Calling past contributors can work, so can selling candy and magazines door to door. But have you considered the built-in selling power your organization's web site has?

Sure, your site may not rival Google or Amazon for online attention, but I'll bet your site gets far more visitors than you realize. Everyone from your volunteers, to friends and family of members, to community members who saw your work and want to know more are dropping by your group's site.

Visitors can range from a few dozen each day to thousands. I'm willing to bet the actual number of visitors you're getting is higher than your first guess.

So what's my point? There's money in all those visitors! People who visit non-profit web sites are almost always far more motivated than the visitors most other sites get. YOU stand for a cause, for doing good things in your community. People who are attracted to your organization or appreciate your good work arrive on your site interested, motivated, and ready to help.

Surprisingly, all you really have to do is ASK visitors for their assistance and you'll get it.

Here's a simple idea that is raising large amounts of cash for non-profits without anyone doing any additional work. Sign your organization up for a few quality affiliate programs. These are agreements where you put a company's banner or link on your site and possibly in your email. When a visitor buys through your link, you get a commission.

Unlike the commissions you get selling unbreakable combs, cookies, and the like -- affiliate commissions can be 25% or more of the sales price, and those prices can be quite high. The most powerful affiliate programs are those which pay you month after month. You make one sale and get paid over and over. This unique feature often creates years of contributions from just one sale!

Recently companies are realizing just how large the non-profit market is and they're creating programs especially for them. Your site and email can lead your fans to attractive services that sell at a brisk pace. Indeed, you can be a hero to your visitors while literally pulling in funds around the clock. And all this with NO additional work on your part.

Affiliate program fundraising is on the rise for non-profits. Make sure you harness this cutting-edge method for your organization.