One Cent Call launches regular microdonation platform for mobile giving

Howard Lake | 5 August 2013 | News

One Cent Call has launched a giving platform that lets anyone with a mobile phone give small amounts regularly via the phone bill.  Users can give from 50p to £3 a month, deducated from their phone bill.

The service is free for all UK charities, large and small. Charities include WWF and the Small Charities Coalition are already using it. Subscribers can donate to local UK charities or causes worldwide.

In addition, in the event of a major disaster, donors will also have the option of diverting their donations for a period of time to contribute directly to charities dealing with that specific challenge. There are no contracts and users can cancel or change their cause preference or donation amount at any time.

Who can use it?

One Cent Call’s app is available on both iOS and Android, and non-smartphone users can use the service too by registering via OCC’s website.

It is available to both UK mobile contract and pay-as-you-go customers on Vodafone, T-Mobile, O2, 3 and Virgin Mobile.

No credit card or bank account information is required from donors. The agreed amount is itemised on their monthly bill or deducted automatically from top-up credits for pay-as-you-go customers.

Subscribers receive regular updates on the cause or causes they support through One Cent Call. The company sees this transparency as an essential element of “holding charities accountable for how they spend funds”.

Charges

One Cent Call is committed to passing a minimum of 85% of all donations to participating charities. It aims to increase this as it attracts more users to the service: the lower the transaction fees OCC is charged, the greater the amount the company will pass on to charities.

OCC is independently audited by global accounting firm BDO, including an independent signatory on the disbursement of funds to charities.

The company is a member of the Institute of Fundraising and is already engaging in UK charity sector initiatives, including UK Fundraising’s Fundraising Camp and in sponsorships.

One Cent Call

One Cent Call was founded in Australia, and already has plans to expand, once it has launched in the UK, to Europe, North America and Australasia.

Liz Lankester, Charity Manager at OCC, explained: “We wanted to develop a way to fundraise that requires little effort and is open to all ages.  The low donation limits mean young people and those on with limited incomes can get involved in doing social good.

“Small donations add up to making a big difference and OCC aims to be the international fundraising platform of choice by enabling everyone to give just a little.”

Sheena Wynne of community development charity, Temwa UK, said: “We all want to congratulate One Cent for their wonderfully innovative approach to fundraising. It provides a simple, effective and easy to use method for people across the globe to contribute, however great or small, to a cause they believe in. Truly excellent!”

The Small Charities Coalition, which supports almost 7,000 charities across the UK, has partnered with OCC. Its Operations Manager John Barrett said: “At a time when small charities are struggling to raise funds, One Cent Call is offering an exciting, new and simple way to attract more donations from a wider donor base. OCC have deliberately minimised the registration and administration time for charities, allowing them to get on with the essential work they’re delivering around the UK and beyond.”

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.