Digital fundraising

There are various online fundraising platforms that help you to fundraise by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people. Platforms include JustGiving, Crowdfunder, EasyFundraising and many more.

There are lots of different platforms available and you should consider which one is best for you. Features to consider are:

• Fees - How much does the platform charge? This could be as a subscription or a percentage of each donation.
• Types of donations - Most platforms allow multiple payment methods or you may be able to add the value of cash donations to your total. What methods do you need for your donors?
• Ease of use - Is the platform user friendly, both for your donors/fundraisers and for you as the charity?
• Gift Aid: Does the platform claim Gift Aid on your behalf?

Emails are a great way to keep your supporters engaged and up to date with your work. They are also an affordable way to promote fundraising campaigns and drive donations.

Benefits of email fundraising:

• A cost-effective way to engage with potential donors.

Things to consider:

• Regulation around processing personal information. You must follow rules around the collection and use of personal data, all data must be kept safe and secure, and can only be used for purposes which the individual has consented to.

A donation button is used on your website to allow people visiting to easily donate money.  

Benefits of donations buttons: 

• A donation button can capture potential donors who have already shown an interest in your work by visiting your website. 

Things to consider: 

• Are the people that visit your site likely to donate or are they seeking help from your organisation? 
• A donation button should take people to an easy-to-complete online form. If it is too complicated or includes too many steps people are less likely to complete their donation. 

Contactless fundraising is a digital version of a donation tin. Instead of people donating cash, you can use a device that takes contactless card payments.  

Benefits of contactless fundraising: 

• Fewer people are carrying cash and are increasingly using contactless payments as part of their everyday spending. 
• Easy to use if you have a building or attend events where people could make quick donations. 

Things to consider: 

• Think about where you would place a contactless donation device, where would you get the best use out of one? 
• There are several contactless devices available to buy. Research a few different options to decide which one is best for you, making sure to check details such as how much of the donation is taken as a fee by the provider. 

Text giving uses an online platform to allow people to donate by sending a text to a unique number. Donors do not need to fill in any information as it uses details associated with their mobile number.

Benefits of text giving:

• Donors do not have to fill in forms so it can be used to collect quick donations at events.
• Can be used if you have a specific campaign you are fundraising for.

Things to consider:

• Research different platforms and check the details such as what fees they charge and how they process donor details. Are they GDRP compliant?
• Donor drop off can be high if the process requires multiple steps.

Crypto fundraising is a relatively new form of fundraising that seeks cryptocurrency donations, usually via a crypto donation platform. Cryptocurrency is a form of digital or electronic currency which uses secure technology to record the transaction history and for making payments between users.

Benefits of crypto fundraising:

• It could be a new income stream for organisations who are seeing decreases from more traditional sources.
• The cost of cyrptocurrency transactions can be lower than with traditional currency.

Things to consider:

• The value of cryptocurrency can change very quickly.
• There can be a lack of transparency and donors can hide their true identity.