Building Connections Through Tech

How is fundraising using tech to change how you work?

Mthulisi: Digital tools allow us to manage our donor data and track donations. We can automate our debit order processing, making recurring donations seamless for both donors and our team. Features like tax certificate generation also save time while ensuring compliance.

Florence: Traditionally, we relied on hard copy forms for donors to complete when they met any of our face-to-face canvassers. This presented shortcomings with data capturing errors and data protection gaps. When we moved to online forms, the whole acquisition process became simplified. More than 70% of personalised donor journeys are accessible and disseminated through tech; it literally takes a few minutes for a donor to chat to us whereas a few years ago donors still had to send us written bank cheques.

What improvements would you like to see in the technology used for fundraising?

Mthulisi: Better integration: Seamless connections between platforms and external apps to reduce manual intervention.

Enhanced AI: Predictive analytics to identify potential donors or suggest personalised donation amounts based on historical data.

Mobile-first tools: Optimised donation pages for mobile users, as a significant number of donors access campaigns via smartphones.

Blockchain technology: Secure and transparent tracking of donations, especially for high-value contributions.

Customisable automation: More intuitive workflows to support complex donor journeys and tailored communication strategies.

How do you ensure the digital tools you use make the donation process easy and secure?

Mthulisi: We prioritise user-friendly platforms, ensuring donation forms and processes are simple and intuitive. For security, we adhere to stringent data protection standards, implement encrypted payment gateways and regularly audit our systems.

Florence: We add a human check to the process to analyse and monitor our digital tools and donation systems. Regular analysis enables us to be proactive and avoid glitches and monitoring enables us to improve the overall user experience.

How do you see AI or machine learning impacting fundraising?

Mthulisi: Personalisation: AI can analyse donor behavior to craft highly targeted messages and recommend optimal donation times or amounts.

Predictive modelling: Machine learning can forecast donor retention and suggest strategies to re-engage lapsed donors.

Chatbots: AI-driven bots, like our WhatsApp bot, streamline FAQs and provide instant support to donors.

Campaign optimisation: AI can identify patterns in successful campaigns and recommend improvements for future efforts.

Fraud detection: Enhanced security by identifying unusual donation patterns.