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By Susan E. Campbell
A new internet-based service will soon bring together Capital District businesses with nonprofits whose missions align with a company’s goals for charitable giving.
Called Knitt LLC, founder Lisa Munter believes her organization will provide “a mindful and time efficient way to connect” donors and donor organizations. Its success, and future compensation, will depend on the “knitted” relationships among businesses and nonprofit organizations who did not have a prior relationship, Munter said.
Munter is an avid volunteer and wife of a businessman whose company, Munter Enterprises, is “inundated with requests for donations.”
“Companies may have a passion for certain causes but also may be open to others,” she said. “Knitt is a platform for not only connecting leads but also tracking giving.”
“A company can blow its budget too soon,” she said. “With Knitt, they can track and see the impact on their causes. Every business wants to be impactful and make a difference in the community. Knitt is a tool to bring awareness of charitable organizations who need support in various ways.”
Munter entered the volunteer world when she became a stay-at-home mother, leaving behind a career in special education. At first she volunteered her time at fundraisers.
Eventually she got on the board of such non-profits as the Dake Foundation for Children and Albany Ad Club. She continues to support Franklin Community Center and has spent a decade lending her time and talents to the Saratoga Palio Melanie Merola O’Donnell Memorial Race.
“Being involved in nonprofits, there was always the question of how to get to the next level of sustainability,” Munter said. “Nonprofits use customer relationship models to manage and track giving, if they can afford them. Knitt is membership based but will be offered free until they reach a certain value of donations.”
There is an initial $50 registration fee to verify that the organization is a legitimate 501c3 organization in good standing, she said.
Businesses have the opportunity to join at no charge for two months, with an extra free month for Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce members. To continue on the platform, a membership fee will be charged based on how much money the company gives.
Munter said she is figuring out the details at this stage.
She is planning a soft launch in January 2020.
To participate, businesses will fill out a profile. Nonprofits give as much detail as possible about their missions, what campaigns are coming up, and whether they are seeking cash, in-kind goods and services, volunteer assistance, or a combination.
“When the business goes into their mailbox they will see pending connections with a quick blurb about the nonprofit,” said Munter. “If interested they check a box.”
Since these organizations have some long-standing relationships with donor companies, Knitt’s software will track only gifts among “newly knitted” relationships the nonprofits did not have before, according to Munter.
“I am passionate about building awareness for Knitt on both sides and nurturing and fostering these relationships,” she said. “It is an efficient tool and resource for both businesses and charitable organizations.”
Munter said the software was built from scratch, using no existing program or product. She plans to roll out in February, initially to users in the Capital Region who may have offices in other areas, and thus Knitt can spread to other geographies.
Prospective users are encouraged to visit www.getknitt.com for more information.