This holiday season, make a bigger impact on your colleagues, clients, partners, friends, and family by offering Bright Gifts—donation credits that anyone can use to support the charity of their choice. Bright Gifts are a fun and deeply impactful way of gifting that goes beyond the conventional.
Create philanthropic relationships with Bright Gifts
Bright Gifts empowers individuals to give the gift of philanthropy. When you give a Bright Gift, you’re sending donation credits to the recipient that they can then direct to over 8 million causes and charities. You can give Bright Gifts to anyone, whether they are part of your organization or not. This means that during the holiday season, for instance, you can give donation credits for GivingTuesday to your team, your colleagues, and external partners. It’s a thoughtful and inclusive way to make a difference together.
It’s easier to use than you think
The Bright Gifts feature is already available in your Bright Funds account, ready for immediate use. To give a Bright Gift, simply:
- Navigate to the Bright Gifts tab.
- Select the recipient.
- Enter the amount you wish to give and your credit card information.
- Hit send.
That’s it!
When the recipient receives the email, they just need to:
- Click the link in the email.
- Log in or create a guest account.
- Search through millions of nonprofits..
- Donate!
Giving a Bright Gift works just like buying a digital gift card, and the recipient gets to support a cause they care about. This creates a personal, meaningful experience that goes beyond a typical gift.
Transform corporate gift-giving
Corporate gift-giving is a massive industry, estimated at $242 billion annually. Imagine redirecting that enormous sum towards charitable donations. At the individual level, it’s much more meaningful. And for nonprofits, it’s a sum that can make a big difference.
Here are some ideas on how to integrate Bright Gifts into your holiday-giving strategy to create a more meaningful impact:
Give colleagues a gift they truly want
According to Consumer Reports, at least 60% of people aged 25-34 prefer experiences over tangible items, and this is a trend that we see increasing for Gen Z. This year, give your colleagues the experience of donating to causes that matter to them, allowing them to make a real impact in their communities and develop or deepen their relationship with a nonprofit.
Thank customers, clients, and partners
Show appreciation to your community of customers and partners for their support and business throughout the past year. Over half (52%) of gift recipients choose to do business with a company after receiving a corporate gift. Recognizing those you work with fosters goodwill and strengthens relationships.
Encourage your sales and client-facing teams to use Bright Gifts to maintain and enhance connections with their contacts. This thoughtful gesture helps customers feel a personal connection with your team. Teams can use a company card or seek reimbursement after they purchase the gift (according to company policy).
Encourage friends and family to participate
Extend the joy of giving beyond the workplace. It’s not just your employees or colleagues who want to donate during the holiday season, it’s your friends and family too. Instead of stressing over finding the perfect gift for a loved one, let them decide where your money makes a meaningful impact.
Bright Gifts makes giving easy for everyone
One of the best features of Bright Gifts is that anyone can give them to anyone else. Whether it’s colleagues, friends, or family, gift-giving becomes more meaningful when the recipient can choose where the donation goes. Research shows that 68% of employees prefer selecting their own gifts. With Bright Gifts, you empower your community to decide where the donation credits go, ensuring they give in a way that’s personally meaningful.
FAQ
Check out our help center to learn more
How do you give a Bright Gift?
1. Navigate to your Bright Funds Dashboard, then to “My Gifts and Credits” in the left panel.
2. Click the box to “Send a Bright Gift” in the upper right corner of the page:
3. Select or enter the amount you would like to give and click “Personalize gift”.
4. You can then choose one or multiple recipients to receive the Bright Gift, including coworkers or other recipients. Then you can write a message and select a background image (or upload your own).
5. Purchase the gift with your credit card (you will see a processing cost added to your purchase). You will receive an email confirmation after you give the Bright Gift. You can view the Bright Gifts you have given anytime on your “My Gifts and Credits” page.
The recipient(s) will receive an email notification that you have given them a gift!
How do you use your Bright Gift?
If you have received a Bright Gift, you will receive an email notification.
Follow the prompt in the email notification to login to Bright Funds to redeem your Bright Gift. If you don’t have a Bright Funds account through your employer, register as a guest to use your gift.
You can also see your Bright Gift on your “My Gifts and Credits” page on Bright Funds. Bright Gifts are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase.
- Search for the cause or nonprofit to which you would like to give.
- Select the option for “One-time donation.”
- You will see “Credits” as a payment option on the checkout page.
- Select “Credits” to donate your Bright Gift to your chosen nonprofit or cause.
How does tax deductibility work with a Bright Gift?
All donations made through the Bright Funds platform are made directly to Bright Funds Foundation, a U.S. public charity (EIN 46-2109112), and then distributed to global nonprofits. As a result, all donors will receive a donation receipt from a U.S. charity (even if the donation is directed to a nonprofit outside of the U.S.). Tax deductibility will depend upon the laws of the country in which the donor resides.
What is the tax deductibility of a redeemed Bright Gift?
The purchaser of the Bright Gift may consider the gift tax deductible, and use their confirmation email as a receipt. The recipient of a Bright Gift cannot request their gifted donation for matching, if offered.
Tax deductibility will depend upon the laws of the country in which the donor resides. In any case, please refer your local tax advisor for any questions on this topic.
All donations made through the Bright Funds platform are made directly to Bright Funds Foundation, a U.S. public charity (EIN 46-2109112), then distributed to global nonprofits.
Madi is a product marketer at Submittable focused on CSR and helping companies align their goals with their employees and their communities. When not working, Madi is exploring the PNW or hanging with her dog and two cats!