It’s been just over 12 months since we developed a fundraising platform. We now have a number of charities using the system and the ability to continue to raise money during the coronavirus “lockdown”, especially with events being cancelled, has been a ‘game changer’.
The original Charity Hive idea was borne from my involvement as Ambassador of Care after Combat, who needed a new way of online fundraising. They were using and paying monthly fees to Just Giving, Charity Checkout and a number of other similar services, plus all the transaction fees and Gift Aid processing on top.
If the charity didn’t receive any income through fundraising or donations during a particular month, they were still paying hundreds of pounds in subscription costs. I felt the need to change this and started to develop Charity Hive, which would simply have a small fee per transaction, and a truly “you only pay when you earn” model.
At the time, I compared the fees to Just Giving, who then announced a month later they were scrapping them (sort of)! This was a slight blow, but I was quickly reminded that I wasn’t comparing like-for-like - Charity Hive was more than just a fundraising tool. My determination and belief in what I was trying to achieve gained momentum.
The Charity Hive platform now provides a “one stop shop” with fundraising tools, donor fundraising pages and blogs, events, tickets, donations, raffles, auctions, crowdfunding, online shop, communication tools, reporting, admin suite and Content Management System.
What makes our journey to date special, is that we have evolved the platform by working alongside the charities who adopted the system early on, and we have taken onboard their comments, feedback and expertise. So much so, I feel we are now providing the most comprehensive and feature packed fundraising platform - with more on the horizon.
Everything from website hosting, support and upgrades are included, and as each charity has their own site, they not only have a dedicated platform enabling them to connect and engage with supporters, but we also plug in their own payment gateway so all funds go directly to the charity.
The Coronavirus lockdown has been a real challenge for charities and with all fundraising and ticketed events cancelled, the Charity Hive platform has enabled creative ways to generate vital revenue through the likes of auctions and raffles. We are also providing free Facebook Ads to our charities in order to help keep up their awareness.
One such charity is the Pink Ribbon Foundation, who are this year celebrating their 20th anniversary (huge congratulations!) A number of their high profile events have been put on hold and fundraising cancelled, but they are one of the front running charities who are embracing online fundraising.
Jonathan Prince MBE, Pink Ribbon Foundation’s Chair of Trustees said: “So many of the charities we support need new fundraising tools and approaches during the lock-down and as a Foundation, we can’t sing the praises of Charity Hive enough.”
No monthly subscriptions have meant that those charities who are finding it even tougher at the moment, know they have an online presence with Charity Hive, that will remain in place forever. Ready to receive a donation today, or have an event added once we’re all out of these challenging times.
Jonathan concluded: “I honestly believe that all charities will benefit from the services Charity Hive offer. Moreover, with no upfront payment and no monthly fees.”
