Why Nonprofits Need to Hop on the Mobile Giving Bandwagon

You never leave home without it. And now it’s becoming a force for good as people begin to text in donations.

We’re talking, of course, about your cell phone. Along with your keys and wallet, you always have your phone on you. As more and more people use smart phones that connect to the web in an instant, we’re all essentially walking around with computers in our pockets now. Best of all, these computers can easily be used to support causes and charities we care about the most.

Case in point: recent studies show that one-in-ten Americans has given via text message. While this means that mobile giving has a long way to go before it reaches a critical mass, think about how far it’s come. As recently as five years ago, this concept was difficult – if not impossible. Half a decade ago, some nonprofits were still figuring out how to accept credit cards online.

Consumers have changed as well. Initially, e-commerce seemed rife for fraud; now it’s a preferred way to buy almost anything. The same goes for donations to charity. Why write, enclose, stamp, and mail a check when you can send money with a few clicks (and get some airline miles in the process)?

But this trend is not the only reason nonprofits need to be thinking about – and quickly implementing – a mobile giving campaign. That same study showed that most text donations were impulse decisions. In other words, the power of a commercial, billboard, or advertisement goes a long way when soliciting donors to contribute.

Before, if someone saw an appeal in a magazine, there were several steps before that person could make a contribution. They went home, pulled out the checkbook, and went through the process of making a donation. Once the web became ubiquitous, it was still mildly cumbersome for the reader to remember the website or remember that he or she was going to give money to a cause they read about.

But now – since all of us have a phone at arm’s length right this very second – a text donation is just a few taps away. Great copy, compelling photos, and a clear call to action is all that stand between many nonprofits and a new donor.

The world is moving fast, but there’s no slowing down. Every nonprofit should at least take the first step to learn about mobile giving. Browse the website of the Mobile Giving Foundation for a beginner’s guide to set up a campaign. Be sure to also learn from successful nonprofits that are reaping the rewards of using text donations. And, get ready to embrace the ever-changing world of technology. It could do you a world of good.