Shoulder pads. Tasseled loafers. Neon in all its forms.
These are trends that didn’t stand the test of time.
Mobile fundraising, however, is no 80’s mullet. It’s a trend that’s here to stay.
Below are the top 8 reasons that mobile giving is so popular. Click on any of them to skip ahead:
#1. We are living in a fast-paced, technology-driven society.
#4. Churches and other religious institutions have caught on..and are spreading the news like wildfire.
#5. Millennials love it.
#6. It’s already done a tremendous amount of good in the world.
#7. There are so many choices.
#8. You can easily incorporate mobile into your existing efforts.
Here are 8 reasons why mobile giving is on the rise…and why experts think it’s here to stay:
#1. We are living in a fast-paced, technology-driven society.
Over two-thirds of the population in the United States now own smartphones. In fact, 90% of all adults in the US own smartphones, and that number is on the rise.
The speed with which we communicate today is truly mind-boggling, and if you’re ever curious, there really is an app for everything.
With all of this instant communication, it’s no wonder that mobile fundraising is becoming the top way to donate to your favorite charity.
The fact is, charitable giving is on the rise, and a lot of it can be attributed to the innovations of mobile fundraising.
#2. Mobile fundraising is easy, user-friendly, and requires next to nothing of the donor or the organization.
Once upon a time, mobile fundraising was something only larger nonprofits and political candidates had in their toolkits.
Today, just about any nonprofit, regardless of size or mission, can launch an effective and fun mobile fundraising campaign.
The sky really is the limit. You can start a mobile fundraising campaign for:
• Your mission trip to Uganda
• The local animal shelter’s donation drive
• Your children’s school
• The church down the street
How you choose to use mobile fundraising is up to your organization, but just keep in mind that it’s a viable option for any goal you’re hoping to accomplish.
Now that the barriers to starting a mobile fundraising campaign have been broken down, it’s entirely possible for any nonprofit to get the ball rolling!
#3. Security is top of mind.
When it comes to your money, peace of mind is one of the most important factors.
You want to know where your money is going, but also that your information is staying put.
PCI standards are now so rigorous that worrying about the safety of your information is quickly becoming a thing of the past.
Due to a culture of awareness and 24/7 security measures, you can rest easy knowing that Snowball is hard at work making your mobile fundraising campaign safe for both you and your donors.
#4. Churches and other religious institutions have caught on…and are spreading the news like wildfire.
Like we said earlier, almost any organization with a worthy cause can start a mobile fundraising campaign today. Churches just happen to be some of the most active players in the game.
The way churches use mobile fundraising technology, however, is totally unique to them. It’s part of why experts predict that mobile fundraising is here to stay.
Text-to-tithe is becoming the new standard way to give on Sunday.
Text-to-tithe not only simplifies the collection process for churches, it makes tithing accessible to the younger members in the congregation who have definitely never cracked open a checkbook but are still eager to give.
Churches are also employing other mobile fundraising techniques, such as mobile donation forms and email donation buttons. But all in all, text-to-give has become the most popular way for churchgoers to give on the go. Or in the pew. Or wherever!
#5. Millennials love it.
Right now, millennials (those born between 1985 and 2000) make up 25% of the workforce. By 2020, that number is expected to rise to over 50%.
Millennials are special not just for their affinity for technology, but for the sheer size of their generation. Astonishingly, they’re tied with baby boomers!
Of the people who use text-to-give and mobile fundraising technology, millennials make up the overwhelming majority. Nearly a quarter of all of their donations to charity come from their smartphones.
As the millennial generation starts to make up more and more of the workforce, experts are seeing a decline in the traditional top-down corporate giving methods. These methods are clearly giving way to a brighter, more mobile philanthropic future!
That being said, millennials are not the only ones who love mobile fundraising. Studies have shown that the average text-to-give donor is 49 to 59 years old, married, and college-educated.
It truly is a trend that everyone can get on board with.
#6. It’s already done a tremendous amount of good in the world.
Victims of major disasters. Neighbors with serious illnesses. Ducks caught in oil spills.
What do all of these seemingly unrelated people and animals have in common?
They have all been helped by mobile fundraising efforts.
The precedent has been set high for the strides that mobile giving can make, and it only continues to make the world a better place.
Donations across the board have risen since the advent of smartphone and mobile tablet technology.
When giving is easy, everyone is more inclined to help out!
#7. There are so many choices.
Within mobile fundraising, there are so many choices your organization can make. You can choose to make mobile fundraising your primary way of raising money. Or you can choose to make it a part of a special promotion–something that you do for big events.
Not only can you choose to make mobile fundraising a large (or small) part of your organization, you can also choose among the different kinds of mobile fundraising.
Your organization can choose to incorporate:
- Text-to-give
- QR code promotions
- Email donation buttons
- A crowdfunding campaign
- A mobile-friendly donation page
- And so much more!
You can, of course, implement all of the above, or you can pick what works best for your organization. That’s just part of why mobile fundraising is so popular. There’s something for everyone.
#8. You can easily incorporate mobile into your existing efforts.
Because there are so many choices, as we mentioned above, your organization can seamlessly integrate mobile fundraising into your existing fundraising efforts.
Depending on what feature of mobile fundraising you decide to adopt, you can:
- Easily and quickly add email donation buttons into your current email fundraising efforts. This will make donating as easy as apple pie for your members who are subscribed to your emailing list.
- Make text-to-give a staple for large events. Take a cue from churches and make texting a standard way to give on the go.
- Add QR codes to your posters, flyers, and other physical promotional media. People can easily scan your code to find your mobile donation page, information about your latest event, and more.
- Update your online donation page to make it mobile-friendly.
- Launch a crowdfunding campaign to raise more money from the people in your donors’ immediate (and not-so-immediate) social networks.
- And so much more!
As you can see, it’s incredibly intuitive to make mobile a part of your existing fundraising efforts. So why not jump on the mobile giving train? It’s waiting for you!
Click here to return to our Ultimate Mobile Giving and Text-to-Donate guide!
