Syria Crisis Reveals Rise in Digital Giving

Picture: www.dec.org.uk

More than half the money donated directly to the UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) for the Syria Crisis Appeal has come via digital sources delivering a new milestone in giving, according to the charity.

The DEC says that the appeal total has now passed £10.3m including funds raised by member agencies as part of the appeal and money from trusts and estimated gift aid.

Of the more than £4 million given directly to the DEC by the public, 55% was donated digitally, including 12% donated via mobile phones or tablets:

• 37% was given via credit or debit card using the My Donate platform provided by BT on a pro bono basis, with card providers waiving all transaction charges.
• 12% was given via PayPal either using a new mobile donations platform produced by Home Made Digital with funding support from PayPal, or via the main DEC website.
•  4% was given via SMS using a system provided by Open Market for which all network providers waive charges.
• 2% was given via other online platforms including Just Giving and Virgin Money Giving.

“PayPal also supported the DEC Syria Crisis by emailing 8.5m service users encouraging them to donate to the appeal,” Disasters Emergency Committee Interim Head of Fundraising Helen Calder said.

“The support received so far for the appeal has been fantastic and we are particularly pleased with the very impressive level of giving via our various digital platforms.

“The varied ways donors can now choose to support the appeal has really helped us to reach a wider audience and bolster our fundraising figures. This will allow our members to reach many more people affected by the crisis in Syria.

“The appeal has also seen a decisive shift towards more web traffic on www.dec.org.uk being from mobile devices, jumping from 7.6% for the 2011 East Africa Crisis Appeal to 27.8% for the Syria Crisis Appeal. More of the mobile traffic is now from tablets than phones with Apple devices being over-whelmingly predominant.

“More traditional methods of giving remain extremely important with 28% of donations coming via post using a free service provided on a pro bono basis by Royal Mail and 16% coming from telephone donations using the automated platform provided by Spoke, with all transaction charges waived by card providers.

“Funds given to the appeal will help some of the more than five million people affected by the crisis by enabling the DEC’s member agencies to provide food, water, emergency shelter, medical care and other aid to people across Syria and to refugees have fled to surrounding countries,” Calder said.