The fundraising world is poised for a big shift towards mobile giving as people are becoming more comfortable with making financial transactions on their phones. Just as the way people pay for things has evolved – from cash and checks to debit and credit cards to digital wallets and apps such as PayPal and Venmo -- the landscape of giving has evolved dramatically over the last few years.
Digital platforms are becoming increasingly more relevant than traditional fundraising campaign methods. Associations should use a multi-platform approach to engage members, and a mobile app that supports your fundraising goals is one more way to connect with your members and conduct your business in a way that speaks to the modern professional, whether they’re a Baby Boomer, Gen X-er, or Millennial.
Mobile internet usage is part of our daily lives and enables us to do tasks like pay bills, renew subscriptions, confirm appointments, register for events, and donate money while we're on the go. According to Statista, global mobile data traffic is projected to increase nearly sevenfold between 2016 and 2021. Today one-in-five American adults are “smartphone-only” internet users – meaning they own a smartphone, but do not have traditional home broadband service (Pew Research Center). This is expected to increase and is a pretty good case for getting your organization’s app up and running.
There are many benefits to using your association’s app to make the fundraising appeal:
- It’s another avenue to reach your members and broaden your audience.
- Concise, immediate communications via your app simplifies your message, calls for action, and makes donating easy and seamless.
- Scheduled push notifications will increase response rates.
- Members can have payment methods on file and simply click to donate. It’s no hassle.
- You can set up recurring payment options at different levels to streamline your efforts and increase monthly or quarterly revenue.
- Whether it’s an annual fundraising campaign or a special event, using your app can generate buzz, enable members to pledge and get subsequent reminders to donate or to donate and get an acknowledgement receipt for payment.
- It’s a channel for communicating your funding needs to members with the potential for immediate responses.
- It saves time. It saves money. It’s green.
To fulfill your association’s mission and advance the causes your members are passionate about, you need to have the tools and the means to easily connect, communicate, inspire, and transact. Your association app is that tool and your fundraising options are wide open.
Mobile Giving Stats All Indicate Growth:
- 25% of donors complete their donations on mobile devices.
- 44% of Millennials said they would rather use their mobile phones than use cash to pay for small items.
- In the past year, mobile giving donations have increased 205%.
- 51% of people who visit a nonprofit’s website do so on a mobile device.
- Overall giving increased 4% last year.
Source: Nonprofitsource.com
