Why Are Mobile Donations a Low Priority for Nonprofits?

As mobile payments take off in retail and commerce, nonprofits continue to rely on outdated processes when it comes to accepting philanthropic gifts. A survey by GiveCentral found that:

23 percent of respondents work for nonprofits that measure mobile donations

Only 6 percent have donors who pay by mobile device

Considering the trajectory of mobile donations, those numbers are well behind the curve. Why are nonprofit organizations so slow to take advantage of this new technology?

What’s Holding Them Back

Is it purely coincidental? Think again. It is no accident. In fact, many nonprofits have made the conscious choice to avoid modern technology. They cling to the old format, and not because they feel mobile donations are a bad idea. It is because they don’t believe that donors are ready to make the switch.

Nonprofits feel that donors don’t trust the security of mobile donation platforms. Plus, 52 percent of respondents believe that their donors fear technological change.

Is this a valid concern? Are nonprofits correct to assume that their donors have little to no interest in making mobile donations?

Hardly. Today’s donors are more tech-savvy than you might think. If organizations encouraged them to use a mobile giving method, donors likely wouldn’t hesitate to give it a try.

Why Mobile Donations Are Important

Going forward, mobile payments will be at the forefront of not just nonprofit fundraising, but also any other type of financial transaction. Worldwide mobile payment volume, which reached $163.1 billion in 2012, is expected to rise to $721.4 billion by 2017.

To hold off on accepting this new form of payment would be a mistake. With more and more people turning to mobile donations, traditional gifts will inevitably decline. Nonprofits that do not offer mobile options would miss out on those donations.

Organizations that want to stay afloat and have successful nonprofit fundraising efforts should give donors as many paths as possible to give. If they do, mobile technology will help them see a much brighter future.