Smile, nonprofits, Amazon wants to send you money

Internet superstore Amazon.com has launched a new corporate philanthropy program that will donate a percentage of shoppers’ purchases to the organization of their choice. The AmazonSmile Foundation, announced last October, will give 0.5 percent of customers’ purchase totals, which equates to 5 cents for every $10 spent. Eligible groups must be registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(3) and provide AmazonSmile with bank account information to receive donations.

To participate in the program, customers must access the Amazon website via the new gateway, smile.amazon.com. The AmazonSmile website promises an identical shopping experience to Amazon.com, but with tens of millions of the products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation.” Kindle Store and subscribe-and-save purchases are ineligible.

Upon first visiting smile.amazon.com, shoppers will be prompted to select their charitable organization from among a featured set, or search a database of nearly one million 501(c)(3) organizations. There are currently 57 listed organizations in Bay Village, 124 in Westlake.

When an organization is selected by a customer, AmazonSmile will contact the group and ask them to register for the program, if they haven’t already. To sign up for the donation program, representatives of an organization should visit org.amazon.com. There is no cost to participate.