How to Support the Members Project from American Express

The Members Project is all the buzz in the media these days. A cleverly crafted commercial, featuring Martin Scorsese and some of the biggest names in Hollywood, promotes this new initiative from American Express. But what exactly is The Members Project? What does it benefit and how can you participate?

The Members Project showcases a unique initiative. American Express is looking to its card members to come up with ideas that would make an impact on the world. You don't have to think "world peace" to have input. Everything goes - from preserving historic districts in small towns to helping families whose adopted children have been infected with AIDS - as long as the end result means improved quality of life.

There are three ways to participate in The Members Project.

Register on The Members Project Web site. As long as you are an American Express card holder (your account must be in good standing), you can register on Web site and support The Members Project. For each registrant, American Express will donate $1 to the overall project fund. If you already have an ID and a password to access your American Express account online, you can register by entering that information and creating a nickname for The Members Project Web site. If you are brand new to the world of American Express online, you will need to register your personal information first (and verify that you are a card member) then proceed to TMP registration. Remember, American Express will contribute $1 per every registration - so take a few minutes and sign up. We want the AmEx folks to shell out some serious bucks for the winning project.

Submit your own project idea. Does this seem too difficult or time consuming? Think again. You can think of at least one organization in your community or one global cause that you would like to support, so why not share the idea with others who want to make this world a better place. To submit your project, you will need to:

- give it a name

- list it in one of the eight available categories

- describe the vision and the goals of your idea

- list any organizations or resources that would help your project idea succeed

Consider that thousands of people will be reading your submission, so don't be afraid to show your passion for the cause. To get your project to win, you have to win over the voters - while that sounds political, think "big picture" and be persuasive.

Review projects and vote for your favorite. Almost 5,500 project ideas have been submitted already. You can review and comment on submitted projects, as well as rate and save your favorites. On July 3, the top 50 projects will be announced and card members can vote for their favorites. Over the next several weeks, the projects will be narrowed down to 25 and then down to top 5 projects. The winner will be announced on August 7.

If you have the opportunity to participate in the Members Project, do so. It is your chance to take part in an initiative that puts people first - we can share our ideas and support those that align with our beliefs and passions. While there is a celebrity factor that brings people to The Members Project, the "members" are the ones that decide the outcome. So, go! Submit! Discuss! Vote! Make a difference!