In the first part of this mobile fundraising series, we covered the basics, diving into the various forms of mobile fundraising and key terms that every mobile fundraiser should know.
Now that you have that background, we’re moving on to part 2, which answers:
- Can mobile giving technology be used for more than just fundraising?
- How do various types of organizations make use of mobile giving?
Let’s begin!
Can mobile giving technology be used for more than just fundraising?
Many nonprofits use mobile fundraising in order to raise extra money or to benefit an immediate need.
But apart from just raising more money on the go, there are five main uses of mobile fundraising.
Mobile fundraising can be used to:
#1. Widen your network of donors.
Through peer-to-peer fundraising, your nonprofit can grow its network of active and passionate members. You can also use your mobile fundraising and peer-to-peer efforts to advocate for your cause through online petitions.
#2. Be more direct with your asks.
When your organization has fewer barriers to donation, you can reach out to your donors in a more direct way. You can implore them to donate through social media. You can make appeals through email. You can invite your donors to give through text. The possibilities are endless.
#3. Make pledges more simple.
Once upon a time, pledges had to be made through the mail, in person, or over the phone. Now pledges can be made anywhere at any time with mobile devices. One click here. Two clicks there. Your donors can pledge in an instant!
#4. Fund specific projects.
Many nonprofits choose to use mobile fundraising to fund specific projects. Mobile makes it easy to mobilize donors at a moment’s notice, and it’s also much easier to inspire people to give on their mobile devices when there’s a specific goal in mind.
#5. Capture new information.
Mobile fundraising can be a great way to gather new donor information and store it in your donor database. With certain mobile fundraising platforms, your organization will be provided with easily exportable information, from names and numbers to the time and date of contributions and more. This new data can then be used to inform decision-making.
Of course, your organization can feel free to use mobile fundraising however you see fit. These five categories are simply the most common practices for nonprofits.
How do various types of organizations make use of mobile giving?
There are several different kinds of organizations that use mobile fundraising to garner small donations all the way up to major gifts.
In fact, there are seven distinct types of organizations that take advantage of mobile fundraising technology in unique ways:
#1. Faith-based.
Within faith-based organizations, you have churches, synagogues, mosques, and other places of worship, but you also have ministries that provide useful services to communities in need.
#2. Health and wellness.
Health and wellness advocacy groups often use mobile fundraising as a way to raise awareness as well as money.
Many times, they’ll send out informational mobile emails that include a call-to-action to donate or support their cause through volunteering.
#3. Animal rights.
Animal rights organizations use mobile fundraising to help advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves.
From local shelters all the way to national and international efforts, there are animal rights organizations of all shapes and sizes that benefit from text-to-give technology and mobile fundraising techniques in general.
#4. Disaster relief.
When most people think of text-to-give technology, they think of disaster relief efforts. Since its inception, mobile fundraising has been used to bring aid to those in need in the wake of natural disasters, from hurricanes to earthquakes to wildfires and everything in between.
For times like those, mobile is really the most immediate way to raise money.
#5. Education.
Teachers, parents, administrators, and students alike all use mobile fundraising to improve their schools.
From effecting change at the policy level to funding individual classroom improvements, mobile fundraising runs the gamut of usefulness for educational nonprofits.
#6. Environmental awareness.
Environmental conservation and preservation societies, on the whole, tend to use mobile fundraising to raise money and support for important legislation.
Oftentimes, an environmental organization will utilize mobile to gather signatures on an online petition. They will also often send out emails to garner financial support for a specific preservation fund.
#7. Arts and culture.
Many of the arts and culture events that happen in your community have been funded primarily by donations. More and more, these donations are coming in through mobile devices.
The next time you go to the symphony or visit an art museum in your nearest metropolitan area, be sure to check out their mobile giving options.
You may be surprised to find that a large majority of them have text-to-give campaigns–or at the very least, mobile-responsive donation pages.
As you can see, nonprofits of all types like to use mobile fundraising to suit their purposes. Your organization could easily hop on the mobile giving train.
There’s something for everybody!
If you’ve decided that mobile fundraising is right for you and you’re ready to learn how to get started, check out the final article in this series to find out how to do just that.
