Will You Text Message Your Next Charitable Donation?
During this year’s SuperBowl, Mobile Accord worked with the United Way
to launch a commercial proving out the concept of mobile donations. Additional experimental campaigns based on mobile donations have also happened recently.
What are mobile donations?
They are donations made to nonprofits through the use of a mobile device, such as a cell phone.
Mobile Accord has launched a new service at mGive.com that enables nonprofit organizations to create and launch text message donation campaigns. The donor just sends a short text message to a specific location and the donation is added to the donor's mobile phone bill. They have already worked with ASPCA, Amnesty International, Alicia Key’s organization- Keep a Child Alive, and many others.
Have mobile donation campaigns shown promise?
Mobile Accord clients like United Way deemed their campaign “phenomenally successful” and the Alicia Keys’ Keep a Child Alive campaign routinely raises thousands each night that she has a concert.
Why are Mobile Donations Important?
Making a donation by sending a simple text message is convenient. This convenience is available to the 250 million mobile phone users in the United States alone.
I believe there is another important reason this technology is critical for nonprofits and it will become increasingly important over time.
I attended a session on Generations and Social Media at PodCamp DC last month. Jessie Newburn was an energetic and knowledgeable speaker on the topic.
Jessie taught that Millennials (born between 1982 and 2000) are all about being mobile and staying socially connected through their mobile devices. This is also a very large group.
Reaching Millennials with opportunities to support nonprofits is important. Donating using a mobile phone will be natural for them. Encouraging their network of friends to also participate will also be a natural act.
Check Out mGive.com
If your nonprofit organization is interested in finding new ways to raise funds, go to http://www.mGive.com and determine if mobile donations are for you.
