Raise Money Through Amazon.com

The [[College Democrats of America|College Democrats]] of Harvard University hit upon an easy to implement fundraising idea to add an extra couple hundred dollars to their budget each year.

How They Did It

The group signed on with Amazon.com’s [[http://affiliate-program.amazon.com/gp/associates/join/compensation.html/ref=amblink1035462_2/002-2554976-3504069|Associates Program]]. The Associates’ Program allows third parties to refer book sales to Amazon by pasting a simple HTML badge into their website. Referrers can earn between 4% and 8.5% of the sales they direct to Amazon based on the volume of sales (see chart below).

It couldn’t be simpler:

• Sign-up for Amazon’s program (this will require a checking account or a PayPal account). For tax purposes and transparency, it’s probably best if this account is in the name of your organization.
• Paste the Amazon Search badge onto your group’s website.
• Request that all of your members, their friends, and anyone sympathetic to the goals of your orgnization buy their course books through the search badge.
• Rake in the cash.

Through their Amazon referral link, the Harvard College Democrats were able to raise $360 a semester. Not bad for some quick HTML work.

Links

[[http://www.harvarddems.com/|See it in action here.]] You can sign up for the [[http://affiliate-program.amazon.com/gp/associates/join/compensation.html/ref=amblink1035462_2/002-2554976-3504069|Associates Program here]].