How is your year-end giving campaign going?

According to research, nearly a third of charitable giving occurs in December, with about 12 percent of that in the last three days of the year! It’s so significant, it’s called the “Giving Season”. But you know that! About two-thirds of people are giving throughout the year but the numbers skew heavily to the fourth quarter. Some sources claim nearly half of a nonprofit’s funds are generated by year-end giving campaigns. Maybe we’ll have a blog next spring to help you draw some of those funds into your organization earlier in the year!

That said, people who wait until the end of the year may be caught up in the roller coaster season between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. Do we think they are sitting down with their checkbook and a pile of envelopes hoping for inspiration? No. They’re shopping, entertaining, partying, traveling, exchanging white elephant gifts (why do they call it that?) and trying to maintain their sanity. While they’re waiting in line for Santa at the mall, they can pull up the Netgiver app on their phone and get the job done. Otherwise, when they do have a moment to breathe, they can pull up your website, click on the Netgiver widget and give easily and securely.

Who are your donors?

We know that 60 percent of Millennials are regular givers, and they are more likely to use digital technology to donate. And (oh so close) 59 percent of Generation X regularly give to charity. People are accustomed to and comfortable with giving online and, as we advised recently, online giving increased by 20 percent in 2020. There’s no reason to think people will shy away from it now – they’re engaged and obviously enthused about it. FinTechs (financial technology, like apps) are here to stay because people know they are safe and effective for fundraisers. We’re seeing QR codes everywhere, but nothing is easier than Netgiver.

Your donors expect to see online options and apps as part of your giving options. It’s another way they can connect with you in the moment they feel like giving. We know most people who give are emotionally connected to a nonprofit – your mission is their mission – and they trust you to provide a secure way to support it.

Just as important is your ability to attract new donors without added expense. Fundraising can be labor and capital intensive, adding administrative costs and burdening your service delivery capabilities. What did it cost the last time you had a direct mail campaign? How many people did you reach? You can increase your coverage span and reach more potential donors using Netgiver without increasing your expenses.

Still on the Fence?

Netgiver did the research for you. We found that the number of online and app giving platforms grew significantly over the past couple of years. They range from Meta (parent of Facebook) to traditional financial transaction companies like Paypal and Stripe to smaller companies backed by venture capitalists. We researched 18 companies that process charitable donations. To profit from their investments, they charge people to make a donation, so we had to wonder how donors feel about that. We found out that while 80 percent of people will still give a donation when asked to add in the fee, they were 14 percent less likely to give again. The net outcome is that you’ve lost an opportunity for donors to be more connected to you and come back to give another day.

Here are some of the companies we studied and the ways they charge to take your donations:

These companies charge anywhere from 1% to 5% of the donated dollar amounts. There were a couple of sites that added 30 cents to each donation. How do your donors feel about these surcharges being added to their transactions?

Netgiver never charges donors for their generosity. We believe donors should be thanked and rewarded for their gifts, so we don’t charge any fees, no matter what they call them. We make it free – and easy – for people to give to their favorite nonprofit. By adding our Netgiver widget to your web site, you are keeping a donor on your site, making it more secure than sending them to a third-party URL. This is an improved experience for your website visitors and provides a secure way to enter their information. Financial experts call it embedded giving and it is proven to increase your donor retention rate and encourage new donors to follow through on their intention to give.

This year, use Giving Season to introduce your donors to a new, secure channel for giving that makes a bigger impact on your fundraising campaigns. Let us help you create that experience for your community.

Enroll your 501(c)(3) today at: https://app.netgiverapp.com