Charity Donation Platforms and When To Use Them

Transcription

1 The Top ➒ Charity Donation Platforms and When To Use Them A FREE GUIDE BY

2 Introduction The development of the social web has resulted in lots of exciting ways to raise money for your charity online. It can be a daunting task to compare them as different fundraising platforms all have different features to offer. The decision of which to go with will be specific to each charity depending on fundraising strengths, target audiences, and goals. This guide will examine the advantages (and disadvantages) of all of these fundraising features, comparing nine fundraising platforms available to UK registered charities. All figures correct as of July 2013 What we measured Our method for compiling this guide was simple. We thought of all the questions that we d want to know the answer to if we were a charity - and then we found the answers. We divided our analysis into four sections: ➊ ➌ Cost Social Media ➋ ➍ Design Functionality Page 2

3 The platforms we measured For most charities the primary function of an online fundraising platform is to collect donations, both one-off and monthly, from individuals wanting to contribute to their work. We chose these nine platforms on their ability to do this. The majority also offer a secondary feature - the ability to host a fundraising page for individuals organizing sponsored events. Finally, you ll discover at the end of this guide some other online fundraising options which offer additional features, but are not designed to be a charity s primary fundraising page. You might want to consider using one of those in addition. Thanks to the social web, we all have the new ability to reach out to our online networks to support a cause, and we can tap into others networks too never has online fundraising had so much potential. Page 3

4 ➊ Cost How much money will you actually receive from each donation? Page 4

5 We ve worked out the costs for you With all of these platforms, the cost to the charity differs depending on the amount of donations received per year. In order to compare the cost to the charity of receiving different total donations over a period of a year, we ve assumed the following: An average donation is 25 ( 32 with gift aid), suggested by research by Just Giving in We ve calculated these payments based on the debit card to credit card ratio of 69:31 given by the UK Card Association (PDF). We ve worked out all the associated costs for each platform, taking into consideration card processing fees, monthly or yearly subscription fees, set up costs, transactional fees, and the additional gift aid received on each gift. The figures therefore represent the total yearly cost per platform based on donation amounts totalling 1000, 5000, and 20,000. If you know how much your charity normally receives a year through online donations then this will allow you to place yourself in the column that is most appropriate for you to work out which option is the cheapest. Page 5

6 Set up cost ( ) Transaction fee % Debit card processing fee Choice of paying transaction fee Credit card processing fee Annual cost based on xxx in donations* 1,000 5,000 20,000 Score out of 10 BT My Donate - 0% 15p 1.3% ➓ Charity Choice % 25p 1.45% (1.9% commercial) ➒ Charities Aid Foundation /m 4.5% + gift aid ➎ Just Giving 18/m 5% + gift aid 17p 1.3% ➍ Virgin Money Giving 120 2% 1.45% 1.45% ➏ Every Click - 4% 4.8% 4.8% ➎ The Big Give - 4% ➏ B My Charity 180 0% 1.6% 1.6% ➐ Global Giving - 10% ➐ *These figures are for numerous donations over the period of a year, including any monthly or annual fees Page 6

7 Cost: Analysis and ratings It s interesting to see that some of the larger and more established platforms are taking a larger chunk of the donations than the smaller platforms. However, this needs to be balanced against the fact that they provide a wider range of services (eg. text donations) which facilitate more donations. Our figures are set against a total donation amount, and so you don t get to see the benefit that a campaign donation platform like The Big Give can have on your donations. It s hard to pick a winner out of the group so I m going to have to have two picks. It s probably obvious from the ratings that I ve put up there but, on a cost basis, the winners have to be BT MyDonate and Charity Choice. Matt Lind Project manager Page 7

8 ➋ Design How are results affected by the website user interface? Page 8

9 We ve tested the user experience of each website Design plays a key role in keeping your donors engaged and making the experience as stress-free as possible. With this in mind, we ve analysed the overall user journey experience of each platform including how easy it is to customize to your branding. We have also listed the level of mobile compatability that each affords. An additional feature to look out for is a fundraising app that can be downloaded for ios or Android, which most of the donation platforms we reviewed feature. Although these can t be used by donors, they offer a means for fundraisers to view donation activity, track trends, and raise the profile of the charities they are fundraising for through linking to social media. Page 9

10 Mobile site Mobile app for tracking donations iphone ipad Android Design features of charity fundraising pages User journey strengths Score out of 10 BT My Donate Good social media Good social media Charity Choice Charities Aid Foundation Just Giving Virgin Money Giving Photo, slideshow and colour customisation Friends and fundraisers section Map and contact information News feed + Giving via text Easy to use Mixed reviews Mixed reviews Large signposts on the homepage ➐ Colour coded sections Messages from supporters Links to fundraisers events Clear headline information Strong home page design with clear calls to action Clear navigation for giving as a company Clear calls to action on the home page Clear headline information Photo gallery options ➑ Every Click ➍ ➎ ➏ ➒ The Big Give B My Charity Good home page Global Giving Links to projects detailing how donations will be spent Direct link to charity commissions site for accounts Rosettes for each campaign participated in Customisable colour scheme US only at present Expected 2014 Expected 2014 Clean and easy to navigate layout Large signposts on the home page ➍ ➍ Project emphasis detailing how donations will be spent ➑ Photos, charity information, reports and maps Page 10

11 Design: Analysis and ratings Analysis of design can always be regarded as subjective. However, tangible and measurable outcomes are no more present than on a dedicated donations platform where the design aesthetic and structure can radically affect conversion. Global Giving offers some stand out features, particularly the emphasis on projects and the ability to add maps, photos and reports to your profile page but we feel that you can t beat simplicity and minimalism for converting wary customers through a financial transaction. For this reason the Just Giving website is our winner in the design category. Calls to action and options are clear and reassuring and the care taken to minimise drop outs throughout the process, especially on a mobile platform is the best we have seen. Owen Roseblade Creative Director Page 11

12 ➌ Social How easy is it to share your page to increase donations? Page 12

13 We ve ranked social media influence The role social media plays in fundraising campaigns is not to be underestimated. Getting the word out is closely tied to the amount raised, and social media provides a way of reaching more people than ever before. We ve given each platform a ranking based on: The ease of tweeting or posting to directly from your fundraising page Their own presence on social media Interestingly, research by Just Giving in September 2011 showed that while a staggering 97% of social media donations come from Facebook, donors coming from Twitter give considerably more. The average donation from Facebook is 18.33, whilst Twitter users give an average of It s safe to say then, that while playing slightly different roles, both are key to any fundraising campaign. Page 13

14 Integrated social media Facebook page likes Facebook App Twitter Twitter followers Following ratio (high is good) Score out of 10 BT My Donate ➊ Charity ➋ Charities Aid Foundation 10, ➎ Just Giving good sticky icons 83, ,000 73, ➓ Virgin Money Giving 9,414 10,000 10, ➏ Every Click 1, ➋ The Big Give 7, ➌ B My Charity 2, ➍ Global Giving 1, , ➍ Page 14

15 Social Media: Analysis and ratings If you ve been following our blog you ll know how important we think social media is - and social influence is only set to rise in Just Giving is a not only a winner but a leader in the social category, with seven times as many Twitter followers and much more influence than its nearest contender, and over 100,000 monthly users of its Facebook App. Our favourite social feature is that on their website, the social media icons follow the user down the screen, meaning the likelihood of viewers sharing your project socially is much higher! Other platforms, take note. Crispin Read Head of Technology Page 15

16 ➍ Functionality What services does the platform offer to aid fundraising? Page 16

17 We ve highlighted the most impactful features While each of these platforms can collect one-off donations on behalf of UK registered charities, there are also additional features that vary in importance depending on the specific fundraising needs of your charity. Some collect monthly payments, and some allow payment via Paypal, making the payment process easier but increasing the fees to the charity (Paypal charges 3.4% GBP for payments less than 1,500). If your charity regularly hosts sponsored events then the ability to host personal fundraising pages will be an important feature, and if you have an older supporter base then you might want to consider a platform that offers a gift-giving through wills service. Page 17

18 Donate page features Suggested amounts Manual input Direct debit Paypal Personal fundraising pages Other fundraising features Score out of 10 BT My Donate ➐ Goods donation service Charity Choice Volunteer registration service ➎ Gifts in will Charities Aid Payroll and company giving Foundation Required Integrated CSR ➏ Just Giving ➒ JustTextGiving Virgin Money Giving ➑ Every Click Give as you live (Stores donate percentage as you shop online) ➍ The Big Give B My Charity Required Required Events throughout the year where corporations match public pledges ➍ ➍ Global Giving Gift cards Gift list, donate to a project as a present, including a personalized card ➑ Page 18

19 Functionality: Analysis and ratings Two of the most important functionalities for charities are the ability to sign up monthly direct debit givers, and buttons with one-off amounts as well as a manual function. We therefore placed Just Giving, Virgin Money Giving and BT My Donate the in the top four as they were the only three offering these services. (Global Giving only offers manual input of amounts, but has lots of other features that make it worthy of its score!) Just Giving comes out the highest due to its paypal integration and Just Text Giving services, however the other platforms shouldn t be dismissed as they do offer a variety of services which could be useful alongside a fundraising platform offering Direct Debit Giving. George Young Production Director Page 19

20 ➎ Conclusion Our final word on the matter (and some more resources) Page 20

21 Conclusion We build websites and provide communications and marketing support to a wide range of charities across the UK, from large to small, who all have different fundraising needs. It s difficult to therefore take a one-size fits all approach and crown one of these donation platforms the outright winner, as so much of it depends on the size of your organization and your fundraising strategy. We were however, really impressed with our winner, Just Giving, which won in the design, social and functionality categories. It s not the cheapest option, but you really do get what you pay for. Our runner-up, Virgin Money Giving, is a more consistent contender across all categories so may be worth considering if you re prepared to sacrifice some features in order to maximise every penny from your donations. Platform Cost Design Social Functionality Total BT My Donate Charity Choice Charities Aid Foundation Just Giving Virgin Money Giving Every Click The Big Give B My Charity Global Giving Page 21

22 Additional Fundraising Options Once you ve chosen your main fundraising platform to receive one-off donations, it s time to look at some services to help your charity diversify your income stream. Just Text Giving The Free Text Donation Service Users of Just Giving will already be registered for this service which is also free for charities using other donation platforms to use. A partnership between Vodafone and Virgin, Just Text Giving allows charities to collect donations by text message with no running costs, no commission and no catches. Every penny of every donation goes to the charity (plus Gift Aid.) Its particularly useful when running events or for use on leaflets and other promotional materials. We love this service, and with an easy registration process there s no excuse not to join! Everyclick The Online Shopping Donation Service The idea behind Everyclick is simple. Your biggest fans download an app extension for their internet browser, which then logs securely their online spending. Companies who ve registered with the service then donate a percentage of their spend to your charity. Don t be put off by the basic design of their website- the idea behind it could bag you loads of extra donations. Mission Fish (the Paypal Giving Fund) The Ebay for Charity Service Ebay is one of the largest shopping websites in the UK. Mission Fish allows charity shops to sell on ebay and receive the full amount, and for ebay sellers to pledge a percentage of their goods as a donation towards a charity. Mission Fish then collect gift aid, deduct a 3.75% fee, and pay the money to the charity. There s a minimum donation of 1 per listing. Once you re registered, givers can also go from your charity page on Ebay direct to Paypal to make a donation without buying anything on Ebay, though the fees don t make this particularly worthwhile. Sponsor Me The Payroll Giving Service Sponsor Me are a not-for-profit organization managing Payroll Giving and corporate donations for companies large and small. Existing to support companies with their giving, they are one of the largest Payroll Giving organisations and support their clients in corporate social responsibility activities including fundraising, appeals management, volunteers and community engagement. They take a 4% fee from all online and offline donations. Page 22

23 We equip charities of all sizes to communicate creatively and effectively through digital media and technology. To work with us Check out our services For more free resources Visit our blog For regular updates Get our newsletter A FREE GUIDE BY Page 23