Nearly all of us have our smartphone in our hands throughout the day and the average person spends 3 hours and 15 minutes using their phone daily. That makes it a powerful tool for donations to nonprofits, with the added convenience and efficiency of giving directly with a few taps proving to be a big draw for donors. As nonprofits face increasing competition for donation dollars, it’s crucial to maximize this opportunity to inspire generosity and quickly connect potential donors with your mission.
Vanco is the ideal partner for nonprofits looking to maximize the impact mobile giving has for their organization. Its customizable giving solutions include mobile donations for nonprofits, text-to-give and more. With incredible ease of use and security that meets the highest standards of PCI compliance, Vanco helps nonprofits implement mobile donations for nonprofits seamlessly.
Table of Contents
- Understanding the Rise of Mobile Donations in Nonprofits
- The Key Types of Mobile Donation Solutions
- How to Increase Donor Engagement with Mobile Giving
- Best Practices for Mobile Fundraising Campaigns
- How Vanco’s Mobile Solutions Support Nonprofits
- Integrating Mobile Giving into Your Nonprofit’s Overall Strategy
- FAQs
- 100+ Free Tools for Nonprofits to Inspire Unprecedented Generosity!
Understanding the Rise of Mobile Donations in Nonprofits
Research has shown that 28 percent of all online donations are made using a mobile device. The convenience and efficiency of giving with their phone is a major draw for donors, and as an increasing number of those donors are individuals who have grown up with technology as a major, constant element in their lives, that number figures to continue rising.
In a world where nonprofits face ever-increasing competition for donation dollars, being able to give in the moment through a phone is incredibly valuable. If a donor is moved to give by an appeal letter, ad or other communication and they can do so on the spot, the chances they’ll contribute to your organization soar.
The Key Types of Mobile Donation Solutions
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Text-to-Give
Almost all of us send a large number of text messages per day to communicate with family and friends, or for business. Sending a text takes only a few seconds – which is why it’s an ideal method for nonprofits to accept donations. Taking the time to donate by text is just that simple – supporters can make a gift at their convenience anytime, anywhere in a matter of seconds. With Vanco, they can also use text-to-give to set up recurring gifts for an added level of convenience.
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Mobile Giving Apps
Mobile giving apps are specifically designed for giving on the go, featuring donation pages where users can log in and give just as they would on a computer or tablet. Apps such as Vanco, which are certified at the highest level of PCI compliance in keeping with the standards established by the major credit card companies, are the most secure options.
Mobile donation platforms can vary from provider to provider, but most are built on core functions such as:
- One-tap donations
- Recurring donation options
- Integration with various payment methods
- Donation tracking and tax receipts
- Social sharing capabilities
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Mobile-Optimized Donation Pages
Having a donation page that looks great and is user-friendly on computers is great, but if that page isn’t mobile-friendly and the experience for users accessing it on their phone is drastically different – and more difficult to navigate – then users will find another option. An increasingly large portion of your potential donor base has grown up with technology and is very comfortable using their phones to make donations.
Make sure your donation page is optimized for mobile, meaning it’s formatted in a way that looks good on a phone screen and doesn’t lose any of its functionality on mobile compared to a computer.
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QR Code Donations
QR codes – or quick-response codes – are similar to a bar code in that they allow a person to scan them using the camera on their phone and click to be taken directly to a donation page or other online destination. They remove another step from the mobile giving process for potential donors, as they don’t need to know or remember a website address and can simply scan a QR code to log on and donate.
How to Increase Donor Engagement with Mobile Giving
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Promoting Mobile Donations via Social Media
Your social media platforms are one of your most powerful options for communicating with current and potential donors. Depending on the groups you serve and the age range of your supporters, the social media platform you focus on can vary, as research from Sprout shows. If your audience skews younger, TikTok and Snapchat are likely better options, while Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn are better for older audiences. But regardless of the platform you use, promoting mobile giving on social media is a must.
Use your accounts to remind followers about how easy mobile giving is, the impact it has for your organization and how they can get the word out to their friends and family. Showcase your online giving options and make it clear that no matter who the recipient is, there’s an option that will work well for them.
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Optimizing Email Campaigns for Mobile Donations
Here are some key tips for crafting mobile-friendly fundraising emails that encourage quick donations:
Optimize Your Email Design
- Use a single-column layout that stacks content vertically, which works best on narrow mobile screens and eliminates the need for horizontal scrolling.
- Limit the email width to 640 pixels or less to ensure it displays properly on a wide range of mobile devices.
- Use a minimum font size of 14 pixels for body text and 20 or more pixels for headers to ensure readability on small screens.
- Increase padding around clickable elements (10-25 pixels) to accommodate touch interactions. Place key information and calls-to-action on the left side of the email, as this is most visible when emails are cut off on mobile.
Streamline Content
- Keep subject lines short (under 30 characters) so they display fully in mobile inboxes.
- Use concise pre-header text (50 characters max) to provide a compelling preview. Reduce overall content length. Mobile users are often reading on the go, so keep messages scannable with short paragraphs and bullet points.
- Place the most important information and donation call-to-action near the top of the email.
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Offering Recurring Donation Options
A good mobile giving platform offers users the chance to set up recurring gifts at specified intervals. This allows them to spend less time making gifts and eliminates the need to remember to donate every week, month, six months, etc. Research has shown that recurring donors give more on average annually than non-recurring donors, so the more recurring donors you can add to your base, the better.
Best Practices for Mobile Fundraising Campaigns
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User-Friendly Mobile Experience
Complex and confusing doesn’t work for donors. If the giving process has too many steps, doesn’t make sense or requires them to stop and seek help multiple times to complete their gift, they’re unlikely to actually give. By streamlining the process and requiring them to enter minimal information before hitting “Give,” you up the odds that they will continue to donate via text message fundraising or your mobile app.
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Securing Mobile Donations
Simple doesn’t mean not secure when it comes to a donation process, so keep in mind that while you do want to streamline the process, it’s important to make sure donors know their personal information is protected. It’s also vital to be transparent and up front with donors, making it clear why you need the information you’re asking for and how your donation process works. If donors believe you’re being transparent with them and protecting their personal data, that helps forge a lasting connection built on trust.
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Follow-up Strategies Post-Donation
The donation process doesn’t end with receiving and processing a gift. Successful nonprofits continue the conversation by connecting with donors through thank-you notes, receipts and ongoing interactions. Donors want to know their gift was received, appreciated and how it was used. They don’t want to feel like just a source of income – they want to be part of your organization and to know they’re valued. Send personalized thank-you notes, provide receipts for tax and recordkeeping and make sure to continue connecting with them even after their gift is received and spent.
How Vanco’s Mobile Solutions Support Nonprofits
Vanco’s mobile donation tools are engineered with nonprofits in mind. With multiple giving options, the ability to tailor your forms and giving pages to your needs and 24/7 customer support, we’re the strong, reliable partner you want to help drive generous giving and build relationships with donors.
Mobile apps allowing donors to give by text and customizable forms are three of the main resources Vanco offers to support nonprofits in their quest to raise support. Giving directly from a smartphone simplifies the process for both donors and nonprofits, while customizable forms allow organizations to decide what information donors need to enter while also fitting the look and style of the form to their specific brand.
Integrating Mobile Giving into Your Nonprofit’s Overall Strategy
It’s important to meet donors where they are and offer giving options that fit them. That means blending traditional giving with mobile giving, making sure that both older and younger givers have a way to donate that they’re comfortable with. Don’t assume that one size fits all when it comes to how people donate. When you promote giving at your church, make sure to detail all available options and offer to answer any questions members may have about each platform.
Make use of the data you amass for your campaigns, including mobile giving. By reviewing the data, seeing when and how donors give and understanding elements such as their communication preferences, you can garner valuable insights to help shape future campaigns. Listening to what donors – and their giving data – tell you, you can make adjustments to boost generosity going forward.
FAQs
Are mobile donations secure for donors?
While it’s impossible to make a blanket statement about the security of mobile donations for nonprofits across all platforms, PCI-compliant platforms such as Vanco offer the highest possible level of security to protect donor information throughout the process. PCI is the highest level of security established by the major credit card companies such as Visa, Discover and MasterCard and those organizations that are PCI compliant provide strong security and confidence for donors. Whether users donate by text or use a mobile giving app, this is important.
What are the best platforms for recurring mobile donations?
The best platforms for recurring mobile donations for nonprofits are platforms that combine ease of use with high-level security. These platforms are also ones built specifically for donations, meaning they’re tailored to the needs of their users. Some platforms are geared toward other focuses but include mobile giving as a secondary offering, but tools that were built specifically for giving to nonprofits and similar organizations have an advantage. Vanco has worked with churches, schools and nonprofits for decades, working to build mobile giving options that work well and allow these organizations to tell their stories to donors, connect with them and inspire generosity that helps drive their work forward.
How can I promote mobile giving to my supporters effectively?
Use your social media, email and in-person messaging at fundraising events to clearly communicate which online giving options you offer. Mobile giving may be new to some supporters, so be sure to clearly explain the process and reassure them that it’s secure and reliable. Understand that it will take time for some supporters to get on board and they may need to hear the messaging a few times before being open to it. Also, let them know that traditional giving options are still available and that they won’t be forced to use online giving.
What is the difference between mobile giving apps and mobile-optimized donation forms?
Mobile Giving Apps
Mobile giving apps and mobile-optimized donation forms are both methods for facilitating donations through mobile devices, but they have some key differences:
Mobile giving apps are standalone smartphone applications specifically designed for making donations. They’re purpose-built apps that users download and install on their mobile devices and they often allow donations in as few as three taps, making the process very quick and easy.
Users can save their payment details within the app for faster future donations.
Mobile-Optimized Donation Forms
Mobile-optimized donation forms are web-based forms designed to work well on mobile devices.
They’re browser-based, meaning they’re accessed through a mobile web browser rather than a dedicated app. With responsive design, their layout adjusts to fit different screen sizes and orientation.
Users don't need to download anything to their device and these forms work across various devices and operating systems without needing separate versions.
How does mobile giving compare to traditional methods of fundraising?
Mobile giving is a powerful and increasingly popular method of fundraising compared to traditional methods, largely due to its convenience and accessibility. Because donors can give anytime, anywhere from their phones and don’t need to worry about cash or checks, it takes less time and effort. It also allows nonprofits to reach younger, mobile-savvy donors and expands your potential donor base in the process. Donors can be in the moment and give when they feel moved to do so, rather than having to do so at a specific time and place, such as attending a fundraising event, helping you meet your fundraising goals in the process.
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