companies, like Alter Eco, Olive and Sinclair, and TCHO.&nbsp;
In order to ensure that your chocolate is safe and ethical, it&rsquo;s crucial to buy and vend high-quality organic and Fair Trade chocolate. Here&rsquo;s why:&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: left;">1. Organically Grown Cacao is Good for the Earth&nbsp;</h2>
Cacao is the plant that chocolate is produced from. Like many crops, it&rsquo;s susceptible to pests and diseases. In many places that produce cacao, in what&rsquo;s known as the cacao belt (within 30 degrees of the equator), restrictions on pesticides and chemicals used on crops are much less regulated than in the United States. These synthetic pesticides and herbicides can have harmful effects on the environment around them because they kill species that are necessary to maintain a natural and healthy eco-system.&nbsp;
Organic chocolate is grown without the use of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Instead, organic pest deterrents are used, along with biodynamic fertilizers. This helps the land that the cacao is grown on stay healthy and natural and preserves its eco-system.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: left;">2. Organic Chocolate is Better for You</h2>
Organically produced and made chocolate is grown without the use of dangerous herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizer and contains only organic ingredients. Many big-name chocolate and candy companies use wax, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and coloring, and GMO ingredients in their products. All of these additives have been linked to health concerns.&nbsp;
When you buy organic chocolate, such as Alter Eco from Donor360&rsquo;s marketplace, you know that your chocolate was grown without contaminants such as herbicides and pesticides. You also know they contain only organic and NON-GMO ingredients. This means you&rsquo;ll be eating a much purer and healthier product.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: left;">3. Organic Chocolate is Healthier for Farmers</h2>
Not only is organic chocolate better for your health, but it&rsquo;s also better for farmers and their communities. Farmers on non-organic farms have to work amongst harmful chemicals, which are linked to serious health complications. As many cacao farms are located in developing countries, they are less likely to have safety measures, such as productive gear, to ensure the health and wellness of their workers.&nbsp;
Farmers on organic farms work with natural products that are not harmful for their health. Buying organic chocolate helps to keep farmers and workers abroad safe.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: left;">4. Fair Trade Chocolate Means Workers Earn a Living Wage</h2>
Traditionally-grown and produced chocolate bars may be grown by child-laborers. According to <a href="https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ILAB/ListofGoods.pdf">a report by the U.S. Department of Labor</a>, 2 million children work in the cacao sector in West Africa alone. Even if child labor is not used, many cacao farmers and laborers will not earn a fair living wage from their work. Companies that place the importance of a cheap final product over quality and integrity don&rsquo;t pay cacao farmers what their product is worth.&nbsp;
Fair Trade chocolate companies, such as TCHO, source their cacao fairly, make sure that everyone on their supply chain is earning a fair, steady living wage and that no child or slave labor is used.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Shop Donor360&rsquo;s Marketplace for Organic and Fair Trade Products</h2>
Two of Donor360&rsquo;s values are environmental stewardship and fair wages and trade. This means that all of the products in Donor360&rsquo;s catalog are USDA organic or Fair Trade certified. We want to make sure that the chocolates that you are buying or vending for fundraisers are good for people and good for the earth. You can feel good knowing that the chocolate that you&rsquo;re vending to raise money for your kids&rsquo; school is sourced without the use of child labor!
To learn more about our chocolate partners, TCHO, Olive and Sinclair, and Alter Eco, visit our catalog. Ready to start fundraising with Donor360 and vend amazing, organic and Fair Trade chocolate? Sign up here!

In order to ensure that your chocolate is safe and ethical, it’s crucial to buy and vend high-quality organic and Fair Trade chocolate. 

Why We Love Organic & Fair Trade Chocolate Brands

why-we-love-organic-fair-trade-chocolate-brands

This year has been challenging for us all, and as we begin this new school year parents, teachers, and schools are faced with new obstacles daily. Parents are working full time while helping their kids with online schooling, teachers and kids are adjusting to their online classrooms, and administrators are charged with ensuring the school year runs smoothly amidst a global pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Alongside this, PTAs are facing pressures of their own. Across the nation, schools depend on the fundraising arm of their PTAs to supplement school resources and meet the needs of all students. Fundraising during this pandemic has been limited and challenging, as PTAs are unable to conduct events and gather as a group to raise funds like before. This has left many wondering: How do PTAs and PTOs raise money safely during Covid-19?&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: left;">How to Raise Money For Your PTA Safely During Covid-19</h2>
Faced with these new challenges, PTAs are being asked to be adaptable with their approaches and adopt new, innovative ways to fundraise. PTAs and PTOs can level up their fundraising abilities by utilizing online technology and harnessing the power of the Internet. This will enable them to build an online donor base and fundraise for their PTA/PTO safely during Covid-19.
In the past, many PTAs have relied on door-to-door fundraising, vending candy and wrapping paper, and auctions and events to raise money.&nbsp; The goal this year is to raise money safely in a socially distant manner and yet still unite as a community.&nbsp;&nbsp;
By moving to an online fundraising platform, your PTA/PTO can keep in communication with your supporters, raise money without putting anyone&rsquo;s health at risk, and begin to build an online donor base. However, most online platforms are not designed to support PTA/PTOs in particular.&nbsp;
Donor360 recognizes the difficulties that PTAs and PTOs are up against this year and have specifically implemented features to meet their needs.&nbsp;
<h2 style="text-align: left;">The Advantages of Fundraising with Donor360</h2>
Donor360 is a turnkey eCommerce FUNdraising platform for PTAs and charities. With Donor360, PTAs and charities can easily start eCommerce fundraising campaigns by vending USDA organic and Fair Trade certified chocolates, coffee, and more. We have ensured that our platform recognizes all&nbsp; PTA/PTOs with 501(c)(3) tax exemption so that you can raise money for your organization seamlessly.&nbsp;
Utilizing all the advantages of Donor360 can help your organization meet and even succeed your fundraising goals. With Donor360, you can:
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Start online fundraising campaigns with a few clicks - Our platform makes it easy and quick to start a fundraiser. Our design features allow you to see how your campaign page will look in real-time and helps you create eye-catching pages optimized to increase giving amounts.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Inspire your community and supporters to start campaigns of their own - Anyone can start a fundraiser that benefits your organization with Donor360. Having your network raise funds for you can help boost your revenue with no extra work on your end.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Sell amazing USDA organic, fair trade products - Donor360&rsquo;s product catalog includes coffee, chocolates, plush toys, hand-crafted gifts, and more. When you vend these products, you&rsquo;re also supporting sustainable brands that provide fair living wage jobs and are good for the environment.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Be social distance savvy with direct-to-supporter contactless delivery options - We give you shipping options that work best for your organization. You can opt to send all items from a particular fundraiser to your school or PTA office or you can select contactless delivery to each individual supporter. &nbsp;</li>
<li>Earn 30% to 50% of the sales - Many of the vendors that PTA/PTOs often work with offer 5-10% of profits. With Donor360, you can earn up to 50% of the profits from your sales, helping you raise more than ever before.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Easily collect additional donations during checkout - Our campaign pages include an option for supporters to add cash donations to their purchase. One hundred percent of this amount will go directly to your organization.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Start building a Donorbase to retarget for additional purchases and donations - With Donor360, you can collect user-approved data, in order to easily contact donors in the future about new fundraisers and to ask for further donations.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>
In addition to all of this, your supporters will automatically receive an IRS Tax donation receipt with every purchase!
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Get the Help and Support You Need</h2>
Interested in leveraging the power of Donor360 for your fundraising efforts this year? Sign up here or reach out to our support team with any questions at <a href="mailto:info@donorthreesixty.com">i</a>CustomerService@DonorThreeSixty.com . We are passionate about helping PTAs and PTOs get the funds they need this year.&nbsp;

By moving to an online fundraising platform, your PTA/PTO can keep in communication with your supporters, raise money without putting anyone’s health at risk, and begin to build an online donor base. 

Donor Three Sixty Blog