As technology advances, nonprofits can leverage new tools and strategies to increase their fundraising efforts. QR Codes are a simple way to drive potential donors straight to your donation page, eliminating any barriers that may cause them to abandon the process before contributing.
No typing in a long URL, searching for your organization online, or looking for a representative to give the check to—just a quick smartphone scan for easy, hassle-free donations. In fact, nonprofits like the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the Salvation Army, and the St. Louis Area Foodbank are already exploring QR Code use cases for nonprofits—with impressive results.
If you’re ready to level up your fundraising, here’s how QR Codes can help.
What are the benefits of using a QR Code for donations?
Quick Response Codes are a convenient and efficient way for nonprofits to encourage charitable giving. They benefit both your donors and your staff by providing:
Increased engagement rates
If you’re struggling to get people to engage with your organization, QR Codes can be a great solution. Many consumers are already familiar with QR Codes and have a positive impression of them.
Around 28% of all online donations are made via mobile devices, and QR Codes are an easy way for potential donors to access your site via their smartphone in just seconds. Driving people directly to your mobile donation page can result in a higher conversion rate, as the process is more seamless.
Ease of use
All donors need to use QR Codes is a mobile device with internet access—no special apps or technical knowledge are required. This makes it easier for donors to give, especially during a busy event or activity.
Plus, it’s easy for you and your team to create a QR Code using Bitly and export it to your creative platforms. From there, you can add it to signage, brochures, giveaways, mailers, and more.
Real-time tracking and data collection
Dynamic QR Codes make it easy to collect helpful donation data and insights. For example, you’ll be able to see when your QR Code scans happen, as well as the browser and location they come from.
This can help you determine which fundraising events and strategies are most effective, identify donor patterns and preferences, and tailor your approaches for better results.
Customization options
Bitly’s QR Code generator allows you to customize your QR Code to match your branding for a more professional, cohesive look. You can adjust the pattern and shapes, change the color, and even add your logo.
If you’re creating a dedicated QR Code poster or other signage, you can match the design and aesthetic to make it more appealing to donors and increase the chances of them taking action.
And speaking of action, a call to action (CTA) is a must to encourage people to scan—just a simple “Scan to donate!” can be incredibly effective.
Better donor experience
A positive experience is essential for building long-term relationships with your donors. QR Codes help improve the donation experience and keep donors coming back.
With easy access to your donation page, people can quickly donate from their own devices at their convenience, making them more likely to contribute again in the future.
Examples of ways to use QR Codes for nonprofit donations
There are many creative ways to use QR Codes for nonprofit donations. With a little imagination, your organization can come up with unique and effective ways to encourage charitable giving. Here are some ideas to get you started.
QR Codes on printed materials
QR Codes bridge your offline and online marketing efforts. With a simple smartphone scan, potential donors can go straight from your printed assets to your donation landing page, eliminating barriers and making it as simple as possible to donate.
Include QR Codes on all your printed materials, such as brochures, direct mail, posters, and even billboards, to drive offline audiences to your fundraising page or social media accounts. If you need some inspiration, check out these creative Bitly + Canva use cases.
If you use unique QR Codes for each channel or asset, you can easily track engagement and see which codes drive the most donations based on total scans. With this data at your fingertips, you can adjust your strategies accordingly and focus on the most effective channels for reaching potential donors.
QR Codes in online content
Nowadays, having a strong online presence is crucial for any nonprofit organization. Including QR Codes in your online content can enhance your digital outreach efforts and make it easier for potential donors to contribute.
You can incorporate QR Codes into your social media posts, website, and email newsletters by adding them as images or embedding them directly into the content. This allows for easy scanning and instant access to the donation page.
By making your donation QR Codes available online, you provide a convenient way for donors to contribute without having to physically attend your events. They can simply scan the code and make donations from their own devices.
Keep in mind that there’s rising concern about fake QR Codes leading to phishing or other malicious sites. To avoid any donor hesitation, ensure you brand your QR Codes to make them instantly recognizable.
With Bitly’s branding options, you can customize your QR Codes to include your organization’s logo and colors—and even shorten and brand your embedded links to give donors more confidence to click through.
Building trust with donors is essential, and recognizable branding across your links and QR Codes can help establish credibility and encourage more donations.
QR Codes at fundraising events
QR Codes can also help streamline the donation process at fundraising events by providing an easy way for attendees to give on the spot.
There are all kinds of different ways you can incorporate QR Codes into your fundraising events and eliminate the need for guests to carry cash or fill out donation forms:
- If you’re giving away any branded freebies, such as water bottles, keychains, or tote bags, add QR Codes to them. This will help keep your organization top of mind and provide attendees with a way to continue donating long after the event is over.
- Include QR Codes on donation table signs. Attendees can scan and donate using their mobile devices during speeches, waiting for the next course, or while taking a break from socializing.
- Add QR Codes to event programs or posters. This will provide more information about the cause and make it easy for attendees to donate.
- Create a QR Code that attendees can scan to be added to your text and email lists. This is a great way to stay in touch with donors and keep them updated on where their donations are going. Check out these SMS marketing tips to make the most of sign-ups post-event.
Nonprofits can use Bitly’s custom URL feature to create time-limited campaign pages specific to each event. This creates a sense of urgency and encourages attendees to donate immediately before the time runs out.
The data from these QR Codes can also provide insights into the success of various fundraising events and inform future event planning strategies.
Real-world use cases of QR Codes for donations
Fundraising strategies can look much different depending on which sector you’re in. Here are some real-world examples of how QR Codes can help you bring in more donations across different industries.
Disaster relief fundraising
Time is of the essence when it comes to disaster fundraising. Victims need help right away, and QR Codes can streamline the process of collecting donations. Nonprofits can quickly create QR Codes linked to giving pages for specific disaster relief campaigns and share them on social media, email newsletters, or merchandise.
One of the best ways to get the word out is by sharing your QR Code on social media and encouraging others to re-post. Over half of American adults get their news from social media, so they’re likely to find out about major events there. Posting a QR Code makes it easy for them to donate instantly—before they keep scrolling and forget.
Museum and cultural institution donations
Museums, performing arts groups, and other cultural institutions rely on donations from their communities. QR Codes are simple to add to event tickets, programs, or shared spaces throughout the institution. With a quick scan, patrons can donate before, during, or after the event and support their local arts and culture scene.
Some institutions even offer virtual tours via augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) QR Codes. This way, people can still engage with the organization and contribute even if they are unable to attend in person. Add in a request for donations at the end of the tour, and you can make your organization more accessible and fundraise at the same time.
Environmental conservation
The environment is a cause that many people are passionate about, as it plays a major role in our daily lives. And while technology doesn’t often come to mind when thinking about the environment, QR Codes are a great way to modernize your fundraising efforts for a digital world.
Place them strategically along nature trails or in parks to encourage visitors to donate and support conservation efforts. You can also include them in educational materials or signage alongside more information about specific conservation initiatives and how donations can make a difference.
For example, a nonprofit focusing on marine preservation could place signs at popular local beaches or marinas, encouraging visitors to donate to the preservation effort. The QR Code could lead to a donation page and educational materials about the importance of protecting marine life.
Animal shelters and rescues
Every year, over 6 million animals in the U.S. end up in shelters. These animals need food, care, and medical attention until they can find a long-term home, and QR Codes can help.
Animal shelters and rescues can place QR Codes on their websites, social media pages, or even on flyers to collect donations for the care of animals in need. QR Codes on merchandise, such as t-shirts or keychains, also encourage people to donate and spread awareness about the shelter and its cause.
School fundraisers
QR Codes are a very effective tool for school fundraising events. Place QR Codes on tables and signage throughout the event, and encourage participants to give throughout the night. They also work well for silent auctions—include them on bid sheets and encourage people to scan and donate.
Schools with sports teams can create custom QR Codes for each team to help raise funds for uniforms, equipment, or travel expenses. Participants can scan the team’s QR Code to donate, showing their support for the team and the local community. You can even make a competition of it and see which team brings in the most donations.
How to create a QR Code for donations with Bitly
Creating a Bitly QR Code for donations is simple, and the platform offers plenty of customization options to match your branding. Follow these steps to create your own donation QR Code:
- Log in or sign up for a Bitly account.
- Click on Create new and then QR Code.
- Paste the donation URL you want to use and your title.
- Customize your Bitly Code by adding a logo, changing the colors, and adding a frame and CTA.
- Test your code by scanning with multiple different devices to make sure it works on each one.
- Download and share your code on social media, email newsletters, or print materials.
Bitly Analytics provides real-time data on total scans and the time and location of scans. This information can help nonprofits understand which placements or events drive the highest engagement and optimize their fundraising strategies accordingly.
For example, if the QR Code you use on social media receives more scans than one in a physical location, you may want to focus more on digital marketing for future fundraising campaigns.
You can also shorten your URL with Bitly and choose a custom back half to make it clear where the link leads. If you have a paid plan, you can customize the domain name, as well, for increased brand awareness and consistency across all your marketing materials.
Connect with donors through QR Codes and drive impact
QR Codes can help nonprofits streamline the donation process and, in turn, attract more contributions. From printed marketing materials to social media to in-person events, QR Codes can fuel all of your fundraising initiatives and help you connect with potential donors in a more efficient and engaging way.
Bitly makes it simple to generate custom, branded QR Codes for any use case and share them effortlessly across all your donation channels. And when you use Bitly’s Dynamic QR Code solutions, you can even track their performance for continuous optimization.
With Bitly’s advanced insights and user-friendly platform, you get all the tools you need to reach your fundraising goals and amplify your mission to create meaningful change.
Ready to give your donations a boost? Sign up for Bitly today and see what QR Codes can do for your nonprofit fundraising!
