A New Stream of Donations
Fundraising is often the most important—and most difficult—task for any non-profit organization. That is the motivation behind Spark Giving. Free to non-profits, it’s a turnkey system that can deliver significant donations through the real estate transactions of your supporters.
SIGN UP TODAY!We’ve made this simple
GIVE SPARK GIVING A CLOSE LOOK
Watch the video below, read through the FAQs if you have any questions, and learn how Spark Giving can provide you with a much-needed financial boost.
ATTRACT YOUNGER DONORS
After you understand who we are and what we can do for organizations like yours, talk to your team or Board (if needed) about Spark—we’ve even provided materials to assist with that.
PROVIDE VALUE TO YOUR SUPPORTERS
Allow us to help you bring in the revenue that can sustain and grow your organization. It starts by simply filling out the short form on this site. It’s quick and simple.
How much impact could you have?
The following is an example of how someone could use the Spark Giving program to generate large donations to their favorite non-profit. For this example we will take a fairly common scenario where a person is going to sell their current home, buy a new one, finance the loan, get insurance and remodel the new home. For each of these categories they choose to use a Spark professional.
| Donation from selling current home with Spark Realtor: | $2,100 |
| Donation from buying new home with Spark Realtor: | $3,000 |
| Donation from financing the home with Spark lender: | $1,000 |
| Donation from insuring new home with Spark agent: | $500 |
| Donation from remodeling home with Spark contractor: | $4,000 |
| Total Donations to your favorite non-profit: | $10,600 |
Example donations based on selling a $350,000 home and buying a $500,000 home (both at .03 commission) with 20% pledge from Realtor. Financing and insurance donations based on flat fee pledge amounts. Remodel donation based on 20% of profit from a contractor earning $20,000.
Have more questions about Spark Giving?
Spark Giving emerged from a friendship of two individuals, one with a background in real estate and the other from the non-profit sector. Both had a passion for supporting charities and non-profit organizations. Together they created a model for joining these two groups through a program that effortlessly generates much needed funds for those serving others.
Free to non-profits, simple to understand and set up, it has already generated thousands of dollars for worthy groups while also helping real estate professionals in their careers.
It is the ultimate win-win situation.
Spark Giving offers a process where a portion of a real estate professional’s fee is pledged in advance to go to a specific non-profit of the client’s choosing. As the donation comes from the professional’s normal fee, it costs neither the non-profit nor the client a dime. Spark is compensated through the real estate professional who pays a small monthly fee to participate in the program.
Because homes are bought, sold and financed every day and they represent significant dollars, the designated amounts can be significant, lump sum donations. This represents a source of revenue that is outside of the non-profit’s normal fundraising efforts and can present a steady stream through a variety of sources—supporters, friends, family, board members and employees.
Real estate professionals are always interested in making new connections with new groups of people. By developing a long-term connection with a non-profit, they are introduced to a fresh circle of people that might have been outside of their reach.
Without having to “sell”, new clients will reach out to them‚ and this is the best of all possible worlds for Realtors, lenders, builders, insurance agents and the like. As a non profit, you may invite all real estate professionals in your network to be featured on your page which creates an even playing field for all, eliminating any conflict of interest.
A secondary benefit is also significant. Millennials are now often choosing to work with businesses who will give back as a part of their business strategy and the Spark Giving program has proven to grab their attention.
And finally, everyone feels good about supporting those who serve others. The professionals involved in the program enjoy the opportunity to give as much as those who will receive their donations. The donations are also tax-deductible for them.
It is quite simple really. After you have located some real estate professionals who would like to participate—and we will help with that too—Spark Giving creates a custom-branded web page for your organization that spells out all of the details of the program. When one of your supporters connects with a professional on your list, you will receive the specified donation as soon as the transaction is complete.
Spark also provides marketing support for you through social media, communication tools, and promotional efforts. It doesn’t cost the non-profits a cent and it allows them to concentrate on their mission while getting past some of the fatigue of fundraising.
Northwest Youth Services, a non profit serving homeless youth, was building a new shelter and seeking to raise funds for construction. After joining the program, the head of the board for Northwest Youth Services sent her sister through the program. Her sister was looking to move into town and chose a Spark Realtor who had pledged 20% of their fee to NWYS. Her sister bought a home with this Realtor and upon closing of the home sale the Realtor donated $5000 to NWYS.
The following is an example of how someone could use the Spark Giving program to generate large donations to their favorite non-profit. For this example we will take a fairly common scenario where a person is going to sell their current home, buy a new one, finance the loan, get insurance and remodel the new home. For each of these categories they choose to use a Spark professional.
| Donation from selling current home with Spark Realtor: | $2,100 |
| Donation from buying new home with Spark Realtor: | $3,000 |
| Donation from financing the home with Spark lender: | $1,000 |
| Donation from insuring new home with Spark agent: | $500 |
| Donation from remodeling home with Spark contractor: | $4,000 |
| Total Donations to your favorite non-profit: | $10,600 |
Example donations based on selling a $350,000 home and buying a $500,000 home (both at .03 commission) with 20% pledge from Realtor. Financing and insurance donations based on flat fee pledge amounts. Remodel donation based on 20% of profit from a contractor earning $20,000.
Because we know it’s sometimes challenging to convince others about a great idea, we’ve provided a kit that will help explain the many benefits of partnering with Spark Giving along with answers to the most anticipated questions. Getting everyone on board is important—we understand that—and we are here to help in any way we can.
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Board of Directors Package
Because we know it’s sometimes challenging to convince others about a great idea, we’ve provided a kit that will help explain the many benefits of partnering with Spark Giving along with answers to the most anticipated questions. Getting everyone on board is important—we understand that—and we are here to help in any way we can.
Answers to your questions.
We know how vital your work is and how hard it is to keep the vision alive when you are carrying the burden of fundraising. Both of the founders of Spark Giving have run non-profit organizations and are currently involved in real estate. We understand both worlds.
- Are there any strings attached to donations?
No, there are no strings attached. You can use the donation however needed. Many professionals request to hear a story of how you are using the donation so that they can pass this on to the client. This makes for a great experience for everyone.
- Are we limited to Real Estate types of businesses to feature on our page?
Yes. At this time Spark Giving is working exclusively with Real Estate Professionals. These businesses work by referrals and the donations can be quite large. This makes it a good pairing for our program.
- Can we send staff members of our non-profit and Board through the program?
Yes! Imagine if every one of your staff members and board members used the program every time they bought or sold a home, refinanced their home, or remodeled. This alone could generate a large new stream of revenue for your non-profit! And if your non-profit is wanting to purchase or sell a property this could also be sent through the program.
- Does our non-profit need to provide Spark with our database?
There is no need to provide your database to anyone. Your non-profit gets the word out to your network and Spark provides the tools to do so.
- How do we attract donors to our page?
You can spread the word via your social media, website, emails, newsletters, fundraisers and any other means available. We provide tools to help with this as well! Wherever you are sharing with others about how they can support your non-profit organization, you can also point them to your customized Spark Giving webpage.
- How do we invite Real Estate Professionals to be featured on our page?
When you sign up your non-profit with Spark we give you detailed instructions and the resources needed to invite professionals that will be featured.
- How does the money transaction work?
When a non-profit organization features a Real Estate Professional on its webpage, in advance they determine a pledge amount they are willing to donate whenever someone finds them through Spark and works with them to complete a transaction. Following the completion of the transaction the professional makes the pledged donation amount through their Spark web portal (directed to the non-profit who sent the client), and is then eligible for the tax deduction.
- How many Real Estate Professionals can be featured on our page?
At this time there is no limit.
- How much money in donations can we expect?
This all depends on how well you get your page in front of your network. This is a new way for people to be able to generate potentially large donations to your non-profit. They just need to hear about it from you!
- How much time will we need to invest?
This is not a time intensive program. Getting into a regular pattern of spreading the word through your various forms of media is the key. We provide tools to help with this.
- Is the donation guaranteed?
Since the donation is a pledge from the professional, there is no binding contract requiring the professional to make the donation. It works on an honor system. To date, we have never had a professional not make their pledged donation after the transaction has closed. However, if you or one of your supporters finds out that a transaction has been completed through the program and the donation was never received, you may reach out and remind the professional of their pledge. If they refuse to make the donation at that point we will remove them from the Spark site.
- Is there a minimum non-profit size?
Any non-profit is eligible for the program.
- Is there any cost to the non-profit to participate with Spark?
The program is free to non-profit organizations.
- What if I have a Real Estate Professional on the board or staff? Is this a conflict?
Spark Giving actually eliminates the conflict of interest for Real Estate Professionals and non-profits. You may invite any and all real estate professionals in your network to be featured on your page, including board members and donors. This creates an even playing field for all.
- What if the consumer wants to use the Spark Program but already has their own real estate professional?
If they are already actively working with a professional then the program will not work for them. If they would like to suggest their professional become a member of Spark they can send them to our website where the professional can sign up.
- When can I expect the donation after someone from our network selects a professional from our page?
This will vary depending on the length of the transaction. Some take weeks and some, in the case of buying or selling a home, can take months to close.
- Why do I have to have a Real Estate Professional featured on the page to start?
The Spark program works because business professionals pledge to give an amount of their fee to your non-profit when someone chooses them from your Spark profile page. You need at least one professional associated to your profile to be able to receive donations.
