What is a commercial co-venturer (CCV)?
A commercial co-venturer is a business that promotes its products or services by telling customers that their purchase or use will benefit a nonprofit (for example, donating $1 from each sale or a percentage of proceeds).
These programs are often called “cause marketing campaigns” or “charitable sales promotions.”
Why do businesses need to comply with CCV regulations?
Some states have specific requirements for businesses running charitable sales promotions, including agreements, registrations, and reporting.
Meeting the requirements that apply to your campaign helps you operate responsibly and avoid fines, penalties, or interruptions to your fundraising program.
How does Change help with CCV compliance?
Change helps manage CCV agreements, applicable state registrations, renewals, and reporting, along with donation processing and tracking.
This reduces the administrative work involved in running charitable campaigns and keeps your donation activity and filing information in one place.
What is Our Change Foundation, and how does it help?
Our Change Foundation (OCF) is a 501(c)(3) donor-advised fund that receives charitable contributions and distributes grants to designated nonprofits.
Through Change’s model, your business enters into a CCV agreement with OCF, simplifying the agreement process for campaigns supporting multiple nonprofits.
How can I track my campaign’s donations and filings?
The Change dashboard lets you track donation activity and payout statuses, export donation records, and view state filings. You can also generate year-end tax reports.
How do I get started with Change?
Complete an onboarding questionnaire with your business and campaign details, including:
Business name, contact information, and federal EIN
States where your business operates
Campaign goals and the nonprofits you plan to support
How purchases or customer activity will generate donations
Change uses this information to help prepare your CCV agreement and identify the filings needed for your campaign.
What is the CCV agreement, and what does it cover?
The CCV agreement is a contract between your business and OCF that sets out the terms of your charitable campaign, including how donations will be generated and handled.
The agreement is designed to support multiple campaigns.
Who prepares the CCV agreement?
Change works with attorneys at Copilevitz, Lam & Raney to prepare the CCV agreement and covers the associated drafting costs.
Does Change charge for onboarding or initial setup?
No. Change covers initial setup costs, including applicable state registration fees and attorney fees for preparing your CCV agreement.