Check-in For Good: Pay It Forward Year Round

Over the last week and a half I have noticed a lot of tweets and Facebook posts about Pay It Forward Day or Week. The span of time is different depending on the post. Some say it is April 25^th and others say it is the last week of April, but my vote is that Pay It Forward should be everyday. Enabling someone or a group of people to be able to do something that may not have been available to them previously should be a mantra that everyone strives for everyday. So, in the mindset of Pay It Forward, I went looking for a way that small businesses and large businesses, alike, could give back to their community or favorite charity and I found Check-In For Good. This company brings passive giving to any business that wants to participate with no setup or initiation costs. Check-In For Good was founded in 2011 and has headquarters in Clearwater, FL. It is like Foursquare for a cause.

When a business or organization signs up, it can:

· Set the times and days customers can check-in

· Choose a monthly maximum for donations

· Choose the amount to donate per check-in

· Use optional check-in verification (using a QR code)

· Approve check-ins during review period

So, let’s envision your local supermarket; now no longer will there be a can on the checkout counter with the local youth baseball team's logo on it asking for donations. In the new Check-in For Good scenario, customers will be able to check in with the app on their smartphone or by scanning a QR code. Each time that a check-in occurs, a micro-donation, up to a certain amount that is preset by the supermarket, is made to the local sports team. Everyone wins, supermarket gets more customers and the sports team gets monetary support. The focus is on raising money for charities or organizations, but the businesses that sign up to accept check-ins and make the donations get some hidden business advantages, too.

1. Built to be “Social” – the business gains the reach of social media because when their customers check-in they immediately alert all of their followers and friends that they checked-in, in turn, passively donated to the local charity or organization. Word of mouth advertising on an exponential scale.
2. Gain clout in the community – the organization or charity that the business is supporting will funnel customers in that business’ direction in order to help their cause, and the patrons that check-in will identify the business with a feeling of community and giving. Charity breeds charity.
3. Trackable ROI – included in the business’ dashboard is the ability to get real analytics about how well the campaign is doing and how much the business is helping the community.

It only seems fitting in a world of check-ins, online coupons, and text-to-donate campaigns that an app could make it easier to Pay It Forward all year round. When one part of the community thrives it can help the rest of the community thrive around it. Here are some Check-in For Good campaigns that are active right now: Career Wardrobe – empowers unemployed women in the Philadelphia area to transition back to work. Top Dog Readers’ Club – “In October 2010, the Mike Peterson Foundation partnered with Grove Park Elementary School in Atlanta, GA and Home Depot, to build new KaBOOM! playground that changed the entire landscape of the once baron ground outside Grove Park. “ Help keep these efforts growing. Kicks For Kids - Tara Costa's Inspire Change Foundation uses the donations from Check-in For Good to buy athletic shoes for kids in New York who can’t afford them. The foundation is also helping kids displaced by Hurricane Sandy that need sneakers to stay active and healthy. Play a positive role! How will you Pay It Forward Year Round? ~Josef