The Future of Fundraising

Charities are constantly searching for ways to make the donation process more relevant to the way people live their lives - and you can bet your bottom dollar they’re all thinking about technology.

Guide Dogs originally launched the app on iPhone in October but Apple still doesn’t allow direct donations through apps in the same way as Android, although this may change soon.

Last week Guide Dogs launched the go walkies app on phones with Android operating systems (in other words, the software that powers your phone).  The app does lots of fun and exciting things which have proved a big hit with walkers and dog owners, but perhaps most importantly it enables users to donate to Guide Dogs directly.

So far, there are very few charities, perhaps two or three in the UK, that have phone apps that can be used to make donations in this way, but that won’t be the case for long.

Guide Dogs originally launched the app on iPhone in October but Apple still doesn’t allow direct donations through apps in the same way as Android, although this may change soon.

Among those lobbying for this change is eBay, whose own give at the checkout feature has raised millions for charities and the amount continues to rocket.
We are also seeing increasing use of viral fundraising widgets on social networking sites like Facebook which individuals or organisations post on their pages and use to collect donations.

It’s becoming clear that technology is also changing the face of fundraising events themselves, allowing supporters to organise in new ways.
As a result it's entirely possible that there are projects starting now that could become established national giving events within maybe two to three years because they are reaching out to bigger audiences more quickly and more cost effectively.

That's why go walkies events are so innovative in terms of fund raising because they can be managed around anyone's schedule. It needn't take a lot to organise, you can just do it with your family and walk around the garden or invite some friends along or hold something bigger.

It's not just young people who want to embrace technology, it's their parents and grandparents too, but one thing’s for sure, it is vital for all charities in connecting with a new generation of supporters.