# Has digital disrupted fundraising?

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/08/13/has-digital-disrupted-fundraising/
- Published: 2013-08-13T20:47:47+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Digital technology has disrupted many industries over the last 15 or 20 years. Book
publishing, advertising, music, insurance, medicine, education and many more have
been disrupted or are in the throes of it.

But what about charity fundraising? We've had secure online donations for nearly
20 years, and the sector has experienced, adapted to and driven all kinds of digital
developments. We've seen major new companies emerge in the digital era such as JustGiving,
and countless digital start-ups.

But I don't believe fundraising has been disrupted.

## Advertisement

 [⌊Posthub advert. You create the campaign. We'll handle the postal journey. Get started at post-hub.co.uk.⌉](https://fundraising.co.uk/ads/posthub-20261007-300x250/)

## What could disrupt fundraising?

Probably the trend that could disrupt fundraising the most is **crowdfunding**, 
by taking some of the essential tools and processes of fundraising and opening them
up to anyone. Similarly **microloan organisations** such as Kiva can connect individuals
directly, and what is more, can ensure that money is recycled to ensure repeated
impact.

Of course, mobile giving, microdonations, and peer-to-peer fundraising have all 
changed or expanded fundraising. But I don't believe you could truthfully say that
they have disrupted the sector.

## Signs of disruption

If disruption has occurred in fundraising, surely we would see evidence of it. This
could take the form of charities that have ceased to exist because their fundraising
model was made redundant, or fundraising companies whose business model was overtaken
by digital developments.

Of course, over the past 20 years, fundraising companies and charities have gone
out of business, not least given the difficulties of the past six years of financial
crisis. But were any of them the victim of digital disruption?

## Is fundraising immune to disruption?

So, has the fundraising industry, unlike others, avoided digital disruption? Will
it continue to do so?

Perhaps it might. Charities' income streams are quite diverse, and part of fundraising
strategy is to plan ahead and adapt to effective fundraising methods, testing as
you go, and dropping the less successful methods and channels. Unless digital can
overhaul and challenge the major income sources of major gifts, regular giving, 
and grant making trusts, then perhaps charities will be able to weather and adapt
to the considerable challenges of digital communications.

## Should fundraising be disrupted?

If fundraising had experienced digital disruption, would it (and consequently charities'
beneficiaries, and indeed donors) have been improved? Would the sector have responded
to such a large-scale challenge and transformed itself and become even more effective?
And in the meantime, would charity income have suffered and therefore beneficiaries
too? Quite possibly.

So, do let me know if you think that fundraising has been disrupted by digital developments
or is in the process of being so.

_Photo: [broken rail](http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-135699662/stock-photo-strategy-obstruction-challenges-as-a-train-track-that-is-broken-as-a-road-block-business-concept.html)
by Lightspring on Shutterstock.com_

 * **[Fundraising’s problem with being ‘competitive’](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/08/28/fundraising039s-problem-with-being-039competitive039/)**(
   28 August 2013)
 * **[Diabetes UK encourages event fundraisers with photos and a Vine video](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/09/05/diabetes-uk-encourages-event-fundraisers-with-photos-and-vine-video/)**(
   5 September 2013)
 * **[Starting a new charity job](https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/09/06/starting-new-charity-job/)**(
   6 September 2013)