The holidays are a wonderful time of giving and sharing, but sometimes it can be hard to do everything we want within our budgets. The following are seven ways you can support your favorite non-profit or cause just by opening your heart (and not your wallet).
Workday volunteers at Hartland Marsh. Photo by Meghan Wersel.

1. Volunteer your time

Volunteering your time is an often-underrated form of charity. Non-profits and other organizations with small staffs need volunteers to help with the little things that make a big difference: stuffing envelopes, signing letters, working events, just to name a few.

2. Volunteer your skills

Aside from volunteering your time, consider volunteering your specific skill set. If you’re a professional photographer, graphic designer, writer or videographer, consider donating your expertise to a cause you love.

3. Non-monetary donations

You also might have items sitting unused in your house that you can donate without spending a dime. Clothing, eyeglasses, furniture, toys, unused travel-size products, canned goods… the list continues!

4. Social Promotion

Have a favorite cause or organization that you support? Tell your friends about it! Follow their page and share their posts on social media. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth (and a good online review)!

5. Employer Gift Matching

Some companies participate in matching gift programs. If you are considering donating your time or money, check out if your employer will match your gift or time first. Use the site below to look up your company or reach out to HR.

6. Facebook Fundraisers

Consider holding a Facebook fundraiser for a cause you love on your birthday or on #GivingTuesday! When raising money for non-profits, Facebook doesn’t take a fee.  Look for fundraising prompts on your timeline or find the “Fundraisers” tab near your “Pages” and “Groups.”

7. AmazonSmile & Other Donation Sites

Facebook isn’t the only site that does fundraising—there are literally hundreds. Some of our favorites include AmazonSmile, which sends a portion of your purchase revenue to a charity of your choice, Charity Miles, which donates 25 cents for every mile you walk, bike or run, and Good Search, which donates for each search made on the site.  

We hope these ideas inspire you as you consider how you want to support your favorite cause this giving season!

To read more on how you can help out the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin specifically, please see Ways to Give page linked below.

Watershed Health and Outdoor Fun on the Namekagon River

Thanks to a 2023 Go Outside Fund grant, 46 students canoe the Namekagon River for hands-on learning about watersheds.

Welcome to the Foundation, Brenna!

We’re thrilled to welcome our new Grant Writer, Brenna Holzhauer!

$60,000 Matching Gift Challenge

Support our $60,000 matching gift challenge to double your impact and protect the Wisconsin that we all love — right when it’s most needed.

Snapshot Wisconsin Trail Cams Capture Rare Wildlife Interactions

Snapshot Wisconsin trail cameras sometimes capture rare wildlife interactions. These photos support research on how different species coexist.

Welcome to the Foundation, Michaela!

We’re thrilled to welcome our new Executive Assistant, Michaela Daly.

An Invitation to Wonder: Waubesa Wetlands

An Invitation to Wonder: Waubesa Wetlands is a new film in production that tells the story of a hidden wetland left undeveloped by humans, a scientist dedicated to preserving it, and his grandson: a 20-year-old documentary filmmaker.

Is Spread Eagle Barrens…barren? Not at all.

Since 2007, NRF has funded restoration work on 8,000 acres of globally rare pine barrens at Spread Eagle Barrens State Natural Area.

Lights, Camera, Conservation

In her work at the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, Caitlin Williamson makes sure that the Wisconsin conservation show goes on.

2023 Birdathon Report

The 2023 Great Wisconsin Birdathon Report is here! More teams, more birds, and more funds raised for bird conservation. 72 teams raised over $122,000 during our 11th season of birding for a cause.

Protecting the Third Coast

NRF and the WDNR are teaming up to protect water quality and wildlife habitat at seven priority sites along the coast of Lake Michigan.