1. What is considered a museum?
2. Why are they called “Museum Partners”?
3. What kind of organizations can join ShopforMuseums.com as
   Museum Partners?
4. How do I recommend a museum to join ShopforMuseums.com?
5. If I recommend a museum to join does it cost the museum?
6. How do the donations generated through ShopforMuseums.com differ from grants and other funds museums have to meet their needs?
7. Why do museums need our support?
8. Why do people give to museums?
9. What else can we do to help raise funds for our favorite museum?
10. How can I make sure you are really working with my museum?
11. Can I shop on behalf of a museum not listed?
12. Why do some museums take a while to join ShopforMuseums.com as a Museum Partner?

Shopping

1. What is available through your site that I couldn’t get elsewhere?
2. Do the links take me to the same web site as I would go to directly if I clicked straight to them?
3. Can I go directly to a store’s web site and still donate to my favorite museum?
4. Can I use my own coupons, savings cards and discounts with ShopforMuseums.com?
5. How do I recommend a store for ShopforMuseums.com?
6. Can I shop without registering?
7. Is there a cost to join ShopforMuseums.com as a shopper?
8. How do I make a return?
9. If I return a purchase will the donation be deducted from the Museum I selected?
10. I noticed that some coupon listings have codes to use at check out and some don't. What do I need to do to get my discount or coupon offer?
11. I am having problems with a store or did not receive my discount. What should I do?
12. How do I find out what sales and discounts each store offers?

Donations

1. What percentage will my museum earn from my purchase?
2. Can I designate more then one Museum Partner when I shop?
3. How are donations distributed and how often?
4. How do I know the donation is being counted?

Privacy

1. What about my privacy and credit card information when I shop with you?
2. Do you know what I purchase when I shop through ShopforMuseums.com?

Technical Issues

1. I am having trouble registering and/or navigating through the website. What should I do?
2. I used your retail links and am now having trouble navigating and shopping at one of your participating sites. What do I do?
3. I found a banner or text link that is missing or not working properly. What should I do?
4. My question is not answered here.
   

Museums

1) What is considered a museum?
There are over 17,000 museums in the United States, ranging in size and type, from art and science centers to historical homes and specialty museums. Museums with living collections include zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens.

2) Why are they called “Museum Partners”?
We believe that in partnership we can make a difference for our participating museums and organizations. We work personally with each of our organizations to see that they benefit from ShopforMuseums.com and the daily contributions of our shoppers. We pride ourselves in developing a special relationship with each museum to help them see success despite limited staff, finances and time to devote to fundraising.

3) What kind of organizations can join ShopforMuseums.com as a Museum Partner?
ShopforMuseums.com accepts museums, parks, zoos, aquariums, nature centers, science centers and other culturally or socially significant related not-for-profit organizations. To recommend an organization or find out if your organization can participate in ShopforMuseums.com fundraising, go to our Suggest a Museum page and fill in the request or contact us directly at 315-652-5559. You can also print out the registration form on the Suggest a Museum page to bring to your museum.

4) How do I recommend a museum to join ShopforMuseums.com?
To recommend an organization or find out if your organization can participate in ShopforMuseums.com fundraising, go to our Suggest a Museum page and fill in the request or contact us directly at 315-652-5559. You can also print out the registration form on the Suggest a Museum page to bring to your museum.

5) If I recommend a museum to join does it cost the museum?
There is no cost for a museum to join ShopforMuseums.com and there is no cost to participate.

6) How do the donations generated through ShopforMuseums.com differ from grants and other funds museums have to meet their needs?
Shopping through ShopforMuseums.com produces undesignated funds for our Museum Partners. This means that each Museum Partner can use the donations wherever their need is greatest within their organization.

7) Why do museums need our support?
Museums function each year on the money they raise themselves, their invested money, called endowments, plus grants from private foundations and from the government. In most cases, public and private grants are designated to the museum for a particular purpose, such as improving an exhibit or a building fund. Though the grants are important to these bigger projects, it is often difficult for museums to meet their everyday costs, such as paying their staff, keeping the doors open and having money on hand for “emergency” purposes. ShopforMuseums.com provides our Museum Partners with a perfect solution- a simple way they can tap into national fundraising dollars that they can use for wherever the need is greatest.

8) Why do people give to museums?
Museums serve an important role in our lives. They provide education for our children, relaxation for our families, social events, cultural awareness and documentation of our history. Each museum creates a unique experience and a connection among people. People have many reasons for giving to museums. We encourage you to get involved and find your own unique reason to give.

9) What else can we do to help raise funds for our favorite museum?
We invite you to get involved with your museum. Your support helps keep your museum strong and available to future generations. Besides shopping through ShopforMuseums.com, consider becoming a museum member. For a nominal yearly fee, most memberships include special perks such as discounts in the museum gift shop, discount tickets and special “members only” events. Many museums also offer some type of formal gala, festival and special holiday events. Also consider volunteering your time. All of these are great ways to make a difference and are greatly appreciated. To learn more, visit our Museum Partners page.

10) How can I make sure you are really working with my museum?
Ask your museum. The mission of ShopforMuseums.com is to raise much needed funds for our Museum Partners and to help create a closer community of active museum members. Each of our Museum Partners has either been personally invited to join ShopforMuseums.com by our staff, has been recommended by a shopper in their community, or has requested to join our program. We personally work with staff at each museum to help them with fundraising efforts.

11) Can I shop on behalf of a museum not listed?
Because we establish an individual relationship with each organization, we personally invite all museums to become Museum Partners. We do not automatically add museums to our list without their permission. However, you can suggest a museum and we will contact them on your behalf to ask them to enroll. It is free for museums to enroll and participate in ShopforMuseums.com. While waiting for your museum to enroll, if you want to shop right away please select another Museum Partner to support. Feel free to contact us at any time to find out the status of your museum's enrollment.

12) Why do some museums take a while to join ShopforMuseums.com as a Museum Partner?
It is our policy to respect the privacy of each of our Museum Partners. Some museums choose to join ShopforMuseums.com right away. Others prefer to take the information to their Board of Directors for approval, or want to join when they feel their staff can direct specific marketing attention to our program. Sometimes it also helps for you to contact staff you know at your museum directly to let them know you want to support them through ShopforMuseums.com. We appreciate your patience in the process. While waiting for your museum to enroll, if you want to shop right away please select another Museum Partner to support. You are welcome to contact us at any time to check on the status of your museum joining us.

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Shopping

1) What is available through your site that I couldn’t get elsewhere?
Because we have created a special marketing relationship with our participating stores, we often bring you exclusive sales, coupons and discounts. We also provide convenience to you by offering “one stop shopping” with over 300 popular stores to shop in one location. Most of all, we offer you the wonderful opportunity to donate to your favorite museum or related organization at no cost to you, on purchases you were going to make online anyway!

2) Do the links take me to the same web site as I would go to directly if I clicked straight to them?
Yes, ShopforMuseums.com links will take you to the same website with the same prices as going directly to that retailer’s site. However, by using ShopforMuseums.com links, you have the opportunity to donate to your favorite museum at the same time at no extra cost to you and take advantage of exclusive sales and discounts to use at your favorite online stores.

3) Can I go directly to a store’s web site and still donate to my favorite museum?
No. For your donation to be counted, please start each shopping trip at ShopforMuseums.com.

4) Can I use my own coupons, savings cards and discounts with ShopforMuseums.com?
Yes, in most cases, you can use your own coupons, discounts and savings programs with ShopforMuseums.com shopping links and support your favorite Museum Partner at the same time. Acceptance of additional discounts and offers is at the discretion of each retail partner.

5) How do I recommend a store for ShopforMuseums.com?
Please contact us if your favorite store is not available on ShopforMuseums.com. We will contact them and invite them to join us.

6) Can I shop without registering?
We respect our shoppers’ privacy. ShopforMuseums.com suggests but does not require that you register. If you choose not to register, you are welcome to shop anonymously as a guest. You will be given a temporary guest account while you use the ShopforMuseums.com site to track your donation to your chosen Museum Partner. Registering allows you to take advantage of additional features, including tracking your donations and creating your Favorite Stores list.

7) Is there a cost to join ShopforMuseums.com as a shopper?
There is absolutely no extra cost to shop through ShopforMuseums.com and support your favorite Museum Partner at the same time. Donations are created through retail sales.

8) How do I make a return?
Consult the online store you shopped with directly for all returns and issues specific to your purchases.

9) If I return a purchase will the donation be deducted from the Museum I selected?
If you return an item, the donation amount will be adjusted to reflect the return.

10) I noticed that some coupon listings have codes to use at check out and some don't. What do I need to do to get my discount or coupon offer?
Coupon offers work differently with each store. If you need a coupon code to receive your discount, it will be either on the sales banner, in the text link or listed in the coupon code box on the store details page. For most stores, simply enter that code when given instructions in the check out area. Some stores give you further instructions when you click through to their site to activate your discount. Others automatically put the discount in when you click through to the store so that the coupon reflects in your checkout process.

11) I am having problems with a store or did not receive my discount. What should I do?
Please work directly with the customer service department of the store to resolve your issue. After consulting with them, if you are still having problems with the store, please contact us and let us know. We can then help resolve the issue. All of our stores have been hand selected to be a part of the ShopforMuseums.com program. We want to make sure you have a fun, easy and positive shopping experience with us. Contact us if this is not the case.

12) How do I find out what sales and discounts each store offers?
A sample of current sales and discounts are highlighted on the right column of each ShopforMuseums.com screen as well as on the Sales & Discounts page. Simply click on those banners or text links in order to shop the sale or receive the highlighted discount. If a store has an active sale or coupon, you will see it listed next to each store on the Shop Now! and Store Search Results pages. Then click on the sales or coupon flag to get a list of all active offers. This will take you to the store's detail page where you can preview the sales and discounts and click on the one you want to shop. Please note, some stores give further sales information on their website or you need to use a coupon code to receive your discount, so be sure to follow their directions.

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Donations

1) What percentage will my museum earn from my purchase?
The percentage your museum will earn is listed next to each store. Click on more information listed by each store to confirm which purchases are covered by the store, and to view sales and coupons for that store. Click the banner or text for that sale to take advantage of the sale or discount.

2) Can I designate more then one Museum Partner when I shop?
You can only choose one Museum Partner each time you shop. However, you are welcome to change to a different museum at any time by clicking on Museum Partners.