The Digital Payments Key To Keeping Donors In A Charitable Mood

Nonprofits are seeing unprecedented increases in demand for their services as consumers grapple with the effects of the pandemic.

Generating the funds to pay for their operations often requires novel strategies, however, as most of these organizations can no longer hold in-person galas and other fundraising events. Sustaining important charitable work may therefore require creative fundraising approaches as well as the adoption of new digital tools and techniques to accept and encourage donations.

The January Navigating Nonprofits’ Digital Payments Shift Report examines how nonprofits are turning to digital payment methods, virtual fundraisers and other tools to keep their contributions coming in.

Around The Nonprofit Payments Space

Charities that once relied on in-person donation campaigns are now launching digital versions to replace or supplement their efforts. Nonprofit organization One Warm Coat used to depend on coat drives held at workplaces and schools, for example, but social distancing requirements and on-site attendance restrictions have made these initiatives more challenging. The charity has since altered its approach and now also conducts virtual drives in which it seeks monetary donations that can be used to purchase cold-weather clothing.

Social media-based campaigns are also proving to be especially useful during the health crisis. Many nonprofits are turning to peer-to-peer (P2P) fundraising campaigns in which donors create pages on social media platforms to promote causes to their family members and friends. These efforts appear to be making a difference, with a report finding that more contributions were made via P2P campaigns last year than in 2019.

Consumers worldwide seem receptive to donating digitally — and many even say that they prefer it. A poll of donors from 113 countries found that 55 percent favor giving online via payment cards, whereas just 8 percent preferred to give cash contributions. Such findings illustrate the importance of enabling digital donations even after the pandemic ends.

Find out more about these stories and other headlines in the Report.

How Nonprofits Can Tap Virtual Fundraising To Put Consumers In A Giving Mood

Nonprofit organizations are retooling their digital approaches and trying new methods to reach donors online. Their creative efforts have entailed everything from rolling out livestreamed fundraisers and virtual food pantries to launching targeted email requests and creating secure, compelling digital payment options, according to Todd Baylis, president and co-founder of fundraising software solutions provider Qgiv.

In this month’s Feature Story, Baylis details charities’ various approaches and outlines the payments and messaging practices that seem to be making a difference.

Read the full story in the Report.

Deep Dive: How Nonprofits Are Going — And Staying — Digital

Many consumers began shying away from carrying cash during the early months of the pandemic, and this shift in consumer behavior means charities soliciting donations on the street may find that fewer passersby are carrying dollar bills. Allowing these potential donors to more easily make cashless contributions requires giving volunteers tools to accept card- or QR code-based payments.

The Deep Dive examines how nonprofits are adopting new digital techniques like these to accept impromptu contributions in person as well as their strategies for raising funds virtually.

Read more in the Report.

About The Report

The Navigating Nonprofits’ Digital Payments Shift Report, a PYMNTS and American Express collaboration, offers coverage of the most recent news and trends regarding nonprofits’ digital fundraising efforts.