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Nonprofit Leaders 2min read

Mobile Donations Made Great Strides in 2015

With the ever-growing popularity of smartphones, mobile donations were bound to gain momentum. According to an in-depth study by Blackbaud, in which they tracked mobile giving across 1,193 small and medium-sized nonprofit organizations between January 1st of 2015 and December 31st of 2015, mobile donations are indeed on the rise.

The Growth of Mobile Donations

2015 was a banner year for mobile donations. More than ever, nonprofit donors began using smartphones to give to their favorite charities.

According to Blackbaud’s study:

One in seven online donors gave using a mobile device in 2015, up from one in 10 the previous year.

14% of 2015 nonprofit donations came from mobile devices.

From the 2014 giving season to the 2015 season, mobile donations increased 45%.

2015 Summary of Mobile Donations

via Blackbaud

Multiple factors influenced this increase in mobile donations. First of all, more people begin using smartphones every year. Secondly, websites are becoming more and more mobile-friendly, which means that users are more likely to use their phone instead of relying on a tablet or personal computer. Lastly, smartphone owners have become increasingly likely to use their devices for important financial transactions like banking and making purchases.

Phones vs Tablets

While mobile giving can occur on both smartphones and tablets, more and more people are opting to give using their phones. Tablets had previously dominated the field, but their numbers are on the decline while smartphones are growing.

In 2015, mobile gifts from iPhones increased from 30% to 42% of devices used, and Android devices also grew from 8% to 14%. Meanwhile, iPads, which had made up 61% of devices used for mobile donations in 2014, fell to only 43% in 2015.

Clearly, the on-the-go nature of smartphones are becoming a major asset to nonprofit donors. In order to optimize your organization’s fundraising efforts, ignoring the importance of mobile donations would be a major oversight.

Donations By Device 2015

via Blackbaud

About the Author

Allison has a passion for charitable giving and believes that small acts of kindness can make the world a better place. She uses her web content and social media expertise to guide churches and nonprofits through the mobile fundraising process.

Allison Weaver