State of charities' use of SMS report available online

Fundraising | Celina Ribeiro | 1 Jul 2009

Research into charities enthusiasm for, and under-use of, SMS technology is available for public viewing online.

The ‘Sending out an SMS’ report, put together by nfpSynergy, Charities Aid Foundation and the Institute of Fundraising, aims to increase charities’ use of text messaging as both a fundraising and awareness-raising tool.

As PF reported earlier this month, the report contends that SMS donations could be worth up to £100m within five years’ time, but that this can only be achieved if mobile companies waive their fees for processing the donation.

That may become more possible now, after text donation service provider WIN announced it would stop charging commission on donations processed via their service.

WIN chief executive Graham Rivers called on other mobile operators to follow suit. “Charities need to get the full amount without the middlemen – and we are one of them – taking a cut. WIN would like industry players, aggregators, and mobile operators to join us and help this become a reality,” he said.

The report blamed both charities’ ignorance of SMS technology, and the high fees charged by mobile companies, for the stagnation of SMS as a giving and campaigning tool.

Who's Who: Celina Ribeiro

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