A December 2009 survey
conducted by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that
83% of adults own a cell phone or smartphone and 35% of those owning a
mobile device had used it to access the Internet at some point. The use
of texting or SMS (short message service) has been popular with teens
and young adults for some time, but is now spreading to other
demographics as well, as seen in the growth of services such as Twitter.
In
light of these changing demographics and the highly-publicized success
of the Haiti relief texting campaign, many nonprofits are taking note
of the potential of mobile giving. But while creating a text donation
program enables donors to give quickly and easily, there are some major
considerations for any organization examining the possibility of a
campaign. Listed below are a few resources that will be helpful for
nonprofits exploring this issue.
- Texting for Charitable Dollars: The Definitive Guide to Mobile Fundraising
Explains how a mobile giving program works, including fees, contracts,
and service providers, and outlines the steps a nonprofit should take
to start a mobile campaign.
- Using Mobile Phones in Fundraising Campaigns [PDF]
Discusses lessons learned from using cell phones to raise funds for nonprofits. Topics explored include corporate partnerships, entertainment content, donor relations, and fundraising for humanitarian relief.
- Nonprofits: Time to Get Mobile
Provides considerations for nonprofit organizations exploring mobile
giving and discusses steps for starting and marketing a mobile
fundraising campaign. - 5 Real Challenges For Non-Profit Texting Campaigns
Presents five primary considerations for nonrprofits considering a mobile giving campaign. - A Balanced Look at Text-Message Giving
This podcast features Wendy Harman, social media manager at the
American Red Cross, and Geoff Livingston, chief marketing officer at
Zoetica Media, discussing the potential advantages and disadvantages of
text donation campaigns. - 2010 Nonprofit Text Messaging Benchmarks
This report, the first of its kind, provides benchmarks by which
nonprofit organizations can measure their success with texting, and
illustrates the various ways in which organizations are using text
messaging. - Mobile Giving Foundation
The Mobile Giving Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that works
with nonprofits and wireless service providers to facilitate mobile
giving and ensure that text donations are convenient, immediate,
private and secure. - mGive Foundation
The mGive Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity created to certify
nonprofits wishing to participate in mobile giving, and to facilitate
the flow of funds from carriers directly to participating nonprofits.
(Thanks to Stephen Sherman, Reference Librarian, Foundation Center-Atlanta, for this post.)