A Guide To App Development For Nonprofits: How To Make An Impact On The Go

A growing number of people are making use of mobile apps. In actual fact people downloaded over 200 million apps in the year 2019! Non-profit organizations face an unique challenge in the current world, as they must depend on a variety of different types of technology in a manner that large corporations can’t.  App development for Nonprofits organization will allow you to reach more people and raise funds for worthy causes. While app development may sound complex, the latest technology and tools are helping to remove many of the hurdles in the process of creating apps.

The initial planning phase of the development of nonprofit apps is crucial. It is crucial to determine what your app’s purpose is and how it can be beneficial to your customers.

Continue reading to discover all you must learn about creating an app to aid a nonprofit.

Types of Mobile Apps

If you are planning to create apps for nonprofits that can be used on mobile devices for your nonprofit The next step will be to determine which kind of app you want to develop. There are three primary types of apps you have to know about.

Web Apps

Web-based applications aren’t actually apps actually. They are simply websites that users access using their browser.

The benefit of a web application is that the user doesn’t have to download it through the app stores. Web-based apps are typically designed to look and function as native apps.

Web app development for nonprofits are also compatible with any device that has access to the Internet. This means that the operating system doesn’t impact the app’s performance. However, the disadvantage is that they cannot function offline.

Native Apps

Native apps are the type of apps downloaded by users from the app store. They are installed on the device of the user and are compatible with certain operating systems. For instance, iOS apps can’t run on Android phones.

Native app development for nonprofits have access to features of mobile devices like the camera, file system and contacts. Native apps must be accepted by an app store prior to users being able to access them.

Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)

A progressive web app development for nonprofits is a mix of an app for mobile phones natively as well as a web application. It’s an innovative and thrilling technology.

As per custom app development services expert, PWAs are like web apps. They operate through the browser. It means that users do not have to download PWAs from storefronts for apps.

But, PWAs operate as native applications and also function offline. Developers create PWAs by using web technologies such as HTML5 or JavaScript.

Additionally, PWAs are able to access built-in device features, such as cameras, making them akin to native apps.

Challenges Facing the Nonprofit Sector

In the wake of an epidemic, the nonprofit sector has been stricken by a lack of funding. The needs from the community they work with have increased however, funding hasn’t increased in a proportional manner. This has resulted in the reduction of resources personnel, as well as confidence among donors as well as the organizations they support. To make up for the lack of funds, nonprofits are turning towards technology to accomplish more in less time.

Technology has become a lifesaver advantage for nonprofits as technology has helped make it simpler to offer services to their customers. The organizations can now make use of technology to broaden their reach for fundraising, increase participation, and open more avenues to communicate internally and externally to partners, donors as well as the general public regarding their mission as well as their progress and requirements.

In general, nonprofit organizations have the most with fundraising recruitment of volunteers, internal communications and engagement with the community. Here we’ll go more deeply into these areas and show the ways that apps for nonprofit organizations can help to alleviate these issues.

Fundraising

In the nonprofit sector, donors usually have very specific goals or causes they would like to fund. There could be a hospital within the community in which donors would like to support or an issue that the donor wishes to help. In order to locate donors, nonprofits need to decide on a specific purpose or cause, and find a donor that is passionate about the cause or mission. This can be extremely lengthy, as they must find a cause or cause that a donor is passionate about, then work to identify a person who is committed to the cause or mission.

This process has resulted in a fundraising market that is extremely dispersed. Non-profit organizations often seek out donors who are in their area of expertise and then nurture the donors in time. The non-profit sector has created a framework where it’s hard to reach a lot of people at one time. It is also difficult to locate people with big broad philanthropic objectives.

The Solution

As per the top custom mobile application development company, Non-profit organizations are always seeking ways to boost their fundraising efforts. All this without being dependent on staff or volunteers.  Non-profit organizations also have the option of creating online portals for volunteers to make them be more involved in the mission.

Volunteer Recruitment

While it’s not a new issue for non-profits, many have a difficult time attracting volunteers.  It’s a huge issue especially for smaller nonprofits who do not have the resources to fund large-scale advertising campaigns. There are many reasons why people may not be interested in volunteering and you need to deal with each of these reasons.

The Solution

According to the top iOS app development companies, Non-profit organizations can use technology for this. It can aid them to attract volunteers in a variety of different ways. They could create an online platform that is designed to highlight volunteer opportunities, streamline the application process for volunteers and manage member applications. It could also help non-profit organisations to handle their application for volunteers with greater efficiency and also increase the number of members they have through promoting their organisations to new audiences.

They could also establish a portal for volunteers, which lets potential volunteers choose the appropriate volunteer role or causes based upon their interests, abilities, capabilities, and the availability. Volunteers can make use of this portal to sign-up for recurring volunteer assignments, like clearing up parks or giving out food items. If there is a way to add additional functions it might even permit volunteers to chat with one another regarding their experience, give feedback to the organization as well as to share their most preferred volunteer duties.

Communication

As per the leading mobile app development company, communication is an essential aspect in non-profit institutions. A well-run non-profit keeps an open line of communication with its donors. The donors desire to know what their contributions are being taken for. The organization will always want to ensure it’s open to its donors.

Non-profit organizations don’t come with the resources to design effective communication strategies. They are working on plans that, at a minimum, are in line with their purpose. The strategy for communication of non-profit organizations is usually determined by the particular requirements of its donors which can result in a drip-down impact on the overall strategy for communication of the organization.

The Solution

A custom-designed software solution could assist a non-profit organization in numerous ways. One of the most obvious benefits is that a custom software solution allows the non-profit organization to simplify its internal procedures. Through the integration of different software systems within the organization, a customized software solution could save a non-profit considerable time and also money.

As per top mobile app development companies in the USA, Non-profit organizations can also utilize an application that is customized to manage their external communication. Many nonprofits rely on volunteers to complete their mission. By sending weekly updates on progress to donors and supporters nonprofits can free up precious time for staff members.

Community Engagement

Non-profit organizations have a variety of challenges in automating the process of community engagement. The reasons for this include budgetary limitations, teams competing that have different goals and a failure to get the interest of the community. It could be that they’re not reaching the right audience or they’re not providing the appropriate incentives for participation.

The Solution

Mobile app development for nonprofits can assist them in their efforts to connect with the community in many ways. Technology can enhance the ability of the organization to interact with the general public through social media and other ways, in addition to live occasions. Virtual events have become incredibly popular in light of the pandemic, and technology has made these events feasible. Technology also enhances the capacity of charities to interact with their donors and followers through social media channels automated and analytical.

The Market for Non-Profit Apps Today

It’s true that charitable giving is seeing a decline across the U.S., statistics say that overall giving has risen 4.1 percent over the last year and is the sixth consecutive year of expansion.

Giving online and donations to charitable causes have increased by 12.1 percent over the last year, meaning it may be beneficial for non-profit organizations to shift their focus away from events in person towards online platforms and channels instead.

Benefits of Having an App for Your Non-profit

There are numerous reasons to develop an app for your non-profit organization. Here are a few of the benefits that are most obvious as suggested by the top on-demand app development company.

Collect Donations

Donation apps for nonprofits can provide you with an easy way to get people involved and gather donations. It is possible to send messages to users via the app, and even hold entertaining contests.

You can also track the amount of donations you receive, which enables the organization to recognize your most successful donors and develop long-lasting relationships with your most reliable supporters.

Raise Awareness

Mobile apps aid nonprofits in creating awareness for important causes. 

Fundraising apps for nonprofits are an excellent method of promoting awareness. Users are likely to show the app to family members or friends, who may be able to download the application.

Arrange Events

Apps also let you organize events and manage your participants. It is possible to integrate your app to Google Calendar to make sure that your users don’t forget important dates.

Also, be thinking about how you interact and interact with volunteers. Use friendly messages on your app, and make them feel valued.

Types of Non-Profit Apps Being Built Today

There’s a large market for apps for nonprofits as well as for non-profit organisations to change their approach to in-person meetings. As per the top Android app development agency, Apps in this area are diverse. We’ve listed a few of the most popular application varieties that are in development today. Click here to read more.

Board Management Software

Board Management Software is a cloud-based software that aids non-profit organizations to manage their boards. It helps non-profit organizations improve communications between the board as well as between board members together with the executive staff as well as between the board and the public at large. Board Management Software records each board member’s communications history and centralizes the information on the members of the board and assists the executive team plan and manage board meetings.

Some instances of Board Management Software include Boardable, OnBoard, and Govenda.

Fundraising Apps

A fundraising application is a program that non-profit organizations make use of to raise funds. It typically involves the development of a mobile-friendly site and an app for mobile devices that may incorporate a donation system in addition. The application is typically used to gather donor data however, it could include features that aid charities track donations or develop and launch campaigns for donations.

Non-profit organizations utilize fundraising applications to raise money to finance their operations. Mobile application consulting services are able to collect information about donors and track donors, however, they also can use the app to start donations campaigns. The app could link to platforms that enable users to design several donation campaigns.

Some examples of Fundraising apps include Giving Lively, Pledge, and Network for Good.

Campaign Tracking and Planning Apps

Campaign tracking apps are an application software that non-profit organizations use to monitor flows of contributions. The apps can collect donations from supporters. It can also monitor the progress of these donations, as well as generate donation receipts for donors as per custom needs. They also can oversee a variety of donation collection options. This includes offline, online and in-person. Campaign tracking applications for non-profit organisations can be ideal for non-profit organization itself or a third-party.

Some instances of Campaign Tracking and Planning apps include Bloomerang, DonorPerfect, and MobileCause.

Database System Software

Database systems are software programs that handle the information which make up your business. They contain the records of sales, membership information and donations, as well as volunteer data and many more. The most popular kind of database is a relational database. The relational database is organized in tables with rows of data as well as columns of records. They’re the core of all large corporations.

Some Examples for Database System Software include Microsoft Access (for smaller businesses), Microsoft SQL (for larger corporations) and MySQL (for open source companies).

Survey Apps

Survey applications allow non-profit organizations to distribute questionnaires to donors as well as other stakeholders. They can then review and analyze the results of surveys. Survey applications by non-profit organizations understand the needs of their donors. Also, it inspires donors to contribute more and to get closer to the needs of their communities.

Survey software allows you to gather data on the internet and analyze the data and make informed choices based on this information. They are beneficial for employees and clients from outside. They are able to be used in many different contexts. This includes internal communications, surveying customers, employee satisfaction surveys  survey of cause, market research and fundraising.

Some Examples for Survey Apps include SurveyMonkey, Typeform as well as Google Forms.

Fundraising Growth Platform

A platform for growth in fundraising assists non-profit organizations to streamline their fundraising activities by connecting them with new donors, encouraging repeated donations, and helping facilitate transactions. These tools help aid charities to generate money through small, repeated donations. The most common features include forms for data collection on the site, automated email notification towards donors, tools to send personal thank you messages, tools for engaging donors on social media, mobile-friendly interfaces connection to payment processing platforms and payroll platforms. Integration with payroll platforms, as well as integration with marketing and accounting automation software.

Some examples of platforms for growth in fundraising are OneCause, Fundly, and Bonfire.

Event Planning Software

Event planning software designed for non-profit organizations assists non-profits plan to manage, market and organize events. Nonprofits using event planning software are most likely to make use of it for managing events like fundraising, picnics events, parties, plays seminars, concerts, conferences, competitions, retreats, workshops, conferences and conferences. They’ll also use event management software to advertise events through email, social media printing material, videos for promotion and posters.

Some instances for Event Planning Software include Regpack, Eventbrite, and Soapbox Engage.

Features That Non-Profit Apps Should Have

When it comes to creating nonprofit apps there are certain aspects you must be aware of right from mobile app maintenance to security. 

Secure Donations: Non-profit organizations should be capable of tracking their donations in real-time, and shield them from abuse.

Easy Donations: Nonprofits must be able to design fundraising campaigns and donation campaigns in minutes.

Mobile: Non-profit organizations should be able create as well as manage donations campaigns as well as fundraising events from their mobile phones.

Social HTML: Social Non-profits must be able to create as well as manage communities online as well as motivate and inspire users to engage in.

Local: Local Non-profits must be able to create and run local events and campaigns.

Inspiring: Non-profits need to be able to develop and share inspirational stories of their work.

Simple to use: Non-profits need to be able to develop online fundraising campaigns as well as accept contributions.

Affordable: Non-profits must be able to develop online fundraising campaigns in order to accept donation.

Create Non Profit Software Solutions with A3Logics

A3Logics is an all-inclusive firm providing mobile app development services in the USA with years of experience. They have worked closely with large-scale clients to develop solutions for their needs. If you’re looking for apps that can help you simplify your processes, then A3Logics can help. You can have an app to efficiently manage volunteers, donations and communications. We have the top-quality tools you require 3x quicker as manual application development. For more information, get in contact with us today to receive an estimate that is detailed!

Concluding Thoughts

Using technology in creative ways will help organizations be noticed. Utilizing one of the top app development agencies can help you to make a difference. It can assist with your mission for your organization.

A variety of DIY low-code or no-code development platforms can create prototypes, test ideas and collect feedback. If your free apps for nonprofits are straightforward and don’t require any modifications then begin right away. Connect with A3Logics, the best mobile app development company in the USA, now!

FAQs

What’s the purpose of app development for non-profit organizations?

The term “App development” for nonprofits is the process of developing mobile apps to aid nonprofit organizations. It can help them achieve a positive impact. All this through providing easy access to information, resources and other services via mobile devices.

What are the reasons nonprofits should think about developing apps?

All nonprofits need to look into developing apps as it will allow the organization to connect with a broader crowd. Also, to engage their supporters, and give them easy accessibility to the mission of their organization. 

What can apps do to make an impact for charities?

A mobile app can be a positive force for non-profits. It provides a streamlined platform that allows supporters to contribute, volunteer, and get information. Also helps in the communication process within the organisation. Thereby increasing the awareness and support for their causes.

What are the features an app for nonprofits have?

A nonprofit app should include features like donations integration event registration and volunteer registration reports on impact. It can also include news and updates along with social-sharing options. It increases engagement and offers the user a complete experience.

How do non-profits start developing apps?

The nonprofit sector can start developing apps by defining their objectives by identifying the target audiences. They need to research platforms for app development as well as partner with an enterprise mobile application development team. Also make sure the app is in line with their values and mission.