How technology can supercharge and optimise donation levels 

In the UK there are just short of 170,000 charities, employing almost one million people. Their combined income is about £39 billion, adding more value to the UK economy than either the arts or the agricultural sectors.

The larger charities maintain a strong, popular platform. Names such as Age UK, Cancer Research and Childline are household brands which command high levels of funding. However, the majority of these charities – more than 90 per cent – have incomes of less than £500,000 per year. Whatever the level of income, it is vital that the use and distribution of the revenue is tightly regulated to ensure the beneficiaries are receiving what is clearly set out in a charity’s mission statement.

These days, charities have access to a plethora of easy to use, low cost technology solutions to help them run their operations with greater efficiency and transparency. Fund administration is a complex and transaction heavy process, but with the right approach, and collaborating with the right partners, it can help to optimise results across the board. 

We’ve highlighted some of the most popular ways of helping charities generate and allocate funding below – particularly useful if you are a small charity looking to make the biggest impact with the smallest donations.

Online fundraising platforms

The last decade or so has seen the arrival of a number of internet based online fundraising platforms such as GoFundMe, Kickstarter, JustGiving or Donorbox. These platforms allow charities to reach a wider audience and accept donations securely and conveniently. Fundraisers can also set up their own fundraising pages which are linked to their favourite charities, to formalise their intentions and create a transparent purpose for their activities. 

Website integration makes donating quick and easy, removing any obstacles to setting up payments, thereby increasing the overall amount of payments coming in.

It also provides a real time update of an individual’s fundraising activities, and the amounts generated to date, to create a swell of momentum which can help encourage more people to sign up.

Social media – a global audience at your fingertips

Social media has completely revolutionised the way in which we interact with a much wider audience. The opportunity to tell a story, share a story, connect with empathetic followers, make emotional connections through posting pictures and videos, all on a global level, can elevate fundraising endeavours to the highest levels.

This approach can gather momentum by moving engaged followers off a social media platform and onto an email database, where you can heighten that sense of community and connection by creating a space where your followers feel included, moved and motivated, changing one off donations to regular subscriptions at the simple click of a button. Many email databases offer an entry level free option that is perfect for smaller charities who are just starting to build their database.

Expand networking opportunities through virtual events and webinars

Virtual events and webinars are part of everyday life now and enables you to expand you networking opportunities by holding virtual events which can be attended by anyone from anywhere in the world. Equally, it also gives you the chance to inveigle yourself onto third party webinars. By establishing yourself on a certain circuit, you will soon become the ‘go to’ charity for individuals and businesses who are looking to sponsor a charity specifically as part of its own CSR initiatives. 

Transparency and Accountability

The overall benefit of technology is the fact that they offer a myriad of data analytical tools which can give you valuable insight into donor behaviours, preferences, trends, upticks and fall offs. This data is a goldmine for future planning, and setting out fundraising strategies year on year.