A donation is only a click away! Yep, technology tools are paving the way for people to donate more easily!
Today’s millennials grew up with technology, so being connected and tech savvy is in their blood. Equipped with the latest technology and gadgets, they are online and connected 24/7. So how should not-for-profit organizations reach out to this up-and-coming generation? Well, with technology, of course! Whether it’s mobile apps, social media or touching them where they shop, it’s time to get onboard and utilize some of these tech tools to help with fundraising efforts.
You might think that most people would prefer to access a charity’s website or pick up the phone to speak to a live person to make a donation. For the most part, that may be true, but people’s lifestyles are changing. Believe it or not, during last year’s end-of-year giving season, 9.5% of donations were actually made from mobile devices. Yep, there are quite a few mobile apps for that! Some fundraising apps enable people to donate by simply pointing their phone at a charity logo. These apps automatically recognize the logo and allow people to select the amount they want to donate right from their phone. Some apps even allow people to donate automatically on a regular basis. For example, you can sign up to automatically donate $1 a day to a variety of organizations. People are then sent a daily email notification featuring the charity for the day. Wouldn’t you like your not-for-profit organization to be on this list?
Many charitable agencies are jumping onto the social media band wagon and tapping into the power of hashtags on Facebook and Twitter. Services like these enable people to donate by simply using the hashtag #donate in their status updates and tweets. Or, they can simply donate in two taps by either replying to an email or a text message. The days of donors entering their name, address and credit card information into online forms are coming to an end.
Not-for-profit charities are even partnering with local businesses to assist in their donation efforts. Think about the last time you were checking out at your local pet store and the cash register pay pad asked if you would like to donate $1 to a local animal shelter. Likewise, many restaurants, grocery stores and department stores ask if you’d like to “round up” to the nearest dollar and make a donation for the difference to a worthwhile cause. Checkout Charity raises money from the masses at very little cost to the not-for-profit. “People are more inclined to give when their wallets are already open,” says Leslie Lenkowsky, a professor of philanthropy and nonprofit management at Indiana University.
Are you a not-for-profit organization looking for ways to make the most of your fundraising efforts? Maybe it’s time to harness the power of technology! Give IT Radix a call…we’re here to help make IT work for you!
First published in our September 2015 IT Radix Resource newsletter
