8 Fundraising Tools to Watch in 2016

Monday, 4 April @ 8:00 AM

FACEBOOK, FUNDRAISING, MOBILE MEDIA, SOCIAL MEDIA

HEATHER MANSFIELD

2016 is going to be a big year for mobile and digital wallet payments. Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Google, PayPal, and Amazon are scrambling to be your chosen first choice and while this is predominantly playing out in the consumer market, in 2016 we will finally start to see mobile and digital wallet payments impact online fundraising in the nonprofit sector.

We’re also getting close to a new generation of mobile fundraising apps that are sustainable and have long term appeal to donors (think: giving portfolio, gamification, and one-tap, finger scan giving). That said, fundraising tools come and go and long-term financial sustainability is tough for social good entrepreneurs to achieve (muchos kudos for trying), but the fundraising tools list for 2016 (view the 2015 list) represent eight ideas whose time have come in the nonprofit sector.

1. Apple Pay
apple.com/apple-pay

In addition to paying for goods and services in stores, Apply Pay enables iPhone and iPad users to make payments with a tap and a finger scan. The service will likely be adopted by many fundraising service providers in 2016 with Crowdster for Nonprofits being one of the first.

2. Facebook Fundraisers and Donate Buttons
donations.fb.com

“Fundraisers” are pages where verified and approved nonprofits can raise money for specific fundraising campaigns and “Donate” buttons enable nonprofits to accept donations inside of Facebook directly from their Page and posts.

3. Give A Dime
giveadime.org

A service that rounds up your credit or debit card purchases to the nearest dollar and then donates the funds raised to your chosen charity.

4. Givelocity
givelocity.com

A platform that enables individuals to create groups where members donate $1 (minimum donation) and vote each month on which nonprofit will receive the lump sum.

5. Givolio
givolio.com

A mobile app that enables donors to donate to their favorite nonprofit in just a few taps. Donors can build a giving portfolio, view their giving history, and receive tax reports via email.