mGive

How often do your supporters tell you that they want to hear more from you? What impact are your social-media efforts having on fundraising? Which solicitation methods leave your donors feeling great? The 2013 annual mGive Text Donation Study provides the answer to these questions and shows that text donations remain an overwhelmingly positive experience for donors. Supporters are increasingly finding out about text donation campaigns through social media. In addition, donors want to get more information about you through text messaging.

The mGive Foundation, the public charity supporting U.S. mobile donation campaigns, released its annual mGive Text Donation Study, a one-of-its-kind survey of text donors. The survey’s findings demonstrated both the durability of text donations and the growing integration between social media and text-based communication between nonprofits and their donors.

For the month of April, I’m hosting the nonprofit blog carnival. A carnival is a mix of contributions from bloggers and readers on a shared theme, and I chose the theme “best advice.” I asked you the following question: What was the one, best piece of professional advice you ever got and why? How has it transformed your work? I also invited readers’ best single piece of advice for people who work at nonprofits. There was an incredible response. Here are your answers! 

The reports listed below are just a small sampling of the research available to nonprofits about online communications and fundraising, social media, and mobile technology. These reports are, however, some of the most valuable in terms of insight, useful and practical data, and how-to advice.

Charitable donations from mobile phones have grown more common in recent years. Two thirds of American adults now use text messaging, and 9 percent have texted charitable donations from their mobile phones. And these text donors are emerging as a new cohort of charitable givers. The first-ever, in-depth  study on mobile donors — which analyzed the “Text to Haiti” campaign after the 2010 earthquake — finds that these contributions were often spur-of-the-moment decisions that spread virally through friend networks.

Women are exerting a greater influence on how philanthropy is done as they accumulate wealth and use their clout to change the way funds are raised and distributed. Roughly 1 million women in the United States each have assets of at least $2 million, according to 2007 Internal Revenue Service data, the most recent available. Wealth controlled by charitably minded women can be expected to grow as they build careers and inherit money from their parents and their husbands.

Charitable donations from mobile phones have grown more common in recent years. Two thirds (64%) of American adults now use text messaging, and 9% have texted a charitable donation from their mobile phone.

And these text donors are emerging as a new cohort of charitable givers. The first-ever, in-depth study on mobile donors by The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project — which analyzed the “Text to Haiti” campaign after the 2010 earthquake — finds that these contributions were often spur-of-the-moment decisions that spread virally through friend networks.

Zoove, the exclusive provider of the StarStar mobile platform, announced the availability a new mobile giving option for making donations via mobile phone. Users can automatically make a $10 donation to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project when they call HERO (4376) from their mobile phones.

Payfone, a leading mobile payment processing service, and Mobile Accord, an innovator and leader in mobile technology for nonprofit organizations, announced a strategic partnership to expand the mobile donation channel for nonprofits and non-governmental entities worldwide. Through the partnership, nonprofits will be able to expand the power and reach of mobile donation offerings through alternative payment options allowing donations in real-time from any device, such as PC, smartphone, tablet or Wi-Fi, via Mobile Accord’s mobile giving platform, mGive.

Here are 15 mobile fundraising and mobile marketing takeaways shared by four mobile experts at the 2011 Nonprofit Mobile Day.