I think one of the most common images of the Christmas season is not necessarily something you first see but hear. The ring of the Salvation Army red bucket bell. I always feel a little guilty walking by that bucket and not reaching in to my pocket to just throw something that I might have on me. After all, these people sacrifice their valuable time for something good. That opportunity to donate to the red bucket has moved online.
The Salvation Army now provides people or organizations the opportunity to donate online. Pass the good will on to more friends and raise even more money. What really exists here is the opportunity for the Salvation Army to grab more than the pocket change they may normally get from the store front bucket and bell army. We have to admit that most people don’t carry more than just loose change anyway and if they do, the cash that people carry is meant for a more immediate, personal purpose and is just harder to let go. An online donation gives you the opportunity to give more from the heart rather than just on a whim. In other words, a larger amount.
The Salvation Army has a goal to raise one millions dollars via their online bucket donations and at this point are about 25% of the way. My first question is this too low? Everyone knows who the Salvation Army is and what they do. Should they be able to raise more than one million dollars via an online donation campaign? How does this goal compare to the red buckets and bells you see and hear now? Donating online is not a new thing, but with a name like the Salvation Army, are they setting their sites too low?
Do you throw your loose change into the red bucket as you pass by or would you make a larger donation online?
Just heard a story on NPR yesterday about non-profits using cutting-edge technology to drive donations (lots of stories recently on the sagging economy’s impact on charitable giving). The guest was a fundraising consultant to non-profits and she talked about the Salvation Army quite a bit. They’re also using mobile as a really clever way to raise money. Here’s how it works - through an arrangement with the wireless carriers, when you send a text message to the Salvation Army with your pledge amount that donation gets tacked onto your cell phone bill. Apparently, United Way debuted this approach at last year’s Super Bowl.