BT launches free online fundraising service for UK charities

25 May 2011

In April BT launched MyDonate, a free online charitable fundraising service, which guarantees that 100 per cent of all donations go directly to the charity. The launch was supported by TV presenter, adventurer and charitable fundraiser, Ben Fogle, who is the MyDonate ambassador.

BT worked with a number of charities – including Cancer Research UK, Changing Faces, KidsOut, NSPCC and Women’s Aid – to ensure that MyDonate meets the charitable sector’s needs.

It is the first not-for-profit fundraising service that doesn’t charge donors or charities a subscription fee, set-up fee or commission. The service covers all UK registered charities and is designed to grow the online donation market. Last year the total amount donated to charity by adults in the UK was estimated to be £10.6 billion, with only 7 per cent of charitable givers donating online.

Research from BT found that that two of the top reasons for people donating to a particular charity were how much money actually went to good causes and what their money was spent on. Nearly 60 per cent of people felt that all of their online donation should go direct to the charity. This is where MyDonate steps in guaranteeing that all donations go to the charity (excluding credit/debit card charges).

The MyDonate website – www.bt.com/mydonate - is open to all charity fundraisers. BT will be encouraging thousands of UK registered charities to sign up to MyDonate over the next year, so that as many people as possible can give more money to their favourite charities.

Fundraisers can use the MyDonate service to build and customise their own event page on the website to promote an activity, such as a marathon or bungee jump, they undertake in support of their chosen charity.

MyDonate was the brainchild of BT’s CEO, Ian Livingston, after he read that another online giving platform charged a commission of 5 per cent for each donation.

Mr Livingston said: “We’ve launched MyDonate to ensure that 100 per cent of people’s fantastic fundraising efforts, and donations, go to the charity of their choice. BT already has a proud history of helping communities with charitable events, such as the recent Comic Relief telethon, and we’re delighted we can now take this knowledge and technological expertise to help charities become more effective in the vital work they do.”