Donation Apps: Transforming Charitable Giving in the Digital Age

The Rise of Donation Apps in Charitable Giving  

Smartphones have become an integral part of our everyday lives. They’re how we stay in touch with family, how we do our banking, how we keep up with what is going on in the news. It seems sometimes like there's almost nothing a smartphone can't do. Mobile phones have also now become a powerful tool in the area of modern philanthropy with the creation of donation apps. While still viable options, the days of mailing in cheques, sending wire transfers or making your donation in person or via the telephone seem to be more and more a way of the past.  

Make no mistake, people still love a good fundraiser or gala event, and these events are still very popular, but the rise of donation applications makes sense in a world where people rarely have cash and are always on the move, yet always seem to have their phone in hand. It is estimated that in 9 out of 10 Americans now have a smart phone, and that 54% of donors would prefer to make their donation online using a debit or credit card. When you look at these statistics donation apps just make sense. People want to give, but would like to do so at their convenience and donation apps provide people with the platform to give what they want, when they want to. They also provide donors with the knowledge that they are donating securely and that the funds they are donating are going directly where intended.  

Enhancing Generosity: Key Features That Make Mobile Giving Effective and Donor-Friendly 

While donor apps continue to grow in popularity, there are certain key features that can make a particular donor app more appealing, effective and user-friendly. First of all, the user interface should be clean and minimalistic, without a lot of clutter and with simple drop-down menus that make it easy to find the information you are looking for. The process of donating should be easy, with simple sign-up and login processes and with minimal steps involved from start to finish.  Also, the majority of donation apps will also give donors the option of making easy, recurring contributions, be it on a weekly, monthly or yearly basis. An effective donation app should also make various payment methods available to donors and include an easy checkout process. Those who choose to donate via a donation app are much more likely to use different forms of electronic banking applications, such as Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Wallet and perhaps even cryptocurrency. Time is precious and life is busy, so a donation app that makes life easier on the user can make all the difference as to whether or not they choose to contribute again in the future.  

As one would expect with the charity itself, the donation process should be transparent and trustworthy. These apps store personal donor information and this data should be treated with care. Donor app platforms need strong security features such as data encryption to ensure safe and secure data storage. Detailed privacy policies need to be available to donors and App developers need to have a contingency plan in place should any there be any security breaches.  Donors need to feel like their personal information is in good hands.  

In the world of charitable giving communication is key, and a good donation app needs to communicate and engage with their client base. People like to see where their donation is going and offering updates on current campaigns, or visually sharing the story of where their money is going and how it is making an impact can make all the difference. Connecting donation apps through social media platforms can allow users to share these stories, and is a great way for donors to promote the charity as well as the donation app itself. Sharing via social media is also a great opportunity for donors to "charity signal", in other words, give donors the option of letting their social media circle know that they have donated,which can perhaps encourage others to do the same.  

Last, but not least, donation apps are engaging donors by innovating the giving process. The "gamification of giving" is on the rise, awarding recurrent donors "medals", or celebrating milestones. Some donation apps have created leaderboards, to lend a sense of competition to the donation process or even have a rewards system available. All of these things make the process of donating more engaging, enjoyable and are becoming a popular way for donors to make a contribution and have fun at the same time, which can be a great way for donation apps to make sure their clients keep coming back (and giving back) in the future. 

Best Apps for Donating: Top-Rated Charity Apps for Making a Difference 

While donation apps become a more prominent, more efficient, and an overall more appealing way to spend your charitable dollars, choosing the right donation app for you may seem overwhelming. Here we will delve into a few of the top-rated charity apps, highlighting their benefits and some of their unique offerings. Some even allow you to make a donation without even opening your pocket book (or should we say E-Wallet) ...

• PayPal Giving: Perhaps one of the most popular ways of transferring money around the globe, PayPal has a charitable branch known as PayPal Giving that uses the same secure technology that PayPal has become famous for, while facilitating an easy way to make donations to a vast array of non-profit organizations. Charities that have registered and been verified are able to receive donations from donors without any fees involved, ensuring that every cent of their donation is going where they want it to be. Donors can browse the site for the charity of their choosing then pay using a debit or credit card, or (of course) their PayPal account, and will automatically receive confirmation of their contribution. Once the transaction has been processed, donors will receive a tax receipt to keep for their personal records.

• GoFundMe: Launched in 2010, GoFundMe has become one of the most popular forms of crowdfunding, allowing groups, individuals and non-profits alike to raise money for a variety of causes. Easy to use, with a safe and secure payment processing system, GoFundMe has generated billions of dollars in donations since its inception. GoFundMe has become increasingly renowned due to its popularity across social media platforms, allowing donors and organizers alike to share their campaigns via Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), LinkedIn and WhatsApp, or through direct email or newsletters. One of the main benefits of promoting a cause through social media is the increased visibility to an audience that may not otherwise know about the campaign. This also includes the possibility of a campaign going "viral", where a GoFundMe fundraiser is rapidly shared by users, quickly attracting attention which can potentially convert into donation dollars. Overall, GoFundMe is an easy and accessible way to raise money, and often times, used for peer-to-peer fundraising during emergencies, personal or family hardships, or in times of crisis, and even have a detailed section on how to add a fundraising event to your campaign. 

• Charity Miles: Charity Miles is an example of one of the many donation apps that have developed a way in which people can donate to a charity of their choosing without having to spend a dime. Developed by avid runner Gene Gurkoff in 2002, Charity Miles allow participants to sign up, pick one of many different and well-known charities, and convert the miles they walk, run or bike into a charitable donation. The app uses GPS and motion sensors, including your phones built-in pedometer, to detect the distance made on each outing, and while the current rate varies, it averages about 15-25 cents per mile for walking and running, and just a bit less for those who choose to bike. Donations are covered by companies who sponsor individual charities, or donors can enlist their employers or friends and family to sponsor them. No matter how you look at it, Charity Miles is a great way to get out, get active and make a difference without breaking the bank.  

• Round Up: Round Up is a unique donation platform that allows users to have their debit or credit card purchases rounded up to the nearest dollar and the difference in change donated to a vetted charity of their choice. At the end of each month the user will receive a statement advising them of how much money has gone towards their charity and a tax receipt issued. Users can choose from a multitude of organizations and have the flexibility to change charities at any given time. Users also have the option of setting a limit as to how much they are able to donate per month, that way there are no big surprises at months end when the totals roll in. Round Up allows users to donate small amounts at a time that collectively add up and make a real difference and is a great way to put your "spare change" to use. 

• FreeRice: FreeRice is a donation platform created by the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), where users can play an interactive and educational quiz type game to raise money to help contribute to world hunger relief. Available for both smartphones and desktop computers, users are presented with a variety of multiple-choice questions from different categories. Every time the user answers correctly the equivalent of 10 grains of rice is donated to the program to be distributed to families around the globe struggling with food security. Donations are provided by corporate sponsors who advertise on the site, and the donated rice is distributed directly by the WFP. FreeRice offers another opportunity in which people can donate and make a difference without having to spend any money... and have fun while they do it! 

While this is just a sample of some of the more popular donation app platforms out there that are making a difference with the tap of a screen, it demonstrates just how these are apps are revolutionizing the way people donate to charities. From virtually donating your spare change to jumping on your bicycle, or playing a little game of trivia there's lots of ways you can contribute, get involved and make a difference. 

How to Choose the Right Donation App  

So, you've decided to ditch making direct donations and sending cheques in the mail and have opted to start donating digitally.... now what? Choosing the right donation app is a personal choice, but there are a few things to take into consideration.  

First and foremost is the issue transparency, and overall reputation. Does your donation app have ratings and reviews available for you to check? Are they aligned with well-known and recognized charities? Take the time to do a bit of homework and make sure that the donor app you're interested in using is legitimate. You should be able to track your donation and know where your dollars are going. You should also be made aware of any fees you may be incurring by choosing to donate digitally. The donor app of your choosing should also be safe and secure, using data encryption and trusted payment processors so that you know that your personal banking information is stored in a safe and secure manner.  

Also important is that the donor app you choose to go with should be easy to use. That's the whole point of donation apps in the first place, isn't it? The whole process of registering, linking cards and providing information should be straight forward and seamless.  These apps should be designed to make it easy to donate and encourage you to come back to donate again, not complicate things or leave you feeling frustrated. And, should you ever run into any hiccups, a proper donation app will have a team of informed and up to date customer support agents to help you along in the process or address any questions or concerns you may have. At the end of the day the donation app that you decide to use needs to feel right for you and leave you feeling assured that you've chosen the right charity, through the right platform with the utmost of ease, so you can donate then sit back and scroll on through the rest of your day. 

The Benefits of Mobile Giving: Transforming Fundraising with Apps 

The introduction of donation applications has revolutionized the way in which people choose to donate to their favorite charity as well as the way charities choose to fundraise. Borders and time become irrelevant as global networks mean global donor bases. Users can now donate whenever and wherever they want, not to mention as often as they want, with ease. Users can log in to their donor app, make a donation with the push of a button and share their charitable actions on social media, promoting their cause and enticing others to do the same. Donors are engaged more now than ever as charities find creative ways to enlist and retain users and encourage recurring donations through game-play, leader-boards or integrating philanthropy with physical activity.

But the instant gratification that mobile giving provides comes from more than just tapping a button on a screen. Donation apps make it easier for donors to track their donations, get real time results on where their money is going and receive instant confirmation of their donation and, in some cases, instant tax receipts. No more waiting for newsletters in the mail. No more waiting for your charity's paperwork during tax season. Vice versa, donation apps allow charities to receive data and analyze metrics in real-time that help them understand their donor behavior, where their donations are coming from and what they can do to better target certain demographics and maximize impact. 

As time goes on and technology evolves, it's guaranteed that the way we donate digitally will change as well. Bio-metrics, virtual reality and voice activated donations are likely not too far off in the future. These features will be sure to continue making the act of giving and fundraising easier and more convenient, and anything that can help make the act of giving more accessible is something we should all look forward to.  

FAQ's 

• Can donation apps help with generating tax receipts for donors? 

Yes! One of the benefits of donating via donation app is that many are set up to instantly send a tax receipt once the contribution has been made. Receipts are sent via email for easy and paperless access and reputable charities will include all the pertinent information to include for deduction purposes. Many donation apps also allow for the creation of user accounts where donors can access their information at any given time, which is particularly useful for those who make multiple donations per year.

• How can I set up a fundraising campaign using a donation app? 

Setting up a fundraising campaign using a donor app doesn't need to be complicated, in fact many donor apps, such as GoFundMe and the PayPal Giving Fund, are making the process easier and more user friendly than ever. Choose which app platform you would like to use, create an account and set up your campaign, including a title, a description which includes the specific purpose of the campaign. Include how donations will be allocated, and include a clear and realistic fundraising goal and... voila! Be sure to include visuals and share your campaign through different social media platforms, email, newsletters etc. Once the donations start rolling in be sure to thank your donors and provide updates, via personal message or an automated message. Keep a good rapport with your donor base! 

• What are the most user-friendly donation apps available today? 

Some of the most user-friendly donation apps available today include GoFundMe, the PayPal Giving Fund, RoundUp, Donor Box, and Fundly. User friendly donation apps should be easy to set up, easy to use, safe, secure and engaging to the donor. Checking all of these boxes is the best way to get donors to use a particular application, and, hopefully have them become repeat users making continuous donations. 

• How do donation apps handle international transactions? 

 One of the benefits of using a donation app is that you can donate from anywhere, and anytime you would wish. Reputable donation apps will allow donors to choose which language and currency they would like to operate in to eliminate confusion and will use up-to-date exchange rates to take out the guess work. Donation apps will also accept various forms of payment including debit and credit cards, as well as digital banking platforms such as Venmo or PayPal and, generally, send an instant confirmation or tax receipt. This leaves donors assured that their funds have made it from "Point A to Point B" safely and securely.  These are just a few of the features donation apps are including to make international giving easier than ever.