Tornados, earthquakes, tsunamis. It seems like every time you turn around, there is another natural disaster occurring. And while that is depressing, one bit of silver lining is that using text messages to donate to charities has proven a simple, reliable way to raise large amounts of money from a wide swath of people in smaller dollar amounts.
Upon news that Atoka County, Okla., was hard hit by tornadoes earlier this week, country music stars Reba McEntyre and Blake Shelton announced plans to host a benefit concert May 26 at the Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, Okla. Included in the concert is that fans can text “OKGIVE” to 27722 to make a one-time $10 donation that will be added to their cellphone bills. One of the companies behind that effort is the mGive Foundation.
Last month, I talked with Jennifer Snyder, executive director of the mGive Foundation, a leader in the mobile giving space, about trends in mobile giving. Text messaging creates an immediate intimacy between the charity and the person giving to the charity, Snyder said. While today campaigns are largely centered around charitable giving for manmade or natural disasters, Snyder sees a trend where nonprofits will use text messaging to bond with their donors.
Text messages that remind blood donors of their next appointment, and then thank them immediately after giving, create an intimacy between the two, Snyder said. That intimacy drives participation and creates a database for the charities. “Two numbers follow you through life – your Social Security number and your mobile number.”
The first-to-market approach for nonprofits is important, Snyder said. A patron to Defenders of Wildlife, for example, may want information on how to help preserve Yellowstone National Park through a mobile phone app, so the experience goes beyond a simple donation to education and interaction.
MGive, which is organized as a 501(c)3 C charity, said at the time it handled about 85% of all mobile donations processed. The Mobile Giving Foundation and MobileCause also offer mobile giving services. Wireless operators also play a significant role in the process, waiving their fees and in the case of Japan, subsidizing long-distance calls and messages placed to Japan.
