What Would The World Be Like If Nonprofit Apps Didn’t Exist?

A World Without Nonprofit Apps

In the classic Jimmy Stewart film It’s a Wonderful Life, a depressed man named George Bailey is given a glimpse of what the world would be like if he had never been born. Fortunately for George, [spoiler alert] he learns in the end that the world is much better off with him in it.

When it comes to nonprofit fundraising, one piece of technology has helped make the process incredibly fast and easy: nonprofit apps. But what would the world be like if these helpful tools had never been invented?

Forgotten Pledges

Before nonprofit apps were a possibility, nonprofit organizations employed a traditional method to accept donations: pledge cards. A person who wanted to give would have to fill out one of these cards with the amount they intended to give, and then remember to make the donation after they returned home.

Between leaving the fundraiser and returning home, the person would likely forget about the pledge they had promised to give. Now that the idea has completely slipped his or her mind, that is one donation the nonprofit will have to do without.

Empty Wallets

A very large, impressive crowd shows up to a nonprofit fundraising event. The organization putting on the event is thrilled; just think of all of the money they will be able to raise!

But one problem arises that they didn’t consider: some of the attendees forgot to bring cash. A lack of cash on hand is actually quite common. According to The Fundraising Coach:

80% of Americans carry less than $50 cash.

9% of Americans don’t carry any cash at all.

People may feel moved to give while attending the event, but without cash, they can’t actually make a donation. Once again, without nonprofit apps, the organization will simply lose out on those gifts.

Writing Checks

Who carries cash or checks in these modern times? Not many people do. The federal reserve reports that the current number of checks paid is half of what it was in 2003, and 74% of Americans only write, at most, one check per month.

In a world without nonprofit apps, checks are still a major part of a nonprofit’s annual fundraising. But with so few people writing checks, this becomes yet another way that organizations will see giving waver.

Waiting in Line

What if the organization placed giving kiosks around the event grounds? This would enable supporters to make donations using their credit or debit cards — but consider the possible drawbacks of this system. Unless they have enough kiosks for every person in attendance, donors will have to wait in long lines in order to donate.

Would you want to spend all of your time at a fundraising event standing in a line, waiting to give? Without the option of nonprofit apps, this would be your reality.

Memorizing Text Codes

But what about text-to-give? Nonprofit apps may not exist in our scenario, but other forms of mobile giving are still a possibility. People can still donate using the text messaging feature of their phones.

While this method is definitely more convenient than cash, checks, or giving kiosks, text-to-give can’t compete with the ease of use that nonprofit apps offer. In order to give, a person has to remember the exact text code, and the donation amount cannot exceed a set limit. If he or she felt moved to give more than, say, $10, the process would have to be repeated several times.

As it turns out, the world of giving to charity is much better off with nonprofit apps in the equation. Avoid taking a trip back to the outdated past; make your next donation using a nonprofit app. You will see just how much better the giving experience can be.