Fundraising: 9 Ways Technology is Impacting the Charity Sector

Howard Lake | 22 August 2023 | Sponsored posts

Photo: Joel Muniz on Unsplash.com

Customer Relationship Management Systems

Finances are often at the top of the list when it comes to concerns in the charity sector. Running charities is a time-consuming and costly process and, as such, finding ways to streamline operations can be a huge boost to these types of organisations.

Customer relationship management (CRM) systems are one way charities are optimising digital performance. According to Salesforce, “A CRM system helps organisations build customer relationships and streamline processes so they can increase sales, improve customer service, and increase profitability.”

CRM systems save charities a lot of time by reducing menial tasks and allowing staff to focus less on admin so they have more time to dedicate to their cause.

Convenient Payment Options

\The emergence of new and more convenient payment options, such as SumUp card readers, has transformed the way charities accept in-person and online payments – from purchases to donations.

As NCVO points out, “contactless fundraising is the digital equivalent to a donation box. Instead of a box to collect coins, you can have a device that takes contactless card payments instead.”

Many charities have adopted contactless to make it easier for supporters to make a payment. Contactless transactions have seen charitable donations soar, making contactless payment methods commonplace in charity shops and at public fundraising events.

Secure Data Management Systems

Charities collect and store a huge amount of customer information – from personal details to donation amounts. When dealing with important data, it is important to store everything securely and abide by data protection rules.

Technology is allowing charities to move away from more traditional data collection and storage methods (such as manually inputting information into spreadsheets) and moving towards digital data storage.

Storing all data within a data management system allows charities to enjoy more efficient internal procedures, better security, and improved data protection.

Social media is an amazing tool that allows businesses to connect with their supporters all around the world. It is one of the easiest ways to share news, raise awareness, and increase donations.

One of the driving forces behind a successful charity is how effectively it connects with people on an emotional level. Human stories are moving. They create connections. They pull at the heartstrings and help drive change.

Social media is one of the most effective ways to connect with people on a one-to-one basis, developing those emotional connections to inspire change. While text on a page goes some way towards creating impact, videos and images really bring a cause to life and social media makes this possible.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality technology is being increasingly adopted in charity organisations and is quickly becoming one of the most effective ways to raise awareness of charity initiatives.

For charities to succeed in making a difference, increasing awareness is vital. But it is also the biggest challenge charities face. Virtual reality helps charities draw attention to an issue, create emotional connections, and motivate audiences by letting them experience the problem. It’s an effective way to put people in others’ shoes and let them experience the world in a new way.

Virtual reality can also be a cost-effective way for charities to train new employees. Instead of the financial and time sacrifices involved in organising in-person training events, virtual reality allows for training to be done whenever and wherever is convenient.

Mobile Applications

Mobile applications are transforming the way charities connect with their supporters, raise awareness, and increase donations. With millions of mobile apps released in the App Store every year, apps are a forward-thinking technology bringing evolution to the charity sector.

Mobile apps enhance connectivity and allow organisations to manage their supporters’ interactions, monitor donation amounts, check donation history, and show how and where money is being spent.

Charities no longer need to rely on conventional forms of advertising, such as posters and billboards, but thanks to mobile apps they can connect with their supporters digitally. Whether charities want to broaden their reach, raise awareness of a particular issue, or connect more effectively with potential supporters, mobile apps are a convenient and affordable way to do so.

Cloud Technology

More than ever, charities are utilising cloud technology to streamline their admin tasks and make life a little bit easier for their staff. As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, finances are one of the top worries for charities and these organisations are always looking for ways to cut costs.

Introducing cloud technology is one of the most effective ways to cut operational costs and optimise the process of storing and sharing information. The sooner charities take their operations digital, the better.

What’s more, cloud technology doesn’t just allow everything to be digitised but in doing so, it provides complete visibility of a charities overall budget allocation, donations, future costs, and more.

Online Communication Platforms

Remote working is more common than ever before and, as such, people and the organisations they work for have adjusted to new forms of communication. Online communication platforms such as Google Meet and Zoom have proved to be irreplaceable tools and are now commonplace in most businesses – including charities.

The charity sector has benefitted extensively from online communication platforms, utilising them to connect with organisations and people worldwide. Using platforms like Zoom and Google Meet, charities can host webinars and fundraising events that raise awareness of various causes.

OnZoom and In-platform Donations

In addition to these online communication platforms, Zoom has created a sub-platform called OnZoom where supporters participating in a live webinar or presentation can make in-platform donations.

As Zoom explains, “OnZoom allows you to turn your OnZoom event into a fundraiser. This allows Attendees to directly make in-platform donations to verified nonprofit organisations during your Meeting or Webinar event. A live donor feed will be shown as well.”

In-platform donations make it easy for supporters to donate, thereby helping charities raise more money for a particular cause. Charities can track the donations in their OnZoom account and keep track of how close they are to their goal amount.

In Summary

As you can see, technology is making big waves in the charity sector. By taking their operations digital, charities are reaching new audiences, establishing connections, and driving real change for the issues they care about. We hope this article has inspired you to explore the different ways technology could benefit you.

Daniel Groves is a coach and author, constantly developing his knowledge and sharing his experience with like-minded business owners, and growth strategists with a passion for the non-profit sector.

Connect with Daniel on LinkedIn: or get in touch with him.

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.