Why We're Nonprofit
The Simple Gifts Project was founded by two sisters who were frustrated by the wrapping paper and cookie dough fundraisers being run at their children's school. They learned that for-profit school fundraisers—businesses that sell things like wrapping paper, popcorn, cookie dough, and discount coupons for major retailers—generate an eye-popping three billion dollars a year. That’s right: $3 billion. Most of this revenue is generated by the countless students who sell products door-to-door. Their schools, teams, and groups retain a portion of these sales (sometimes as little as 20%) and for-profit companies keep the rest.
And they wondered why their kids—and kids across the country, for that matter—were working as the unpaid sales force for for-profit businesses. So they created a not-for-profit program that’s simple to run, helps kids help kids, and can help you raise more money for your organization.
The Simple Gifts Project fundraising program promotes service, supports the learning environment, and allows donors to harness 100% of the power of their money to do more good.
Because we are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization:
- The cost of every Simple Gift in our Giving Catalog is 100% tax-deductible.
- All of our financial relationships are completely transparent as required by law, and our annual 990 tax returns are available to the public at Guidestar.org.
- The Simple Gifts Project retains just enough to cover our costs, payroll and overhead; 85% of each dollar donated goes to help our Fundraising Partners and Cornerstone Charities.