The idea
A single purchase carries a few cents of change. One purchase does not matter; a month of them does. Round-up giving collects that change across every sale a business makes and turns it into a monthly donation to a nonprofit the business chooses.
MakeTheDonation is the plumbing: it connects to the business's point of sale, counts every sale as it happens, and totals what the program raised.
The two modes
On the round-up pledge, the business donates the change from its own sales. Customers are never asked for anything and checkout does not change.
On the customer-pays ask, the customer adds a $1, $5, or $10 donation, offered by staff at the counter or by the store's online cart where supported. The donation shows as a line on their receipt.
Refunds work themselves out in both modes: refund a sale and its donation is reversed automatically, so the month's total reflects what actually happened.
Where the money goes
At the end of each month the business gets one statement with its total and the nonprofit's payment instructions. The business pays the nonprofit directly, then marks the statement sent, and the nonprofit confirms it received. MakeTheDonation never holds or moves the money.
What it costs
For nonprofits: nothing, ever. No fee and no percentage - businesses pay them in full.
For businesses: nothing during launch. When paid plans arrive, you will hear from us before anything changes.
Getting started
A business connects its point of sale from Get started, picks a nonprofit, and chooses a mode. A nonprofit creates a free account, finishes a short profile, and is reviewed by a real person, usually within two business days.