People Pledged To Donate. So What?

Pledge cards are a way of life in the world of nonprofit fundraising. Historically, they have been a great asset. But are they still relevant alongside today’s modern technology, like mobile apps for nonprofits or online giving?

By using pledge cards at your events, you open yourself up to the possibility of the card getting lost or forgotten. Once people leave, their mind turns to other things. Even with the best of intentions, many of us simply forget to follow through on our promises.

This is a common happening in fundraising and crowdfunding campaigns. One game developer who attempted to raise funds on Kickstarter drew an overwhelming amount of pledges, but lost over $2,000 when some of those pledges went unfulfilled.

In order to stay afloat, your organization needs to receive donations — and you would like to increase that number, not decrease it. How can you make sure that your supporters remember to give?

Enable On-the-Spot Giving

By far the best way to avoid forgotten pledges is to accept nonprofit donations on-the-spot. If someone is ready to give at any point during your event, why make them wait? Give them the option to make a donation while the idea is still fresh on their mind.

While providing a donation bin at your fundraiser is one way to go about it, you still run the risk of attendees not having cash or checks handy. Online giving, text donations, and mobile apps for nonprofits are a more reliable alternative.

Engage Event Attendees

Once you have a way to receive donations during your event, the next step is to get everyone in attendance actively involved in the fundraiser. The more engaged they are, the more likely they are to feel moved to make a donation to your cause.

One option is to display a running total of donations somewhere at your event, and update it as money rolls in. As guests see the goal you are trying to meet, and that others are stepping up to give, they will want to join in.

Another great way to get people engaged is to publicly recognize event donors. Everyone enjoys feeling appreciated, and the recognition could lead them to make another donation in the future.

Use Mobile Apps for Nonprofits

Your organization can achieve both of these goals with just one technology upgrade: mobile apps for nonprofits. Since everyone attending your event is probably carrying a smartphone, why not give them the opportunity to use it for giving?

Not only does that enable on-the-spot donations, but with the Givelify mobile giving app it brings the added bonus of the Givelithon feature. Your organization could then project the following during your event:

• Running total of donations
• Goal you would like to meet
• Incoming donations in real time
• Pictures of donors as their gifts roll in

Who needs pledge cards when you have mobile apps for nonprofits?