Current — AMT Lab @ CMU

Brett Ashley Crawford, Ph.D.

Digital Fundraising with Text Messaging, Part 2 of 5

Digital Fundraising with Text Messaging, Part 2 of 5

According to the 2018 Global NGO Technology Report, over "15% of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) worldwide regularly send text messages to donors and supporters." In addition, "43% of those NGOs use a Text To Give service for SMS fundraising." These trends continue in the United States, with the mGive Foundation's 2015 Text Donation Study finding "that for 46% of donors, giving via text is a preferred method." The most popular SMS campaigns tend to favor urgent crises, with over 65% of donors giving via text supporting disaster relief organizations, followed by health institutions and human services organizations. This particular study also referenced a "Giving Gap" where people who responded that they strongly favored using text as a method of donation rarely followed through with that wish. This led mGive to conclude that "it is likely that many donors are not being given ample opportunity to make text donations."

Given this evidence, there is a want from donors for text-based giving that is not being fulfilled. Here’s how your organization can learn to meet this demand.

Emerging Technology for Fundraising: Part 1 of 5

Emerging Technology for Fundraising: Part 1 of 5

Fundraising is a critical component of almost every nonprofit arts enterprise.  This spring, the Arts Management and Technology Lab commissioned a national benchmarking analysis and survey of arts organizations on four emerging digital fundraising pathways:  Text message / SMS giving, peer-to-peer portals, Facebook nonprofit tools, and mobile auction apps.   The following kicks off a 5 part series that highlights the findings.  This article offers specific statistics on fundraising with subsequent pieces providing details on the individual pathways and a summary of the national survey's findings.

Using Evernote to Mobilize Teams

Using Evernote to Mobilize Teams

Evernote's logo is the profile of an elephant.  Why? Because elephants "never forget."  Evernote is an intuitive virtual solution (although it has an off-line option). It is useful for individuals and businesses and has many features that make it superior to ‘shared drives’ on locations like Google or Dropbox. The following post outlines how our team has used it, but also how Evernote is improving for businesses through its recent launch of ‘Spaces’.

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Nonprofit Technology Conference #18NTC

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Nonprofit Technology Conference #18NTC

NTEN's annual conference is always a special treat. Vendors and attendees all focused on making the world a better place while investigating the appropriate role technology plays in that transformation.  With 144 sessions plus keynotes, Birds of a Feather lunch tables, Ignite talks and pre-conference workshops, to say the conference is robust is an understatement.  The following are my main take-away from the conference, but if you are curious for more, be sure to check out their social channels with hashtag #18NTC.

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How Do You Compare in Digital Fundraising?

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How Do You Compare in Digital Fundraising?

AMT Lab is researching emerging digital fundraising tools so that arts organizations can, hopefully, take a bigger part of the 14% increase in online giving. With $380 billion dollars of giving in the USA in 2017 and more people than ever giving online, the future of fundraising is changing before us.  And don't be fooled -- the majority of the online donors were older than 49 years old.  To understand how the arts can maximize current and emerging fundraising opportunities, a benchmark of what is happening in the field today is underway.

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Why Net Neutrality Matters for Arts Institutions

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Why Net Neutrality Matters for Arts Institutions

Net neutrality died by the hand of the FCC in November 2017.  The policy, to be implemented summer 2018, will be detrimental to the work and impact of arts institutions and artists.  The following article provides an overview of what changed, why net neutrality is important to the arts, and what you can do to help reverse the policy, or, as AT&T's CEO has called for, ask for Congress to create a consumer Internet Bill of Rights. 

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Highlights of 2017 and a mini-preview of what is to come

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Highlights of 2017 and a mini-preview of what is to come

2017 took AMT Lab researchers into the worlds of robots, smart cities, augmented reality, bias reducing technologies, digital advocacy, and so much more.  The following offers a highlight and a small preview of what's to come in the 2018.

'Tis the Season: Giving Thanks

'Tis the Season: Giving Thanks

Dear Readers,

As we enter the beginning of the holiday season, AMT Lab would like to thank you. Thank you for reading, thinking, leading the way at the forefront of Arts Management and Technology.  We wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving and successful #GivingTuesday. 

VOIP for Arts Organizations: Are you Virtual or Just Digital?

VOIP for Arts Organizations: Are you Virtual or Just Digital?

Telephone technology infrastructure isn't sexy but it is critical. The wrong decision can make or break an institution, especially an arts institution that sells admissions to its programs.  So what is VOIP and why should anyone pay attention? 

Go mobile or go home? Strategies for Success

Go mobile or go home? Strategies for Success

Arts Marketers -- you know the news: mobile is the future and the future is here.  Data is necessary to navigate that space, and a recent research report by Jack Loechner breaking down the recent white paper by MobileFirstWorld offers some excellent data on mobile behaviors and strategies to improve on the current national rate of cart abandonment:  78%. To start: here is some startling data that might convince you that mobile is here.  Over 30% of the human populations has a smartphone.  And once in a user's hand, he checks it over 150 times per day. (Is that you?)

Facebook as an Acquisition Tool and Income Driver

Facebook as an Acquisition Tool and Income Driver

Facebook launches new tools almost every day.  While you may be using or contemplating Facebook Live or another content generator, Facebook also has exceptional tools to use content to raise funds and gain acquisitions for your organization's marketing (and development) funnel.

Free Tools and New Ideas from the 2017 Nonprofit Technology Conference (Part I of III)

Free Tools and New Ideas from the 2017 Nonprofit Technology Conference (Part I of III)

The Nonprofit Technology Conference (#NTC17) met in March in Washington, DC, the headquarters of all nonprofits.  The conference was vast with inspiring keynotes and information-filled panels.  The following is only a sampling of what was available and reveals my passions and interests: Data, Diversity and Communication.

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Going Beyond Google: Data Sources and Visualization

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Going Beyond Google: Data Sources and Visualization

Finding data and analyzing it takes time, something in short supply for most arts managers.  But without taking the time to collect and analyze data, arts managers are making decisions without knowledge. Here are two tools and one source to consider as you move forward in your work.

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Data + Tech for Arts Advocacy

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Data + Tech for Arts Advocacy

As arts managers and technologists it is important to note we can use technology and data-informed information over headlines and sound bites, so what options are available if you want to better understand the political terrain or move forward to take action?