Apps your charity should know about

The technologies behind charity apps are constantly changing for the better. Today, leaps in technology have meant that charities have many opportunities to reach out and showcase their impact.

 

Here, we trace the trajectory of tech trends, and reflect on what it means for the future of charity apps.

 

 

Mobile phones will be able to do so much more

 

That little device in everyone’s pocket is only going to grow in prominence. According to Statista, in 2020, 98% of the population between the ages of 16-44 used smart phones.

 

The BBC reports that Britons spend one-third of their waking hours on mobile phones. Unsurprisingly the article also highlights huge increases in app downloads.

 

People downloaded a variety of apps, ranging from shopping, to wellbeing, to games. TikTok took the top spot for most downloaded app.

 

Good Call says that the creation of proprietary apps is an opportunity to tap into new audiences. They say that the proliferation of free, easy-to-use software levels the playing field in terms of development costs. Good Call cites the success of ShareTheMeal.

 

The United Nations’ World Food Programme created the app to fundraise for hungry Syrian refuges. The app has been downloaded over 300,000 times. Through crowd funding, it has garnered enough money to provide 3.3 million meals.

 

Charities are capitalising on increasing smart phone usage. Experiences in crowd, peer-to-peer, and digital fundraising put charities in prime position to develop platforms to increase donations. From this perspective, the future of charity apps is bright.

 

 

Apps will speed up operations and automation

 

Constituent relationship management systems do a good job at collecting and analysing data. However, the processes aren’t fully automated because work still needs to be done by staff to interpret the datasets. In simple terms, staff are needed to draw conclusions before the data can have real impact.

 

There are indications that apps are being developed to help charities make meaningful change. My Charity Shop app uses customer data to increase loyalty and Gift Aid.

 

The app takes donation history and Gift Aid information to help users make seamless purchases. The platform also has the added benefit of advertising volunteering opportunities for retail outlets.

 

To encourage shoppers, awards can be ‘unlocked’ when certain purchasing thresholds are met. Charity operations are automatically smoother because customer details are stored within the app.  As an app, My Charity Shop uses data to enhance the shopping experience.

 

Looking ahead, we expect charity apps of the future to automatically translate the data to increase shop sales or donations.

 

 

Cryptocurrencies open the door to explore finance-related apps

 

Post-COVID-19 trends highlight the shift from cash, to digital card and wallet payments. Due to social distancing restrictions, contactless payments are a necessity not a luxury.

 

With digital payments established, non-fungible tokens and digital (crypto) currencies are growing in terms of usage and transactions. Charities are exploring the new-found space.

 

For some, cryptocurrencies may be able to increase donations and reduce foreign exchange costs. The Children’s Heart Unit Fund, The Giving Block, Save the Children, and the RNLI accept cryptocurrencies as part of their normal donations.

 

The digital currencies may be held in a foundation as an investment, or used as a way to hedge against currency exchange fluctuations.

 

Organisations accepting digital currencies benefit from the entire digital and mobile app environment. Digital wallets, custodians, and trading apps are just some of the possibilities. For charities, these apps may be the way forward to engage with sophisticated investors. 

 

 

Social media as a fundraising and sales channel

 

Mobile phone apps already play a huge part in charity fundraising. Between engaging audiences and collecting funds, there is a proliferation of apps. But, there are a few main ones used for fundraising, including JustGiving and GoFundMe.

 

Social media apps are bridging the fundraising space. Instagram promotes and fundraises over several formats – traditional posts, live feed, and stories. The built-in toolkit empowers charities to broadcast live fundraisers and accept donations.

 

A similar set of tools is on offer at Facebook, so campaigns across the two app platforms can be connected. The benefit here is that donations can be made directly from the apps. Donors don’t need to click on the profile link to be directed to donation pages.

 

 

But what about other platforms and apps?

 

There are other possibilities for charity app developers to connect social media and fundraising. It’s not just about increasing reach and donations. In the future, apps may use VR or augmented reality to show impact and solicit donations.

 

Personalisation could also penetrate deeper into the charity world. New apps may be able to tailor donation opportunities across a number of projects. There is now an expectation that we’ll see more connectivity between apps.