While reading my recent issue of
DMNews, I read an interesting article about how non-profits are using text donations to raise money.
I guess this caught my eye because last Friday I attended a great Leadership conference in Brooklyn Park at Living Word Christian Center. (
Leadercast is an annual event sponsored by
GiantImpact and is simulcast in many locations around the U.S.) During the simulcast there were a couple of opportunities to text a $10 donation to
Compassion International, a child advocacy ministry which aims to release children from poverty via sponsorships. I digress.....
But it got me thinking about how to use this locally. Can our churches use it? Our local chapter of Habitat for Humanity? Our area non-profits? It would be worth testing. Many of us carry a mobile device of one sort or another and all you do is text a message to a given number and your donation is taken on behalf of the non-profit. You can give with immediacy knowing that it is going to a cause you are passionate about. No writing a note to do it later - it's done!
Mobile Loaves and Fishes uses text donations to fight homelessness. They have an office in Minneapolis, although their text donation campaign runs out of their Austin, TX office. They use a service called
T3 to manage this campaign for them.
The
American Red Cross ran a very successful text donation campaign to raise money for Haiti. In January of 2010, they raised $5 million in pledges all in $10 increments. Pretty cool.
Broadtexter is a great text messaging service for use in sending alerts, announcing promotions/offers, and personalizing your service, etc. They DO NOT have an option for accepting donations, but a
FREE, useful tool for small businesses.
There are other services that will manage text donations. Google "
text donation services" for more info. Or there is a good blog article on the Consumer Reports Web site -
What to Know About Text Donations.
I'm inspired to see how many different ways this can be used! How about you?
Ciao for now, Paula
