Nonprofits are moving into the mobile realm like never before, ramping up efforts to leverage the medium for its immediacy and direct response attributes.
DMnews is reporting that nonprofit group The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) recently launched a 10-day mobile giving campaign, for example, partnering with soccer star Landon Donovan to raise money for blood cancer research and patient services. Citing mobile’s immediate nature and ease of use, the organization has placed heavy emphasis on mobile in recent months to boost donations.
Another huge benefit to using mobile for donations is the advantage in utilizing data collection for future efforts. “We’ll be following up with those who opt in through mobile to collect their e-mail addresses to retarget to them later on,” said Todd Whitley, VP of eMarketing at LLS.
A prime example of the boost that can be achieved using mobile is the “Mobile Giving Foundation,” who has seen growth go from zero to more than $50 million in donations since it launched in 2008, spurred by catastrophic events like the January earthquake in Haiti. Combined with the Gulf oil spill, the Mobile Giving Foundation played a pivotal role in getting resources donated via mobile devices to those who needed it most.
Office supply giant Staples is another organization who’s recently jumped on the mobile giving bandwagon. The company unveiled a unique text-to-donate program in mid-July, which is now in its third year of partnering with “Do Something 101,” a nonprofit that urges young consumers to support causes they are interested in. When consumers text the word “notebook” to a designated code, a $5 donation will be made instantly to Do Something 101.
As efforts continue to increase, it’s no wonder why nonprofits are banning together to petition the FCC for open standards in using SMS. We reported recently on numerous nonprofits such as American Public Media, Center for Community Change, The Humane Society of the United States, Reform Immigration for America and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops coming together to file a letter with the FCC demanding fair practices and an open ecosystem to utilize SMS to advance their respective missions.