Buy 1 Give 1

There is a distinct and growing desire for both small business as well as large organizations and global brands to align with (or at least to be seen to be aligned with) causes that matter.

Buy One Give One (B1G1) helps connect small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with worthy causes and in the process not only empowers less fortunate individuals and communities but also helps the SMEs to raise their profile by making it easy for their communities of customers to show their support.

What is B1G1?

B1G1 (Buy1GIVE1) is a global organisation founded in Australia and now headquartered in Singapore.

B1G1 is the home of transaction-based giving. Through B1G1, businesses and customers can now make huge impacts on our world in the simplest of ways.

B1G1 gives businesses around the world a unique ‘giving engine’ which allows them to match their products and services to over 600 projects worldwide. As a direct result, they create resonant stories that ‘connect’ in a much deeper way.

So, for example, the coffee shop is able to say, ‘Every time you buy our coffee, a child gets access to water’; the author can say, ‘Every time my book gets sold, a tree gets planted’; the recruitment company educates kids each time a candidate is placed; a cataract-blind person gets the gift of site each time a plasma TV gets sold and much, much more.

The possibilities are endless and the impact is huge. And it’s so easy to be a part of.

B1G1 is a new way of giving that is simple, effective and impactful.

Because of B1G1 Business Partners, together we made the following differences in 2011:

122,673 people received a nourishing meal
5,828,164 days of access to life-saving water was given to people around the world
191,436 days of accommodation was given to people affected by natural disasters or extreme poverty
16,655 children received an improved learning environment for a year
467,767 days of education support was given to children in need
11,396 children received computer education for a day
69,360 children in need received learning tools like text books and stationery
170,204 days of education and occupational training was given to disadvantaged people
3,967 children in need received a special gift
4,549 children received a special education program
7,839 days of support was given to social entrepreneurs
2,844 goats and other animals were given to families so that they can have income
550,121 days worth of support was given to farmers around the world
39,900 people received internet or phone connection for a day
344398 days of support was given to improve people’s health and well-being
182,843 square meters of rainforest was protected
14,936 trees got planted or adopted
and more!

Being able to make a difference just by doing what we normally do in business is such a simple yet powerful idea.

What is the greater vision of B1G1?

B1G1’s vision is to turn every consumer activity in the world into a giving activity with a simple mechanism of giving. It is just like bumblebees pollinating flowers while receiving nectar. When we receive, we give back naturally.

Giving is an important part of who we are. It’s a fundamental part of being happy and inspired in life. By bringing the natural (and automatic) giving back in our everyday life, it creates more gratitude and caring in our world.

Who is behind B1G1?

B1G1 was originally launched in Australia in 2007 by the founders, David Anttony, Paul Dunn and Masami Sato. Please visit B1G1 Team page to meet the team and board members of B1G1.

Is B1G1 a charity?

B1G1 is a Social Enterprise (Buy1GIVE1 Pte. Ltd.) as well as a Not-for-Profit Society (B1G1 Giving) in Singapore.

The commercial enterprise part of B1G1 supports companies to integrate effective giving into their business activities while creating a sense of connection around the enterprise, which naturally results in their own ability to prosper and thrive.

B1G1 Giving (the Society) is separately established to administer the contributions made to the Worthy Causes. It makes sure 100% of contributions* received get transferred to the Worthy Causes efficiently and effectively. It also supports other charitable organisations to become more effective, sustainable and visible.

B1G1 is created as a sustainable giving movement. It has embraced a structure that maximises the transparency, integrity and efficiency of the initiative. Find out more about B1G1 by clicking here.

How is B1G1 funded?

B1G1 helps businesses give effectively, effortlessly and habitually and 100% of contributions* from B1G1 Businesses reach their Worthy Cause Partners. So, we frequently get asked the question about funding — after all, if 100% of the contributions flow directly to the Worthy Causes, how can B1G1 itself exist?

Here’s the answer: B1G1 is funded by its Business Members, Partners and Sponsors.

B1G1 also offers a range of products and services (like books, giving tours, seminars and so on) that create resources for the on-going operation of this unique initiative. So, in short, B1G1 keeps operating and expanding through many people supporting the concept and coming together to make a difference!

*less direct bank charges incurred for the transactions and transfers

How can I support B1G1?

If you have a business, you can join us as a Business Member and start making contributions. It’s that simple.

If you are an individual who does not own a business, you can become a ‘Friend’ or ‘Employee’ Member if you get invited by Business Members. Once you become a member, you can contribute online and invite others to come to B1G1 to make a difference.

If you run a charity organisation, you can apply to become a Worthy Cause Partner of B1G1. However, there is a set of criteria to meet, so you can first contact us to find out about this.

Giving related questions
Can I recommend a charity organisation I know to B1G1?

Yes. Please see the Worthy Cause question part to find out if the organisation you want to recommend qualifies. You can contact us for more info.

I don’t run a business. Can I still contribute?

You can contribute massively by inviting many other businesses to join B1G1. You can also make contributions using the B1G1 Giving Engine by creating a Free User Account.

How much of what we give gets to the cause?

100%. As you’d expect, when we transfer funds to the Worthy Causes, the Banks deduct a charge (yes, we wish they wouldn’t do it but they do) and we constantly seek ways to eliminate this charge too.

Do I need to join as a Business Member to give through B1G1?

No you don’t.

If you’re a business owner then you can choose to become a B1G1 Business straightway OR your business can just start giving through B1G1 as a Free User first. You then see if it resonates with you. When it does, when you want to support B1G1 more and make your giving even more effective, you can upgrade your account to Business Membership.

Remember too that B1G1 is totally funded by these dedicated businesses who believe that businesses can work together to make a world full of giving. So of course we want you to belong!

How often should I contribute?

We recommend monthly contributions because it helps turn giving into a habit by doing it more regularly and frequently. But if your business activities happen irregularly, or if you have a specific accounting cycle, you can change the giving reminder setting easily by going to your ‘My Account’ page.

Automatic Monthly Giving can be a great option too where giving happens automatically based on average sales figures rather than on actuals. You can then adjust your giving to reflect the actual numbers at a later time.

How much should I give?

You determine your own giving simply and easily. As a business, you just ask yourself this question, ‘How much can I reasonably afford to give per transaction?’ [Now clearly, the answer to that question varies depending upon the products or services to which you’re applying B1G1 giving.]

In B1G1 the ‘per transaction’ amount can be from just 1 cent! So just choose something with which you’re comfortable first — you can review it and change it at any time.

The most important thing is to choose something you can do consistently so that giving becomes a habit. That’s the key. Small giving accumulates to make a big differences through B1G1. Contact us for more.

How can we do ‘buy one give one’ giving with our company?

It’s simple.

First, you choose a product or a service you want to ‘link’ to B1G1 Giving. Second, you choose a per transaction amount with which you’re comfortable. And finally, you go to the B1G1 Worthy Cause listing and find a project that fits your budget and preference. You can proceed to give from there. If you need some ideas, try the virtual giving here.

And when you’re a Business Member, you’re able to use the B1G1 logo and the B1G1 branding to communicate your giving mission. B1G1 also gets your company ‘out there’ in all sorts of ways (through Newsletters, Blogs, Links and much, much more). Of course, as a Business Member you become part of the Giving Business community and you receive many additional Member’s privileges. See more about that here.

Will I be able to receive tax benefits for my contribution?

B1G1 focuses on the real effectiveness of giving – how small amounts can accumulate to make a significant impact globally. So, even though we understand how ‘tax-breaks’ can be useful, our priority is to focus simply on the giving.

Because every country has a different set of tax regulations (B1G1 Giving is a Registered Society in Singapore), you have to consult with your own tax advisor to have your question tax-related questions answered accurately.

In the Project Listing pages within B1G1, you’ll see information on every Worthy Cause, including its tax status within various countries.

If your government gives you tax benefits if you donate to specific chartable organisations, you can donate to one of these organisations directly and report the giving details to us so we can add that to your ‘giving account’ within B1G1. You can also invite those organisations to come on board on B1G1 Giving.

Can I contribute directly to my local charity?

Yes you can. You can report your giving details to us so that we can add it to your giving account.

What payment methods do you accept?

We currently use PayPal as our international Payment Gateway. Through that, you may use your own PayPal account AND can also use your VISA or MASTER card for your giving contributions.

Business Membership questions
How can we join as a Business Member?

It’s simple. Join us here. If your company can afford $1 a day to help support a world full of giving, we would love you to join the cause. Once you join as a Business Member and also start giving further using B1G1 Giving Engine, your company gets listed on the Giving Business List as well.

What are the benefits of the Business Membership?

Whilst giving is not what we do for ‘benefits’, it can be comforting to know that B1G1 offers some great membership benefits for you too! Here are some of them. You get:

– the fully enhanced searchable listing on ‘Giving Business List’
– the use of B1G1 branding and logo on all your marketing materials, business cards
– zero admin fee giving for all your giving through B1G1
– online and hard-copy tracking of your giving impacts
– free giving accounts for your employees so that they can play an important part in your giving
– the multiple giving cart and favourite giving feature
– B1G1 newsletters and IMPACT giving reports
– the chance to be featured in B1G1 newsletters, blogs and programs locally and around the world
– PLUS you connect with other Giving Businesses – people who share similar values
– and, once you’ve completed 12 months of giving, you get to become a certified giving company

Your Business Membership makes your giving simpler, more effective and more engaging.

Can we use the branding and logo of B1G1?

Yes, the moment you become a Business Member you get access to all of the B1G1 branding and logo collateral for use on your marketing materials, your website, your products and service and, most significantly as it turns out, your business cards.. See above for more info.

How do we track the effectiveness of our giving?

You receive special impact reporting from B1G1 Giving quarterly when you are a Business Member. You can also login on the site and see all your past contributions and impact summaries. Find out more here.

Can we invite our employees to give too?

Yes, it is also one of the privileges given to Business Members. But more importantly, all the giving your team members do is also added to your ‘Leveraged Giving Impact’ statistics. It means you are actually creating a giving culture together with all your team members too.

Can we invite our customers to give too?

Yes, it is also one of the privileges given to Business Members. You can invite your customers and even suppliers or friends. And through your invitation, they can become ‘Friends’ of B1G1. But more importantly, all the giving that your ‘Friends’ do is also added to your ‘Leveraged Giving Impact’ statistics (and friends’ friends’ giving etc). It means you are actually creating a giving culture together with all your connections. It means you’re getting a real-time view all the time of the giving ‘legacy’ you’re creating.

Can we continue to give to the charity organisation we’ve been supporting?

You can invite a new cause to join B1G1. But even if your cause is not part of B1G1, you can give directly to them and report your giving to B1G1. Then your giving can be added to your giving account on B1G1’s site.

B1G1 has a specific process to verify suitable organisations, so it is not always guaranteed that we can bring in the cause you recommend. However, we would love you to always look out for wonderful organisations that are working on important causes effectively.

Worthy Cause questions
How can we join B1G1 as a Worthy Cause?

There is a specific criteria for B1G1 Worthy Causes. Contact B1G1 first to find out more. We normally only bring in causes that are recommended by the members of B1G1, so if you are representing a cause, it will be great for you have some testimonials and endorsement from others to add to your application. You can also submit initial application from here but it does not guarantee that your organisation will be listed on B1G1.

Is there any cost to become a Worthy Cause Partner?

No. It’s free. That’s possible only because B1G1 is funded by dedicated business members around the world.

What’s the next step?

Simply click on the side bar widget and explore the B1G1 website.