You may be aware the STC is not-for-proft but did you realize that your chapter is included in that status? Being a nonprofit affords certain advantages, such as filling out an extremely simplified tax form. However, you may not have been aware of some of the other benefits the nonprofit status grants your chapter. If your chapter president or treasurer does not have a copy of the STC nonprofit form, contact STC community relations to ask for a digital copy.

Note: SIGs are chartered differently than chapters, and some of these tips may not apply to them, such as the Donations and AmazonSmile tip.

• Discounted fees on PayPal and Eventbrite. If you fax them proof of your nonprofit status, their fees will be reduced for your transactions.
• Special bank account rates. If you prove to your bank or credit union that your community is nonprofit, you may be eligible for fee-free accounts, or discounts on your fees. If your bank still charges fees, shop around for a bank that doesn’t charge.
• Set up a donation button using PayPal and put it on your community website. As a nonprofit, your community can accept donations, and the donors can claim it as a charitable gift.
• Set up AmazonSmile to gain money from purchases on Amazon.com. AmazonSmile is a free service that takes a percentage of your Amazon purchases and gives it to a registered nonprofit. Whoever selects your chapter as their charity will automatically make free donations to it whenever they purchase items on Amazon.com. A search on smile.amazon.com for “society for technical communication” brings up many results, all for different communities along with the main STC organization.

Take these ideas to the bank and start saving and earning today.