Double Good: Painting Joy By Empowering Kids

Raising funds for youth sports and activities has always been an arduous task. Participants may spend hours collecting donations, knocking on doors with brochures and order forms, or putting on in-person events for a modest return. 

One of the anecdotes alike is a story of a Chicago-based company Double Good, inspiring virtual fundraising for nonprofits to raise money by selling delicious gourmet popcorn with the goal of changing their experience. 

Unlike other fundraisers that require a lot of hard work, time, or dedication of advisors and members, Double Good strives to make fundraising easier. The company’s success is marked by how much they’re paying back, and so far Double Good has helped organizations raise over 90 million dollars. Huge!

If you’re looking for some inspiration? Learn how this nonprofit firm is making a big difference.

Fundraising Over Frills - The Double Good’s Story

Located in Chicagoland and popping 15,000 pounds of handmade, ultra-delicious popcorn every day. Launched in 1998 as a popcorn company, Double Good expanded to digital fundraising in 2015 to empower kids, coaches, and parents to do more of what they love. 

In 2018, their virtual fundraising app was launched, simplifying the process even further. Double Good is a community of like-minded utopists, doers, believers, and thinkers committed to helping kids do what they love. 

How Does It Work?

Double Good Popcorn is a newly approved fundraising program created by the Double Good Social Fundraising platform. 

In just a few clicks, organizers can schedule a 4-day fundraising campaign on the Double Good app. The event is shared with the fundraiser participants, each of whom creates a pop-up store. 

During the course of the fundraiser, participants share their unique links with supporters near and far, and Double Good takes it from there. Supporters can choose from over a dozen flavors of handcrafted, freshly popped popcorn delivered directly to their location

At the end of the 4-day sprint, the organizer receives 50% of the event’s sales. Cheer coach Cheryl Pasinato sums up her experience as: “We have never had a hard time selling this popcorn. I just love it because I don’t have to do a thing!”

Popping Features

While Double Good’s beauty lies in its simplicity, the app offers several perks that users can enjoy. They can personalize their pop-up store with images or videos, showcasing their talent to supporters and fans. 

A leaderboard tracks each store’s progress, fueling a sense of friendly competition among teammates while savvy coaches use this tool to motivate their teams. 

 “The app changes everything. The only thing I had to do was obsessively check the leaderboard!” 
 ~ Karen Bear, Business educator 

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Fundraising Together, Apart

Though social distancing was not a consideration when Double Good was born, the app adapts itself seamlessly to this challenging time. 

Contactless sharing, ordering, fulfillment, and delivery means participants can confidently proceed with their campaigns at a time when traditional methods are not available. Relying on email, text, and various social media outlets brings participants closer to their supporters, and closer to their goals.

Users report that fundraising virtually together creates a sense of camaraderie that’s missing in this time of disconnect and isolation. Special Olympics Illinois fundraised with Double Good this year. 

“It brought our staff together, which is a crazy thought because we’re so far apart and we haven’t seen each other; we’re missing each other.”
~ Patty Welsh, Director

Growth Through Diversification

Double Good has always sought to simplify fundraising for sports teams, school clubs, and activities. With the COVID-19 pandemic limiting viable fundraising options, the app has extended to reach non-profit organizations in their search for a safe, creative solution. Double Good welcomes this new opportunity to help kids break barriers and unlock possibilities.

“We’re about creating more joy in people’s lives.”

~ Tim Heitmann, Founder and CEO

While the app is widely lauded by users, Double Good isn’t resting on its current success. The team consistently collects user feedback via its signature “UX Conversations”, ensuring the app continues to exceed expectations. On its relentless quest to spread its seamless model to teams nationwide, Double Good recently celebrated a humbling milestone: $100M raised by users toward helping kids do what they love. 

Meaningful Partnerships Toward a Common Goal

A passion for the opportunity, equality, and stewardship resound all across the Double Good organization. In addition to its flagship product, partnerships help the team make an impact and elevate diverse voices. Most recently, Double Good collaborated with Science Olympiad to raise funds for Elementary Science Olympiad for All--  a new initiative that empowers kids of all abilities to participate in modified Science Olympiad activities. 

In a four-day event, the two organizations raised $45,000 for supplies, guidebooks, and faculty development to break down the traditional barriers faced by kids with special needs.

Following this incredible team effort, Double Good is proud to be the official Science Olympiad fundraiser for 2021.

“I think it’s all about giving people the opportunities and using platforms that make it simple to do that.”

~Angela Davis, Top Seller and Science Olympiad’s Ohio State Director 

A Team on a Mission

Double Good is neither a popcorn company nor a digital company. It is a team of makers, designers, and problem-solvers dedicated to simplifying the challenges of fundraising and enabling more kids, athletes, and their supporters to do what they love. The commitment to bettering this world for the next generation is an overarching theme in the company’s every move. It is this identity that defines Double Good.