Nonprofit Raises $100/Minute With Givelify Mobile Giving

At a recent fundraising event, Indianapolis nonprofit Dig IN generated over $1100 in donations in just 10 minutes using mobile giving with Givelify.

I’ll wait while you read that again.

Yes, $1100 in 10 minutes. How on Earth did they do it?

The Concept

Munch Madness, a cooking battle between local celebrity chefs in the burgeoning Indianapolis food scene, was a first-time event designed to raise funds to help Dig IN further their mission of providing educational resources for the agricultural, culinary arts, and local food sectors in Indiana. Each of the four chefs began with 10,000 points they could use to bid on “speed bumps” for their competitors (using a rock instead of a meat tenderizer for pork tenderloins, using an EZ-Bake oven to make pie).

After two rounds of eliminations, the two finalists depended on real-time donations from the audience using Givelify. Screens were set up onstage showing each chef’s Givelithon, so donors could see which chef was leading and help their favorite with mobile giving. The set goal for the 10-minute donation period was $500—whichever chef reached or exceeded the goal first would win the ability to “speed bump” the other.

Pre-Promotion

Leading up to the event, Dig IN promoted a “special giving opportunity” and encouraged attendees to download the Givelify app ahead of time. They utilized Facebook, Twitter, email updates, their Eventbrite page, and their blog to get the message out to registrants and supporters. They featured a dedicated blog post called “Prepare to Givelify” with clear instructions on how to download the mobile giving app as well as the explainer video.

The app download link was also included so those viewing the email, blog, and social media posts on a mobile device could tap and go straight to the App Store or Google Play.

In addition, Dig IN added the address of the event location to their app profile, so when attendees pulled up the Givelify app they would be presented with a map showing nearby nonprofits with Munch Madness front and center.

A Bit of Training

Since the event was held in our city, I was able to attend and assist with Givelify’s portion. As part of the volunteer assignments, I gave all of them an overview of how to download and use the mobile giving app so they could answer questions from attendees.

We obviously can’t be everywhere, but this was an excellent opportunity your organization should take advantage of. If you utilize volunteers at your fundraising event, spending just a little bit of time demonstrating how to download Givelify and how the donation process works will ensure a smoother giving experience for your supporters.

Print Material

Dig IN included the same information from the emails and blog post about downloading Givelify in the printed event programs. Along with information about what the event was intended to accomplish, people were again reminded about the Givelithon and given clear instructions for how to participate.

In-Event Hype

From the beginning and throughout the evening, the emcee promoted the Givelithon that was to come. She would give simple instructions on how to download the mobile giving app and how they would be using it during the bidding period. Attendees were also directed to refer to the event program or a volunteer for more help.

Mobile Giving Is Instant Gratification

When the time came for attendees to make donations, we switched the two large monitors placed in front of each chef’s workstation to their respective Givelithons. During the 10-minute donation period, the emcee told the audience to get out their phones and go to the Givelify app.

As people made donations to each chef, the Givelithon dollar amounts given updated in real-time with each giver’s name and profile image scrolling up the side as shown in the video above. People cheered on their favorite chef, and the emcee hyped the donations by repeatedly calling out how much each chef had raised and how much they needed to reach their goal.

The Results

Even after the 150 or so supporters had paid between $20-35 to attend the event, as well as purchasing $5 food and drink tickets to sample a variety of local food vendors on hand, Dig IN was still able to raise over $1100 in just a 10-minute period. The audience was engaged and excited, and even the emcee and other event participants had fun cheering on the process.

Now they can donate year-round, it’s already on their phone. They don’t have to put in their account info anymore, so they just go in and they can donate whenever they feel like it.

I thought everyone had a great time using the app. It seemed like they already had it downloaded when they came in here. We had money up before we even announced that we were having a Givelithon, so that just shows it’s that easy to use.

– Ashleigh Newbold, planner and board member

Actionable Steps for Your Fundraiser

• Utilize all available channels and means of communication to promote mobile giving and your Givelithon.
• Use social media and email to encourage pre-downloading the app.
• Include the same information on your event landing and registration page.
• Include the app download link (https://www.givelify.com/app) in electronic communication.
• Train your volunteers to assist attendees.
• Promote and provide instructions in print material like event programs, table tents, and signage.
• Use a Givelithon to show real-time results and reward donors by showing their name and profile image.

View these tips as a handy infographic:

Click to enlarge and download

Ready to Maximize Your Fundraising Events?

Sign up with Givelify now. There are no setup or monthly fees. You don’t even have to sit through a demo if you don’t care to. Just sign up, get your account verified, and take it for a test drive to see if it’s right for your organization.

About Dig IN

Dig IN demonstrates that investment in Indiana food and agriculture, through education, experiences, and conservation, benefits our community and economy. The organization provides educational resources for agricultural, culinary arts, and local food sectors in Indiana. It increases awareness of Indiana’s diversity in agriculture and culinary arts, and facilitates connections within the Indiana food community to enhance economic development opportunities.