The energy's high, the room’s buzzing, and supporters are ready to give! But are you offering them the easiest ways to donate during the excitement surrounding your fundraising event?
What Are Fundraising Donation Tools?
Fundraising donation tools are typically digital solutions designed to streamline the donation process and improve the overall effectiveness of a fundraising campaign. Let's explore three impactful tools - text-to-give, QR codes, and credit card payment terminals - that streamline the donation process and overcome fundraising obstacles, particularly when combined in the approach to and during fundraising events.
Feel free to jump around between sections:
Text-to-Give | QR Codes | Credit Card Payment Terminals
Donation Tool #1: Text-to-Give
What is text-to-give? text-to-give technology is a fundraising donation tool and method that allows donors to contribute to your organization via text message. This convenient and straightforward approach leverages the widespread use of mobile phones, making it easy for supporters to donate anytime and anywhere.
How Does Text-to-Give Work for Fundraising?
The process typically involves a donor sending a keyword to a designated number. For example, a donor might text “GIVE” to a number like 12345.
In response, supporters receive a link to your campaign webpage, where they complete their donation. The amount is then processed through a secure online payment system.
6 Benefits of Incorporating Text-to-Give Into Your Fundraising Strategy
This method of giving is particularly effective for reaching a broad audience, including those who may not carry cash on them to make donations in person.
Text-to-give, like QR codes, also appeals to younger generations, who are accustomed to using their phones for various transactions.
Here are a handful of perks text-to-give brings to the fundraising table:
1. Convenience at Your Supporters’ Fingertips
So long to the days of handwriting URLs on a Starbucks napkin while walking a dog past a fundraising poster or taking a photo of a flier to then type the URL into a browser once you’re back at the house. With text-to-give, supporters can donate from anywhere on a device that’s often already in their pocket, purse, or hand.
2. Speedy Giving
Text-to-give transactions are quick and easy, perfect for capturing donations during the excitement of a live event. And since everything is automated and the link in the text message leads to your donation or campaign webpage, there is nothing you have to do on your end to collect the payment.
3. Inclusivity
While almost everyone has a phone with text messaging capabilities, people aren’t always hooked up to Wi-Fi or in range of a steady internet connection. Since text-to-give comes through Short Message Service (SMS), it’s easy for everyone to receive a text to the donation link and access it when the time is right, making text-to-give a super-inclusive donation feature.
4. Impulse Donations
Text-to-give allows donors to act on a moment of inspiration, capturing donations they might forget later. This is fantastic for live events while supporters are surrounded by peers rallying for a cause they care about as a community.
5. Real-time Data
Text-to-give donations should provide immediate data on donor activity if you use a digital, all-in-one fundraising and donor engagement platform. This leads to better campaign and donor management without manually importing and exporting data.
6. Reduced Operational Costs
Say goodbye to tedious cash-counting and disorganized paper donation forms! Text-to-give eliminates the need to handle as much cash or manage physical donation forms, so your team can spend more time where it counts.
💡Take charitable giving via text message to the next level with our auction management and mobile bidding features:
- Send automatic texts to alert supporters when they have been outbid, along with a link to the item so they can up the ante.
- Keep supporters in the loop with text message event reminders
- Warn guests when the silent auction is about to close and encourage them to get in their last-minute bids
Donation Tool #2: QR Codes
What are QR codes? Remember those little square printouts of random dots that popped up in place of menus at restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic? Those are QR codes! A QR code is a black-and-white pattern that stores information. These barcodes can include a URL to a website, contact information, or to make payments, which reveals itself when scanned by a smartphone.
How Do QR Codes Work for Fundraising?
When you scan a QR code with the camera on your smartphone, the encoded data is quickly decoded and then performs the action associated with the code. These actions include opening an online donation form or campaign page, silent auction items, or event promotional materials.
6 Benefits of Incorporating QR Codes Into Your Fundraising Strategy
QR codes are a powerful tool in the realm of fundraising, significantly enhancing donation efforts both leading up to and during live events. These scannable codes offer a seamless and interactive way for donors to engage with fundraising campaigns, making the donation or event registration process quicker and more efficient.
While a lot of QR code benefits overlap with text-to-give, it is worth pointing out the differences within the similarities and beyond:
1. Ease of Access
QR Codes are easy to integrate into promotional materials, like flyers and posters. Potential donors simply scan the code with their smartphones to land on your donation page, eliminating the need to manually enter URLs or search for donation links.
2. Increased Engagement
By incorporating QR Codes into pre-event marketing, you can capture the interest of potential donors early on. This can include linking to videos, testimonials, or detailed information about the cause or fundraising event, creating a more compelling case for support.
3. Code of Convenience
Supporters appreciate the convenience of QR Codes, as they let you donate, buy tickets to a golf tournament, and register for a 5K on the go, at any time. This flexibility leads to higher participation rates by removing barriers to giving.
4. Opportunities Around Every Corner
At live fundraising events, you can display QR Codes on screens, banners, and printed materials, and even have them lead to your silent auction webpage + individual auction items for supporters to bid on. Attendees can scan the code to make instant donations and bids, allowing for real-time fundraising progress and momentum.
5. Fundraising Reach
Not only can your organization use QR codes to boost donations—before, during, and after an event—your peer-to-peer participants + DIY-fundraising supporters can just as easily take advantage of them to raise more money on your nonprofit’s behalf, too.
6. Contactless Donations
In a post-pandemic world, the ability to make contactless donations is the norm. QR Codes provide a safe and hygienic way for attendees to contribute without the need to find an ATM to withdraw cash or hover around bidding forms.
💡Auction Management—within our all-in-one fundraising and donor engagement platform—auto-generates QR codes for you to print and provide guests with easy access to bidding on silent auction items at your live events.
One of the easiest ways to instantly boost fundraising success? Put up posters with a QR code leading to the bidder registration webpage around your silent auction tables!
How to Use Text-to-Give Info & QR Codes When Promoting Fundraisers?
By deploying both fundraising features at the same time, you cast a wider fundraising net that reaches more supporters.
When you offer a variety of easy ways to donate on your pre-event and live-event promotional materials, you let donors choose how to give in a way that aligns with their personal comfort and preference, creating an enjoyable giving experience all around.
Here’s a chart that helps simplify the process of adding information to fundraising promotional materials:
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Bonus Tips for Keeping it Easy
Make sure the donation process involves the least amount of work possible, so supporters feel empowered instead of frazzled after hitting the “Submit” button.
- Share links directly to donation forms or campaigns in email blasts and social media posts instead of your text-to-give information. This will save online supporters the extra steps of punching in a number and event keyword, and then clicking a link to the donation form.
- Consider skipping the addition of a QR code in online-only promotional materials, like Facebook cover photos and Instagram Story images, since QR codes are most effective when displayed in print.
Lots of people access social media and email from their phones these days, and it’s such a tease to see a QR code pop up on your Facebook feed while you’re scrolling on your phone...only to realize you need the camera on your phone to scan it most of the time!
Instead: Share a link directly to the webpage you want to guide support toward in your email + body or comments of your social media post. And of course, don’t forget the link in your bio. 👍
- Choose a text-to-give keyword or keyphrase that is easy for supporters to remember. Connect it to your nonprofit's name, your cause, or the title of your event. GalaAuction4YouthInc is less memorable than Funds4Youth, or YouthGala for example.
- Ensure the branding of your online donation form or campaign webpage aligns with the promotional materials sporting your QR code and text-to-give info. They should include the same colors, fonts, logos, and messaging. Supporters need to trust their charitable contributions are going to the right cause and not some disconnected, third-party payment processor.
Donation Tool #3: Credit Card Payment Terminals
What are credit card payment terminals? credit card payment terminals (also referred to as point-of-sale (POS) terminals are electronic devices that allow you to accept donations made with credit and debit cards.
These payment terminals act as a secure intermediary between your donor's card and your merchant account, facilitating the transfer of funds for your fundraising campaign.
How Do Payment Terminals Work for Fundraising?
Payment terminals enable you to accept donations on the spot at live events like walkathons, golf tournaments, and galas, or anywhere you have a physical presence. They streamline the donation process for your supporters and improve your organization's efficiency.
6 Benefits of Incorporating Payment Terminals Into Your Fundraising Strategy
Live fundraising events thrive on creating a smooth and engaging experience for donors. Credit card payment terminals offer a multitude of benefits that can significantly boost your fundraising efforts:
1. Increased Donations
In today's digital age, the reliance on carrying physical cash is diminishing, making credit card and tap-to-pay options essential for fundraising success. By providing these familiar payment methods, organizations can break down barriers to donations and empower supporters to contribute any amount they feel comfortable with in the spur of the moment.
This convenience not only increases the likelihood of receiving donations but also enhances the overall giving experience for donors, ultimately leading to greater support for the cause at hand.
2. Faster Transactions
Compared to cash or checks, credit card payments are lightning-fast. This keeps lines moving and maximizes fundraising opportunities during the event. And with the convenience of credit card and tap-to-pay options, donors can contribute any amount they feel comfortable with on the spot, leading to a seamless and engaging fundraising experience that encourages greater participation and generosity.
3. Versatility Beyond Donations
These terminals aren't limited to just collecting donations. Your imagination is the limit: Sell merchandise, raffle tickets, food and drinks, and even process day-of tickets and registration fees, and entry into event games and competitions all within the same system. This eliminates the need for separate cash boxes or handling various forms of payment.
💡Payment terminals are also great for when you set up a booth or table at another community event to collect donations while engaging volunteers and driving awareness.
4. Improved Donor Experience
A seamless and secure way to donate fosters a positive experience for your supporters. They can contribute in a way that is as easy and familiar as checking out at the grocery store, pharmacy, or coffee shop down the street.
5. Accurate Record Keeping
The electronic recording of transactions ensures accuracy, giving you a comprehensive view of your fundraising achievements. This streamlines the process of post-event reconciliation and reporting, making it easier to track your fundraising success.
6. Reduced Security Risk
Amidst the hustle and bustle of a live fundraising event, the potential dangers of managing substantial amounts of cash loom large. Credit card terminals offer a secure solution, effectively reducing the likelihood of theft or misplacement of funds on-site.
What to Use All Three Features for in a Single Fundraising Event?
The possibilities are endless! Check out this chart for ideas on how you can easily support your supporters’ charitable giving:
Take Advantage of These 3 Must-Have Tools & More with FrontStream
Our all-in-one fundraising software includes text-to-give, auction QR codes, credit card terminals, and more. Reach out today to learn more about how we can help you easily integrate these tools into your winning fundraising strategy.
