How to Support Elephante Commons for Free Using Microsoft Rewards (Bing)

What if supporting Elephante Commons didn’t require pulling out your credit card?

What if it didn’t cost you anything beyond what you already pay for internet and electricity?

It turns out there is a way — through Microsoft Rewards, using Bing.

With a few small changes to how you search the internet, you can generate real monthly donations to Elephante Commons at no cost to you.

Here’s how it works.

What Is Microsoft Rewards?

Microsoft Rewards is a free program that lets users earn points for everyday online activities, including:

• searching the web with Bing

• reading news articles

• completing short quizzes or polls

• solving puzzles

Those points can then be redeemed for gift cards, sweepstakes entries, or donated directly to nonprofits like Elephante Commons.

How Much Are the Points Worth?

Microsoft Rewards points convert roughly as follows:

• 10 points ≈ $0.01 donated

• 1 Bing search earns 5 points

• 20 searches ≈ $0.10

• Over a month, basic searching alone can generate a few dollars

• With additional activities, many users can generate around $5–$10 per month in donations

That may not sound like much — until hundreds of people do it together.

Step 1: Create a Microsoft Account (If You Don’t Have One)

If you don’t already have a Microsoft account, you can create one using any valid email address you own (it does not have to be Outlook).

👉 Create a Microsoft account

(You can search “Create Microsoft account” on Bing — your first points are already on the way.)

Step 2: Join Microsoft Rewards

Once you’re logged into your Microsoft account:

👉 Sign up for Microsoft Rewards

(Search “Microsoft Rewards sign up” if you prefer.)

After signing up, make sure you stay logged in while using Bing.

Step 3: Use Bing for Everyday Searches

When you’re logged in:

• Every Bing search earns 5 points

• Points accrue on computers, tablets, and smartphones

• Daily limits apply, but casual use adds up quickly

You don’t need to change your habits much — just search with Bing instead of another engine.

(Optional tip: setting Bing as your default search engine makes this effortless.)

Bonus: Earn Points Faster (Optional)

If you want to maximize impact, Microsoft Rewards offers additional daily activities:

• Short quizzes and polls (usually 10+ points each)

• “Quote of the day”

• Reading news articles (especially via the Bing mobile app)

• Daily check-ins on mobile

• Completing daily activity sets and streaks for bonus points

Once you reach Level 2 (500 points in a month):

• You can earn up to 150 points/day on desktop or tablet

• Plus 100 points/day on mobile

If you undertake the above methods for earning more points, you'll learn a lot along the way. Indeed, performing these diligently for several years will undoubtedly improve your chances as a Jeopardy contestant.

Step 4: Donate Your Points to Elephante Commons

You can donate in two ways: manually or automatically.

Option A: Donate Manually

1. Visit the Microsoft Rewards Donate page

2. Search for “Elephante Commons Inc”

3. Select ELEPHANTE COMMONS INC

4. Choose how many points to donate

   • Current maximum per transaction is typically 5,000 points (≈ $5)

   
   

Option B: Set Up Automatic Monthly Giving (Recommended)

1. Visit the Microsoft Rewards Nonprofit search page

2. Search for “Elephante Commons Inc”

3. Select ELEPHANTE COMMONS INC

4. You’ll be taken to the Give with Bing dashboard

5. Make sure “Give mode” is ON

When Give mode is on:

• All points you earn in a calendar month are automatically converted into a donation

• Donations are processed approximately 6 weeks after the month ends

• Points earned before enabling Give mode remain in your account

You can turn Give mode off at any time and donate manually instead.

Can People Outside the U.S. Participate?

Microsoft Rewards is available in many countries, but not all regions allow point donations to nonprofits.

If you’re outside the United States and try this, we’d love to hear whether donation options are available where you live.

Is Bing Actually Any Good?

Short answer: yes.

Many longtime users find Bing’s results comparable to other search engines, and in some cases better structured. Bing was an early innovator in features like:

• daily background images

• search result sub-links

• visually rich homepage content

Trying it costs nothing — and you can always switch back.

Why This Matters (Even If It’s “Only” a Few Dollars)

Individually, a few dollars a month may feel small.

Collectively, it adds up.

If:

• 100 people donate ~$5/month → $500/month

• 1,000 people donate ~$2/month → $2,000/month

That kind of steady, unrestricted support helps cover core operating costs — the unglamorous but essential backbone of locally led work.

And it requires no additional financial sacrifice from you.

A Simple Challenge

Try this:

• Sign up this week

• Turn on Give mode

• Invite two friends to do the same

Small habits, multiplied across a community, can quietly fund meaningful work.

Support Elephante Commons — One Search at a Time

This isn’t about replacing traditional giving.

It’s about adding one more way to stand behind local leaders — using tools many of us already have.

If you’re already online every day, you might as well put those clicks to work.

A quick note

Program details, point values, and eligibility are subject to Microsoft’s terms and may change over time. This post reflects the program as currently available.