ZipGive enables Children’s Miracle Network to fundraise $21,525 in one day via SMS

May 17, 2010 - PRLog -- Children’s Miracle Network’s National Radiothon on April 29, 2010, included a Text to Give component powered by ZipGive of Toronto that specializes in cause-related mobile marketing. Next to the Haiti earthquake relief efforts, the Children’s Miracle Network campaign was the most successful mobile giving campaign to date in Canada, raising $21,525 in a single day via SMS donations of $5 per person.

“The strategy was to extend fundraising to new untapped demographics that are mobile and responsive, as well as capitalize upon mobile’s immediacy and ‘in the moment’ actionability,” said Andrew D’Amico, account manager at ZipGive, Toronto.

The radiothon aired on 65 radio stations requesting that listeners text the keyword ASTRAL to the short code 45678.

“Mobile giving is an exciting step for fundraising as we tap into a new demographic eager to give and be a part of something truly remarkable,” says Alison Portt, senior director, partnerships for Children's Miracle Network in Canada.

Mobile giving brings the power and reach of mobile phones to registered charities as a new fundraising and donor interaction mechanism.

“The sheer magnitude of the response for essentially a one-day call-to-action, with no general media support such as was the case for Haiti, suggests that mobile is becoming a very easy and responsive way to react to a fundraising call-to-action,” said Ursula Addesi, account manager at ZipGive, Toronto.

ZipGive and other charities that are registered can use mobile to reach out to a new base of donors and create a better interaction. Donors traditionally rely on static media such as print. However, the new SMS donation platform allows for a greater & supplementary donor accessibility.

Mr. D’Amico said that mobile is the most personal of mediums and fundraising organizations can benefit from a direct connection to potential donors.

“Mobile is a response mechanism that actualizes a person’s desire to give to a worthwhile cause, immediately and in the moment when the request for assistance is made,” said Ms. Addesi. “This capability of instantaneous reaction is invaluable in supporting fundraising activities that compete with so much advertising clutter for a prospective donor’s attention.”

This new generation of donors is connected, on the move and time challenged – exactly the solution that mobile fundraising is designed to fulfill. The combination of messaging, rich media platforms and specialized apps, allows organizations to tap into these new developing markets as a means of cultivating ongoing relationships with potential donors, volunteers and event participants.

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ZipGive is the mobile giving division of ZipStripe, which specializes in mobile fundraising services for charities, nonprofits and political organizations. ZipGive platforms include Text to Donate, Text to Pledge, Web to Mobile and Facebook to Mobile, which power applications and mobile Web commerce sites.

For more information contact Andrew D’Amico at (905) 856-7395 x345 or damico@zipstripe.com