How This Columbus Startup is Providing a New Way to Donate to Your Favorite Causes

Givevia wants to use online shopping to fund nonprofits

With people around the country doing more online shopping than ever before amid the coronavirus, wouldn’t it be nice if your online e-commerce could benefit the charitable organizations you care about? That’s exactly the platform that Columbus startup Givevia has created. The company provides a new way of funding nonprofits through a “shop-to-give” program that allows supporters to generate funding for a cause they care about simply by shopping online through their website. For the Givevia team, the COVID-19 pandemic means their service has become an even greater need. Now that many organizations are struggling to raise funds in their typical ways, Givevia’s methods represent a new chance for people to support nonprofits who need them.

“Some of the problems we started tackling at the very genesis of Givevia only became more prominent with the pandemic,” said CEO Tina Fisher. “Many nonprofit organizations have been dealt a tough hand. Some organizations hold major annual fundraising events that have been canceled because of coronavirus and millions in funding wasn’t raised as a result. The crisis is putting a burden on these charities right when the need for their services is growing. On the other hand you’ve got an entire population stuck at home who may not know how to help. Well, one thing that everyone seems to be doing a lot more of right now is shopping online.”

Givevia uses online shopping to generate funding for charities. As Fisher likes to say, it’s giving, but for free. Any qualifying organization can sign up in a few minutes, and those who want to raise funding simply need to sign up and start shopping. Givevia is committed to remaining free for both nonprofits and supporters, an important part of their mission. For Fisher and the team, the startup is about supporting nonprofits they care about and empowering donors, volunteers, corporate partners and more, making the company as much a passion project as a business.

“Our personal interest in philanthropy has been a key motivator,” said Fisher. “Food pantries, cancer research, furniture banks and homeless shelters are among the many causes we care deeply about. We started Givevia with a mission to drive a new source of funding to the nonprofit organizations that touch all our lives and communities. We partner with some of the most impactful charities and their passionate supporters to amplify what a caring spirit can do for the cause.”

Fisher and Givevia see growth in their future, and plan on helping more and more organizations as the business expands. By giving people a wide range of organizations to support and providing those organizations with a large network of supporters, Givevia aims to make a real difference. There are already thousands of organizations registered, including Special Olympics Ohio, the Ohio Humane Society and countless others.

“Our immediate goal is working with great nonprofits and other partners to spread the word as fast as possible so that both supporters and charitable organizations can take advantage to connect in a new era of support that will fill gaps in funding and create brand new possibilities,” said Fisher. “We’re spending a lot of time locally working with causes right here at home, but really the program is available nationally. And long-term, we see Givevia finally ushering in a truly new funding channel into the tried-and-true options. Before it was individual donations, foundational grants, planned giving, or fundraising. Now, you can shop-to-give, too.”