Mobile Donations for Nonprofits: How Mobile Giving for Nonprofits Improves Funding Opportunities

Did you know that 91% of Americans -- about 9 out of 10 -- own a smartphone? This impacts a lot of how we live our day to day lives, from how we communicate with others, manage our schedules -- and donate to nonprofits.

According to current mobile giving statistics, 1 in 4 donors use their mobile devices to discover new NPOs while 25% of donors contribute through their mobile devices. The average text-to-give donation is $107 while average mobile donation pledges are $167. However, donors have been known to give surprisingly large donations through mobile devices, with the highest fulfilled mobile pledge totaling $20,000. 

All this demonstrates how important mobile donations are in today's digital age -- and why your NPO needs to make mobile giving easier for your support network. In this article, we'll examine all the different ways donors can engage in mobile giving, the benefits of adapting mobile donation platforms like PayBee, how to optimize your mobile giving campaign, and how to deal with common challenges that come with mobile fundraising for nonprofits. 

Understanding Mobile Giving for Nonprofits

Mobile donations include any donations people make through a mobile device like a smartphone. These contributions can be made through several methods, including websites, apps, and even texts. Some of the most convenient ways to engage in mobile giving include:

Donor Platforms

Donor platforms include any type of online software or tool that lets your organization collect and securely process donations from supporters. This is how people can visit your web page through their mobile device and make an online contribution. Donor platforms (also called donor management systems or donation platforms) can generate receipts and send automated thank yous to donors. The data collected from these software tools can then be used to generate reports analyzing giving trends, average donation sizes, and other donation details that can help you plan more effective future campaigns.

Text-to-Give

Text-to-give allows donors to text your NPO's SMS donation number and provide a keyword along with the amount they want to donate to your organization. That amount is then added to the donor's phone bill. Because there's no need to provide payment info or authenticate the transaction, text-to-give options are an extremely fast and convenient way for people who want to contribute in a hurry to donate. If you're holding a live event with lots of activities, text to give is an ideal way to get guests to give without spending too much time on their phones and potentially missing out on the fun.

Text-to-Donate

Similar to text-to-give, text-to-donate options allow a donor to text a keyword to your SMS donation number. Donors then receive a link to an online page where they can fill out their payment information and authenticate the payment. While this is a somewhat lengthier process than text-to-give, it is still convenient for people who like donating through their mobile devices.

QR Code Donations

QR codes are those square matrix bar codes posted everywhere from restaurant menus to subway maps. People can scan a QR code at your event with their smartphone camera and be taken directly to your donation form page where they can contribute to your charity. The nice thing about this method is that you can post QR codes anywhere -- including your flyers, posters, online videos, or social media posts. This gives supporters multiple gateways to donate (and learn more about your NPO).

Mobile Payment Apps

Many donors prefer giving through mobile payment apps like Apple Pay, PayPal, or Venmo. These apps are linked directly to the donor's bank account or credit card, enabling quick payment without having to go through the trouble of entering their payment information. Donors can even receive digital receipts from most apps, which is convenient for tax purposes. Meanwhile, NPOs can integrate mobile payment systems into their own websites and mobile apps, allowing them to collect donations directly. 

Benefits of Mobile Contributions for Nonprofits

Adding mobile giving options to your fundraising strategy isn't just a way to make donating more convenient for your guests and supporters -- it can also greatly increase the number of donations you receive and expand your audience reach.

Mobile donation platforms provide donors with the option of donating from anywhere with just a few clicks or by sending a text message. This can vastly increase your conversion rate and lead to improved revenue. In fact, Nonprofits Source reports that by making their websites more mobile-responsive, NPOs can increase their donations by an average 126%. Additional statistics report that mobile donations have increased by 205% just in the past year.

There are other benefits to accepting mobile contributions from your supporters. Mobile software tools enable NPOs to connect with supporters by sending text updates and personalized messages thanking them for their contributions and informing them of new opportunities to contribute. This helps your group engage with a much wider audience and expand your donor pool over time.

Since mobile donation platforms offer automated features, this form of fundraising is very cost effective. And by using PCI-compliant tools, you can help assure donors that their payment information is safe when they need to provide it.

Because your platform collects donor data as it collects mobile donations, you can gain a much clearer picture of how much you raised, where your donors come from, and what methods they prefer to use when donating. Not only does this help your team plan their fundraising strategy, you can also share some of these statistics with your supporters, creating greater transparency and encouraging trust -- which fosters stronger connections between NPOs and the communities they serve.  

Top Mobile Donation Platforms

When choosing a mobile donation platform to enable your supporters to contribute from their mobile devices, you'll want to choose a software package that is user-friendly and secure. You'll also want to check what mobile giving options each platform offers and see if they match up with your support network's preferred methods of giving. Below, we provide an overview of some of the most popular mobile donation platforms.

PayBee

PayBee's online fundraising platform is known for its user-friendly interface and ease of event integration. You can use PayBee's software to design customized mobile-friendly donation pages, making it easy for people to navigate and donate to your site directly from their smart phones.

PayBee accepts all mobile payment options, as well as payment from all credit cards and bank accounts, giving your donors many options to give. What's more, you can give donors the option of covering any transaction fees, letting your group keep more of the money.

Donors also receive an automatic donation receipt from every payment made on the PayBee platform, making it easy for donors to keep track of their donations for tax purposes (PayBee also encourages organizations to send a yearly donation receipt to supporters, so they can have all their donation information on a single page).

One feature NPOs find particularly useful about the PayBee system is its ability to automatically generate QR codes for all fundraising activities set up by PayBee. These QR codes can be placed anywhere at your event to assist with online donations, raffle ticket purchases, drink tickets, and more.

If you're planning on offering an auction at your charity event, then you'll be happy to know that PayBee specializes in hosting both online and in-person auctions, and provides mobile bidding options for each. Your guests can bid from virtually anywhere using the PayBee Mobile App. In addition, the PayBee system automatically generates bid paddles and name plates for all guests, each equipped with a URL code that can assist with mobile bidding and checkout.

Data collected from guest activities through the PayBee Mobile App is processed by PayBee's backend reporting system, which provides you with a full breakdown of all donations and attendees. You'll be able to see which activities were the most successful, helping you plan for future events. Plus, the PayBee system automatically follows up with guests who have outstanding donation pledges, enabling you to collect all your revenue. 

RaiseRight

RaiseRight is a gift card fundraising platform that allows nonprofits to earn a percentage of every purchase made using gift cards linked to their program. After enrolling, NPOs receive a unique enrollment code that can be shared through custom invite links, QR codes, and a peer referral tools. Participants can purchase eGift cards, physical gift cards, or reloadable gift cards and shop online or at physical gift stores. Participating brands include grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, clothing stores, home improvement stores, and more. 

After completing a purchase through a physical or online gift card, a percentage of the funds is automatically delivered to your NPO's fundraising account. Customizable online reports allow your nonprofit to track earnings and you can also distribute funds to specific programs, such as tuition or school music programs, using RaiseRight's dashboard tools. 

Participants can also browse through over 550 brands on RaiseRight's mobile app or website, click on links to shop online, and earn money for their organization. Since many people shop online, the free RaiseRight mobile app provides convenient, one-touch access to eGift cards, making it easy to shop and raise money for your group.   

Vanco

Vanco provides community organizations with software solutions for many financial and administrative tasks, including donation management, event ticketing, and payment processing. Their Mobile Church App provides several useful features for online giving to churches. These include:

• PCI Level One compliance to provide donation security
• Recurring giving prompts that help provide churches with more regular funding
• Customizable mobile app features to match your church's brand
• Zero monthly fees for using the mobile app
• Processing fee offsets that let donors cover transaction fees (allowing more funds to support your church)

How to Implement Mobile Donations in Your Organization

When starting a mobile donation campaign for your group, start by making sure your website reads well on all mobile devices. This will make it easier for visitors to donate directly from their smart phones. Don't forget to make your website accessible for users with disabilities, such as vision impairment.

To optimize your system for mobile giving, invest in a mobile fundraising platform like the ones above. This simplifies both the donating and record-keeping process and helps secure your mobile donations.

Make sure your audience knows they can donate through their mobile devices. Promote your mobile giving campaign on social media and highlight the convenience and impact of mobile donations. Offer text-to-give or text-to-donate campaigns and include QR codes in your social media marketing and galas to help guests access your mobile donating options.  

Tips for Optimizing Mobile Giving Campaigns

Making supporters aware of your mobile giving options is essential if you want more donors to contribute from their mobile devices. Promote your online giving options on your social media accounts, making sure to emphasize how easy and convenient your new giving methods are. Encourage visitors to share your posts with friends and family, enabling you to increase your reach.

Choose social media channels that reach your target audience. Younger donors tend to frequent TikTok and Snapchat. Donors who fall between 18-34 tend to use Facebook and Instagram. You can also reach a professional audience by posting on LinkedIn.

Make sure your donation process provides the secure, user-friendly experience you promised. Offer quick options like text to give that can be accomplished in seconds and do not require multiple steps. Let donors know any personal information they share is being protected by PCI-compliant tools. After your guests donate, be sure to send thank you notes and digital receipts for their records.

When requesting a donation, offer a recurring giving option. This requests that contributors donate small, regular donations every month instead of limiting themselves to a single gift. Recurring donations are easier on a donor's wallet and can provide nonprofits with long-term support and a more secure source of funding.

Your mobile giving campaign should also be collecting valuable donor data as the contributions come in. Make sure to use tracking metrics and keep careful records of who your donors are, the average size of their donations, the type of donations they prefer to give (one time or recurring), what method(s) they used to donate, and other useful statistics. By using these donor analytics, you can gain a clearer idea of how successful your mobile giving campaign is and how you can improve your practices. 

Challenges and Solutions in Mobile Fundraising

Along with the advantages that come with mobile giving, your team needs to know how to overcome issues with this sort of digital fundraising. Here are some of the best practices to follow when encountering common obstacles such as:

Technical issues

Making sure your donors have a smooth, seamless experience when donating through their mobile devices is key to building an effective mobile fundraising campaign. However, if your donation pages are not optimized to appear on the much smaller screens of mobile devices, then guests will not be able to see how they can donate. Likewise, slow loading times, difficulty entering credit card information, and issues with payment processing can all delay or deter donors from contributing to your cause.

To handle such issues, make sure you use platforms that optimize your donation options for mobile giving. Offer short and simple donation forms with large "Donate Now" buttons that are easier to use and comprehend through a mobile device. Minimize image sizes on your pages to improve loading speed. And make sure to test how your donation pages appear on the screens of different mobile devices -- including different smart phones, tablets, and even laptops -- which supporters may use to contribute. 

Gaining the trust of your supporters

Donating online is becoming a more acceptable method of contributing, but many donors still have misgivings over sharing their personal information online. This can discourage them from donating, especially if their concerns aren't being addressed.

Manage this by being transparent about your online giving policies. Use reliable payment processors with multiple mobile security tools, and share how you protect personal information with your donors. Post your privacy policies on your website to show what information you collect from donors, how that information is used, and how that data is protected.

Maintain a human touch by providing customer service contact information that allows donors to connect with representatives who can answer their questions and address their concerns. The more open you are about how your mobile giving options work, the more confident your donors will be with making contributions through their mobile devices.   

Adopting a new platform

Building mobile-friendly donation options and offering better online security can both be accomplished by integrating a robust mobile giving platform into your current systems. Once again, however, technical issues can rise during installation and onboarding.    

During these times, it's vital that you select a platform that offers user-friendly technical service that can guide you through the integration process. Research different platforms and read reviews to see how other NPOs fared when adopting the platform to their organization. Test out new systems by taking part in demos and ask company reps your technical questions -- including any issues you can expect when integrating the platform with your nonprofit's CRM system. Study the security measures and types of encryption used by the platform and learn how you can test them to ensure your new system is working optimally.

Plan for an adjustment period. Team members need to learn how to use your new system and integrate the mobile giving features into their workflow. This can be accomplished through online courses, video tutorials, or a more formal in-person training session where key members of your team can learn how to use the software tools.

Create a schedule for when your new donor platform will be ready and update staff members on your progress. Event planning teams will need to know when they'll transition from their current fundraising strategies to the new methods offered by mobile giving, so work with your volunteers and staff to keep everyone aware of how you're making the transition process a smooth one.   

Future Trends in Mobile Giving

As more and more people use smartphones and mobile devices to manage their lives, mobile giving will continue to grow and evolve, giving rise to advanced nonprofit technologies.

For instance, AI algorithms can use predictive analytics to examine large amounts of past donor behavior and predict which donors are most likely to give generously. By understanding donor preferences and giving patterns, AI can approach supporters with a high probability of donating generously and offer them the most convenient giving options.

Natural language processing (NLP) and chatbots can also engage with donors through mobile messaging platforms and offer persuasive reasons to contribute to an NPO. AI-powered chatbots can also answer questions and provide information about your nonprofit programs, which can facilitate donations. Chatbots are becoming increasingly better at interpreting and responding to questions and requests in a natural way, allowing AI to help your nonprofit deliver more personalized communication on a much larger scale.

How supporters choose to donate can also change. Blockchain donations, for instance, allow anyone with a crypto wallet and smart phone to make donations anywhere in the world. Blockchain transactions can also be cheaper than traditional payment processing, making it easier for people to donate more frequently to their favorite charities. Plus, blockchain's allows for real-time tracking of donation usage, helping donors see the impact of their contributions and encouraging further engagement. That being said, fluctuations in crypto value could affect donation value and people will need to be educated about cryptocurrencies to engage in this form of donating.

The Importance of Mobile Fundraising for Nonprofits 

Advances in mobile fundraising for NPOs have given rise to new fundraising tools for engaging modern donors. To remain effective, your group needs to embrace this digital transformation and optimize its strategies for the smart phone generation.

Optimizing websites for mobile usage is quickly becoming a standard for successful NPOs, as is using professional mobile fundraising platforms. Nonprofits need quality software tools to not only make mobile donating secure but also promote the benefits of mobile fundraising. This can be done by using the automated features on platforms to regularly communicate with donors through social media and email to show the impact of their contributions, your NPO's goals, and the ease of becoming a regular supporter of your mission. NPOs also need to educate themselves about new donating options, such as blockchain donations, to adapt to new donor preferences.

One excellent first step in your education is to take part in fundraising platform demos to see how mobile fundraising software can support your campaigns. Start by signing up for a free demo of PayBee's mobile fundraising platform to see how user-friendly our interface and software tools are. Learn from our team how our system can increase mobile giving for nonprofits and improve your revenue streams. Mobile-giving opens up an entirely new field of opportunity for fundraising, so sign up for a free demo and learn how to implement it into your nonprofit today!  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Let's look at some common questions NPOs have concerning mobile donating.

How do mobile platforms ensure the security of your supporters' data?

Donor data is encrypted, or scrambled into a code only the intended recipient can decipher, when donors submit their information on your platform. Be sure to use mobile donation platforms that use Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance standards to ensure a high level of security and make sure to store donor data on secure servers that can prevent unauthorized access. 

How do I encourage donors to use mobile options instead of traditional methods?

Donors today appreciate being able to give quickly and conveniently. Promote this in your marketing by showing that you can give by texting a single keyword to your charity, compared to the lengthy forms a donor might have to fill when giving through traditional methods. Make your mobile donation process, fast, simple, and secure, and you will attract more donors -- who may be encouraged to contribute more frequently.

How does PayBee compare to other platforms for mobile contributions?

PayBee is known for its user-friendly, customizable platform, which makes building a mobile donating campaign much easier. Contributors can donate through credit cards, bank accounts, and all mobile payment options, including Apple Pay and PayPal. What's more, you can provide donors with the option of paying the transaction fees associated with mobile donating, allowing you to raise more usable revenue.  

What mobile platform is best for small nonprofits?

When choosing a mobile donation platform for your small NPO, you need to balance the cost of the platform with essential features, including security and ease-of-use. Take part in a demo to see if the platform helps optimize your donation pages and website for mobile reading. See if it offers text-to-give or text-to-donate options. Ask about the system's ability to generate QR codes and track user activity during your campaigns and events. And make sure the platform allows you to pass on transaction fees to donors in order to save money and increase your raised revenue. 

What are the costs associated with implementing a mobile giving platform for nonprofits?

Depending on the platform you choose, you may need to pay a monthly subscription fee, custom feature fee(s), text messaging fees, and/or payment processing fees. Certain platforms, such as PayBee, allow an NPO to pass some of these fees on to the donor, such as the payment processing fee, allowing your group to keep more of the donated revenue for your programs.