Charitabl. App Update: Safer, Smarter Giving

Very excited to drop some new features and functionality in the next few days. It's the single biggest update we've done for Charitabl. | The Easy Way To Give. and will provide more free tools to charities and offers a brand new (paid) feature for corporates, clubs, religious groups or charities. A few of my favourite features. 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀 - we're starting with private circles for workplaces, clubs, religious groups or corporates (with public circles following soon after). Measure your impact, monitor staff engagement, end-to-end automation that makes it easier than ever to have a social impact. This is a paid feature. 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 - you can now reach your donors in a secure environment with impact stories, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗯𝗼𝘅 - no more worrying about if you're emails are reaching the right people, or users being scared about clicking on links. You can now send messages directly to your donors inside the Charitabl. app, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀 - share a QR code or URL link that takes users directly to your page, no more worrying about navigation or searching. Just take people exactly where they want to go, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴. Will let you know when it's live. If you're interested in learning more about 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀 and how they can help your organisation achieve greater impact, let me know and I will give you a walk through. We have some huge announcements coming early next year that we can't wait to share with you. 

I'm fascinated by the depth and volume of the nonprofit sector's response to the GoFundMe debacle. Companies and even nonprofit entities have been setting up similar middleman donation projects for decades: Network for Good and Facebook fundraising pages, for example. And very few organizations are going to be directly affected by these pages. I think what's going on is the unleashing of frustration and exhaustion with tech platforms "helping" donors by ruining the experience of giving (and fundraising). The job of a fundraiser is now mostly about processing and analyzing data. It's about building and testing emails and figuring out how your software's reporting tools actually work. It's about talking to consultants and not, you know, listening to members and donors. It's become about trying to figure out how to game social platforms, sms, vertical video, connected TV and who knows what other VC-funded tech tools you have to wade through this year. It's about what AI can maybe do to optimize the experience and not about what getting to know people one on one can do to build a lasting relationship. I have no doubt that some GoFundMe users asked about ways to donate directly to nonprofits on their platform. Makes sense. But they could have just said "google it" and focused on their core business instead of trying to cannibalize nonprofits and their donors for a new line of revenue. Perhaps fewer people are giving because it's just not interesting or personal. Perhaps fundraisers flow so rapidly through organizations because it's just no fun anymore. I don't know...we spend so much time talking about the forests of data and optimization and reach that we forget to care for the needs of the humans who have hopes and dreams for their community.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 When we picture generosity, we often imagine grand gestures - major donations or global campaigns. But the generosity that truly holds communities together looks much smaller and quieter. It’s the student translating a nonprofit’s materials. The neighbour helping a shelter rebrand. The colleague sharing a campaign that hits its goal a day early. These acts don’t make headlines - but they form the invisible infrastructure of real change. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 We live in a world of likes, metrics, and milestones. Quiet contributions often go unnoticed - and undervalued. A 2025 survey by the Charities Aid Foundation found that 77% of people help others in small ways, but only 29% saw themselves as active contributors. The disconnect? Their actions didn’t feel “big enough.” But small, steady acts are the true foundation of social resilience. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗲 - 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 Behind every campaign is a web of micro-contributions: volunteers, shares, skills, time. Sociologists call this the cumulative effect of informal care - a quiet force that helps communities respond faster and grow stronger. These systems are rarely recognised - until now. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿) Nonprofit tech helps connect, amplify, and measure everyday kindness. Platforms like Deya turn empathy into action, offering ways to contribute time, skills, or visibility - and track the results. This model works because it’s: - Accessible – Anyone can help from anywhere, anytime. - Transparent – Actions are traceable and meaningful. - Scalable – Micro-efforts build large impact. When people see the effect of their actions, they stay engaged - and generosity becomes a habit. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 As challenges grow, we need better systems - not just bigger donations. Platforms like Deya build that structure, turning generosity into something visible, connected, and lasting. Because change doesn’t begin with applause. It starts with quiet acts - and the tools to make them count.

As someone who helps nonprofits navigate the ever-evolving fundraising landscape, I’m always interested when something like the current Go Fund Me issue happens. For those who aren't steeped in the nonprofit world on the daily, here's what happened: GoFundMe quietly created 1.4 million fundraising pages for U.S. nonprofits—without notifying the organizations themselves. So, out of curiosity, I ran some numbers with the help of ChatGPT (so take it with a grain of salt - these are pure estimates, not necessarily reality, but interesting nonetheless). Even if less than 1% of those pages had received a few $50 donations, the resulting processing fees and donor “tips” could have produced between $175,000 and over $1 million in revenue for GoFundMe IN A SINGLE MONTH. Most of that money would go directly to the company’s bottom line—not to the nonprofits being represented. I'm not sure who at GoFundMe thought this travesty up, but the effect on nonprofits like those I work with is significant: incorrect or outdated information pulled from old 990s (missions, addresses, and contact people that may have changed), dilution of carefully built brands, donations that go unacknowledged, and the loss of potential donor relationships that nonprofits work so hard to cultivate. Sure, automation can be efficient, but when it overrides consent and transparency, it undermines trust. Nonprofits deserve to know when and how they’re being used to drive someone else’s revenue model!

The Business of Giving Deserves the Same Excellence as Any Brand When people think about giving, they often think about emotion. Compassion. Generosity. Heart. But rarely about structure, planning, or systems. The truth is, giving should be managed with the same care, clarity, and excellence as any serious brand. Because it’s not just about doing good, it’s about doing it well. If you think about it, every act of giving is a form of service. And service deserves thought. It deserves accountability, communication, and attention to detail. I’ve seen many well-meaning people start a scholarship drive, or a fundraiser, or a care project, and then lose track halfway. Not because they didn’t care, but because they didn’t plan it like a real initiative. We need to stop treating generosity like something casual. It’s beautiful to give from the heart, but it’s even more powerful when that heart is organized. If businesses can build systems for customer satisfaction, givers can build systems for impact. That means documenting donations. Following up with beneficiaries. Tracking progress. Sending thank-you messages. And even setting goals for how you want your giving to grow. It’s not about perfection, it’s about respect. Respect for the people you’re trying to help. Respect for the donors who trust you. And respect for the impact you want to leave behind. Excellence doesn’t make giving cold or mechanical. It makes it sustainable. Because love and structure are not opposites, they are partners. And when they walk together, giving becomes not just kind, but transformative. #socialimpact

When matching went wrong, and what we can learn from it. In the early ’90s, the Foundation for New Era Philanthropy raised over $500M from more than 1,100 donors. Its promise? Double every gift. Its downfall? **It was a Ponzi scheme** Nonprofits, universities, and faith-based organizations were defrauded because trust was assumed, not verified. Matching, one of the most powerful mechanisms to amplify generosity, was used not as a tool for impact, but as bait. And yet, the idea behind it wasn’t wrong. The belief that matching can inspire more giving was simply (terribly) misused. At MatchNice, we believe in a present and future of matching must be built on three things: transparency, technology, and trust. 🔍 Transparency: Every match is visible, traceable, and verifiable in real time. 💳 Integrity: Funds are verified and secured with PCI compliance. 🚪 Accessibility: Matching shouldn’t be reserved for large institutions. Every donor and nonprofit deserves the power to inspire more giving. ❤️ Impact: When donors see their gift truly multiplied, generosity can grow exponentially. The future of is about making it easy to create shared confidence and trust between donors, matchers, and nonprofits. The tragedy of New Era reminds us that trust isn’t a given in philanthropy, it’s earned, safeguarded, and built through design. We’re here to make sure matching fulfills the promise it always had: ✨ Inspiring more giving, the right way.

The problem isn’t that charities make mistakes. It’s that they edit the mistakes out of their story. "The world is messy. There are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws." Barack Obama said this in an interview about activism, but it hit me differently as someone who's spent years documenting social change. Here's what I feel he was really getting at: Calling out someone on social media but taking no action on the ground to create change is performative. Posting perfectly written AI stories on social media isn't impact communication. It's a performance. Real storytelling happens when you show the complexity and nuance. When you create an emotional response in your audience that can trigger a change in their heart or mind. When you feature the program participant who's making progress but still struggling. When you share the volunteer who shows up every week despite their own challenges. When you document the messy middle of change, not just the before-and-after. This plays out constantly in the charity sector: A program doesn't work as planned. Instead of sharing what you learned, you stay silent or spin it as a success. A beneficiary has a setback. Rather than showing the reality of change, you only post their wins. A campaign underperforms. Everyone scrambles to make the numbers look better instead of being honest with donors. Obama's point: "If all you're doing is casting stones, you're probably not going to get that far." The charities that actually create change? They get comfortable with complexity. They hold authority and the status quo to account. They tell stories about imperfect people doing their best. They show real progress, which includes setbacks. They build trust through honesty, not polish. They focus on authentic impact over perfect narratives. They take action. This doesn't mean dwelling on failure or being negative. It means choosing truth over looking flawless. What's one area where your organisation could tell more honest stories about your impact? - Thank you Christian Arno for sharing the video interview with Obama.

Not every Instagram feature gets the spotlight, but some of the quieter ones can have a bigger impact than you'd think. From polls that spark real engagement, to alt text that makes your content more inclusive - these six features can help your charity build deeper connections, reach more of the right people, and understand what’s really working. This isn’t about doing more for the sake of it. It’s about using what’s already there, more intentionally. Swipe through for a quick overview ➡️ Read the full article for practical tips on how to get started: https://lnkd.in/e5U6-ueN

When generosity surges, your technology can't fail Digital fundraising is increasingly real-time. A single campaign announcement, influencer post, media mention, or emergency can cause donor traffic to surge within minutes. For nonprofits running national telethons, disaster response efforts, or year-end appeals, that can mean tens of thousands of donors visiting your website within a single day, often in concentrated bursts. Even brief slowdowns or temporary outages can translate into significant revenue loss and missed opportunities to engage supporters when they’re most motivated to give.

👉 A colleague called me in a panic this weekend and said, “With seven weeks left in the year, what should I do to boost year-end giving?” This always happens around this time of year. 😂 I told them what I’ve told hundreds of fundraisers before: “Start with the low-hanging fruit.” In our world, that usually means revisiting two of the most powerful acronyms in fundraising: LYBUNT and SYBUNT. For those not steeped in our industry jargon, they stand for: 💡 Last Year But Unfortunately Not This (year) 💡 Some Year But Unfortunately Not This (year) These are your lapsed donors, the people who already cared enough to give once or maybe several times. ✅ They know your mission. ✅ They believed in your work. ✅ They just need a reminder that they still matter. Too often, we chase new prospects when the most fertile ground is already right in front of us. A thoughtful message, a meaningful update, or a simple “we miss you” note can turn a one-time donor into a lifelong supporter. And here’s where AI can be your quiet ally. Use it to segment these groups and write warm, personal messages that truly resonate. Try this prompt to get started: 🧠 AI Prompt Example: “Write a 100-word email to donors who gave last year but not this year. Make it warm, grateful, and specific. Mention how their past gift made a difference and invite them to give again before December 31.” A message like that, written with heart and sent to the right people, can transform your year-end results. Because fundraising has never been about transactions. It is about connection, meaning, and the simple act of reminding people why they cared in the first place. 🔹 Have you tried using AI to personalize outreach to your LYBUNT and SYBUNT donors yet? Thomas Claffey, Jr. | Philanthropy Solutions Group | The Philanthropy Desk