Amazon Business For Nonprofits

Amazon Business For Nonprofits is Inside Charity’s review of AMAZON BUSINESS’ newest effort to support the charitable, ministry and church sectors. Here’s what the team at Amazon has to share about this important program for 501(c)3 organizations:

Amazon believes in the importance of impact organizations who serve locally, nationally and even worldwide. That’s why Amazon Business has been designed especially for the nonprofit sector. We know charities need agility and flexibility to respond to changing community needs. Every dollar spent at a nonprofit represents a choice between funding staff, operations, or programs. We’re here to help you get the job done more efficiently and at lower costs. Here’s just a few of the features made available to nonprofits through Amazon Business:

Amazon Business provides charities:

• Multi-user, TAX-EXEMPT Amazon account for your organization
• Product selection and pricing advantages
• Nonprofit discounted AMAZON PRIME Tiers
• Live Amazon Nonprofit Business Advisor to maximize your experience
• Bookkeeping reports that track your expenses
• Purchase orders can be automatically emailed for approval
• Access for all employees to Amazon’s COVID-19 Supply Hub
• Access to AmazonSmile Charity Lists

How is the charitable sector responding to Amazon Business for Nonprofits?

• 75,000 nonprofit business customers (and growing)
• 30 of the United States’ largest charities
• 28,000 faith-based organizations

VISIT HERE TO CREATE YOUR FREE ACCOUNT AND CONNECT WITH AN AMAZON BUSINESS NONPROFIT ADVISOR

Amazon Tax Exemption Program (ATEP):

If you’re eligible for tax-exempt purchasing, you may be able to participate in the Amazon Tax Exemption Program. The program allows you to make tax-exempt purchases and manage tax exemption across your organization.

Nonprofit Organization Pricing:

Amazon’s marketplace already makes it easy to compare prices and find the best deals. Now we’ve made it easy for suppliers to provide discounts reserved for charities. Registered nonprofits will see exclusive prices on a growing selection of items.

Discounted AMAZON PRIME Subscription:

Depending on the size of your organization Amazon Prime Subscription can be as low as $69.00 per year.

Live Amazon Nonprofit Business Advisor to maximize your experience

Amazon will assign your organization a designated Nonprofit Advisor who will work with you to ensure you navigate all the advantages this program offers. They’re just a phone call away.

Bookkeeping reports that track your expenses

Save time compiling recurring reports by using out-of-the-box reports and dashboards. Track your progress toward spending goals and discover new ways to reduce costs.

Purchase orders can be automatically emailed for approval

Amazon connects all your teams to one account providing purchase order requests for approval.

Access for all employees to Amazon’s COVID-19 Supply Hub

Explore a brand new central location on Amazon, exclusively for nonprofits, ministries and churches to access inventory of critical supplies as they become available.

Access to AmazonSmile Charity Lists

Thousands of charities create AmazonSmile Charity Lists of items they need right now. Donors can browse, order, and enjoy giving. Amazon also donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to your charitable organization—no fees, no extra cost.

Here’s a word from Meredith Berger, Amazon’s Government & Nonprofit Customer Advisor, “We are here to ensure you get the supplies you need to serve men, women, children and families in need. From nationwide nonprofits to community organizations, we’re a fit. Every dollar spent at a nonprofit represents a choice between funding staff, operations, or programs. We’re here to help you get the job done more efficiently.”

VISIT HERE TO CREATE YOUR FREE ACCOUNT AND CONNECT WITH AN AMAZON BUSINESS NONPROFIT ADVISOR

Amazon Business for Nonprofits

Here’s a quick overview of how Toys for Kids has succeeded with Amazon Business:

Seattle Mariners outfielder Dave Henderson and Rick Rizzs, the team’s longtime radio announcer, started Toys for Kids in 1995 by collecting donations in a baseball hat and purchasing toys for 300 local homeless children. 24 years later, executive director Heather Jones is growing Toys for Kids’ reach, using Amazon Business to deliver results at scale so the organization can expand to offer scholarships, school supplies, school meals, and more—to children in need.

Both men decided they had a duty to shine a light on this critical—and growing—problem.

Rizzs began calling local hospitals and nonprofits, looking for ways to help Seattle’s homeless children. During his search, he found Harborview Medical Center, which soon became Toys for Kids’ first benefactor. Before a game the next day, he passed a baseball hat around the Mariners’ locker room and the players all pitched in. They raised $18,000 to help give 300 homeless children an unexpected—and unforgettable—Christmas. Rizzs, along with Henderson and some of his teammates, passed out the toys they had bought to those children who would have otherwise been forgotten. In the 24 years since that first holiday season, Toys for Kids has grown both in scope of the services it provides and in the breadth of their giving.

In 2019, they raised over $700,000 for 33 agencies that serve Washington’s homeless population, and they now run six different programs that help children beyond the holiday season—including a backpack program that provides children with school supplies, and programs that provide school meals and eliminate lunch debt, fund field trips, and more.

Spearheading the organization’s impressive growth is executive director Heather Jones. She spent the early part of her career working as a publicist in music and sports, but as her career progressed, she felt an urgent desire to use her talents to do more for those in need. “I looked at my past—all my different careers,” says Jones, “and I was trying to figure out how to actually do good instead of just bringing in money for everyone.”

As she looks to the future, Jones hopes to find new and exciting ways to grow the organization with the help of Amazon Business.

Toys for Kids’ buying process started at brick and mortar toy retailers. Each agency they supported would get a budget at the beginning of the year, and when the first week of December came around, they’d start shopping. But when brick and mortar toy retailers started to disappear, the people at Toys for Kids were left scrambling for ways to continue the program. That’s when a board member suggested using Amazon Business to purchase the high volume of toys they’d need. “From the very beginning it was nothing but amazing,” says Jones. She adds that Amazon Business’ personalized support, custom shopping links, and simplified shopping and shipping allows Toys for Kids to double the number of toys purchased.

Shopping on Amazon Business streamlined the process. Agencies are able to create wish lists based on their individual needs, with Jones gaining oversight and the ability to approve orders on a case-by-case basis. “When I open the floodgates, they push everything into their shopping carts,” says Jones. And having all those carts at her fingertips makes the approval process that much easier.

Jones also says they would regularly run into stock issues shopping at specialty toy retailers. The most popular toys were almost always sold out and they were never able to find enough diversity among dolls and action figures. “The stores would only have, you know, ten ethnically diverse Barbie dolls,” she says. But shopping with Amazon Business gives her volunteers real flexibility. Thanks to the vast selection and multitude of sellers, they’re able to buy dolls and action figures that look like the kids they’re supporting. The move to Amazon Business has also simplified shipping. Initially, Toys for Kids had to partner with another organization and borrow freight trucks to deliver their shipments. Besides being a hassle to coordinate, they were always on someone else’s schedule.

Jones says she can even tap into her analytical side with Amazon Business. Having built-in tools like Spend Visibility and Guided Buying give her a clear picture of the entire organization. She’s able to easily set budgets for every agency, ensure they stick to them, and spot trends to plan for next year.

Connect With a Amazon Business Advisor TODAY!

Please visit the links below to get started. Your personal advisor can’t wait to hear from you.

VISIT HERE TO CREATE YOUR FREE ACCOUNT AND CONNECT WITH AN AMAZON BUSINESS NONPROFIT ADVISOR

Amazon Business For Nonprofits was first posted at INSIDE CHARITY.

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