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Mobile Giving
+context
see also:
+resources and best practices
+background
Mobile phones are on the verge of becoming powerful tools to collect data on many issues, ranging from global health to the environment.
http://www.sciencecodex.com/cell_phones_become_handheld_tools_for_global_development
+definitions
Mobile donating refers to donating to an organization through a mobile device. The primary means for mobile donating is through SMS. Mobile donating can also refer to consumers donating their old phones to a cause for recycling and reuse of the device.
+where to start
+best practices
Mobile Giving - How to Make it Work for Your Nonprofit: Mobile Giving - A New Addition to Your Web 2.0 Arsenal
By Joanne Fritz, About.com: http://nonprofit.about.com/od/socialmedia/a/mobilegiving.htm
How Nonprofits Can Easily Accept Credit Card Payments on Mobile Phones at Fundraising Events and Over the Phone
+issues
The terms at mGive reveal that organizations will automatically sign users up for daily texts, and users must make sure to unsubscribe to avoid fees:
Terms: A one-time donation of $5 or $10 will be added to your mobile phone bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. You will also receive up to 1 message per day from mGive Nonprofit Partner Alerts. Msg&Data Rates May Apply. All charges are billed by and payable to your mobile service provider. Service is available on most carriers. Donations are collected for the benefit of the mGive Nonprofit Partner by the mGive Foundation and subject to the terms found at mGive.com/a. To unsubscribe text STOPfor help text HELP to (90999, 20222, 40202,864233, 27722, 41010, 464329, 864833). to (90999, 20222, 40202,864233, 27722, 41010, 464329, 864833),
http://www.mgive.com/Partners.aspx
Mobile Activism or Mobile Hype? Gender and Media Diversity Journal: Media, Activism, and Change
byFiroze Manji, Fahamu, April 1, 2008: http://www.comminit.com/en/node/270107
+lessons learned
Red Cross Raises $800,000+ for Haiti Through Text Message Campaign
January 13, 2010 by Jennifer Van Grove for Mashable.com
http://mashable.com/2010/01/13/haiti-red-cross-donations/
Mobile Phones and Social Activism: Why cell phones may be the most important technical innovation of the decade, By: Ethan Zuckerman June 20, 2007: (This overview on the use of mobile phones in international activism originally appeared on Ethan Zuckerman's blog My Heart's in Acra, and was later republished on Mobileactive.org.) http://www.techsoup.org/learningcenter/hardware/page7216.cfm
iPhone App Helps Refugees Fight Poverty
Written by Dana Oshiro / October 13, 2009 for www.Readwriteweb.com
"If early stage companies are supposed to change the world, then Crowdflower and Samasource are model organizations. This morning the two are launching the Give Work iPhone application, a tool that empowers users to increase training and jobs for Kenyan refugees"
http://www.readwriteweb.com/readwritestart/2009/10/iphone-app-helps-refugees-figh.php
+standards in field
Organizations using mGive SMS donations platform
http://www.mgive.com/Partners.aspx
MobileActive.org is a community of people and organizations using mobile phones for social impact. We are committed to increasing the effectiveness of NGOs around the world who recognize that the 3.5 billion mobile phones provide unprecedented opportunities for organizing, communications, and service and information delivery.
+Attached Documents
mGive's Case Study- Using Mobile Donations at Televised Events- Keep a Child Alive
"mGive Case Study- Using Mobile Donations at Televised Events- Keep a Child Alive
In early 2008 mGive pioneered Mobile Donations in the United States, providing non-profits nationwide the ability to utilize the mobile channel for purposes other than messaging. Since then, many major charities such as The United Way, UNICEF, Children’s Miracle Network, The Disabled American Veterans, and hundreds more have integrated mobile donations into their fundraising efforts.
Keep a Child Alive provides life-saving anti-retroviral treatment, care and support services to children and their families living with HIV/AIDS in Africa and the developing world. Becoming a powerhouse in only five years, KCA looked to decrease their dependence on large gifts, due to the changed global economy. To do this, they created the Text ALIVE challenge with the goal of 100,000 $5 text message donations by June 1, 2009.
The challenge culminated with a Mobile Giving call to action on American Idol by Alicia Keys and performance by Noah, a HIV Positive patient at the Icyuzuzo Clinic in Kigali, a clinic funded by Keep a Child Alive.
In a first for American Idol, and a departure from traditional fundraising methods, Keys asked the show’s 30 million viewers to use their mobile phones to give $5 by sending the text message ALIVE to 90999.
Keep a Child Alive raised over $450,000 from more than 90,000 mobile donors.
Text Alive Challenge
The Text Alive Challenge targeted a younger demographic online, using various social networks (Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Ning, etc) to engage supporters and solicit donations. Keep a Child Alive was able to monetize the social networking channel by giving users the ability to donate in 10 seconds without having to deal with credit cards.
Keep a Child Alive also instituted a “Text Alive” video contest. Supporters posted user-created videos with creative ways to increase text donations. The winner received a trip for two to Africa to see Keep a Child Alive in action.
Keep a Child Alive’s text message donations are powered by mGive.com"
Download the Case Study- Using Mobile Donations at Televised Events- Keep a Child Alive (pdf)
+funding opportunities
+discussion
