Technology

Introducing GiveCircle: Donr’s Innovative Platform for Charity Lotteries

News TeamFebruary 9, 202430 Comments0367

In response to the burgeoning trend of lottery-based fundraising, Donr, a champion of tech-for-good, has unveiled GiveCircle, a specialised platform designed to bolster charity lotteries. This initiative aims to assist charities in augmenting their lottery-generated revenue, providing a much-needed counterbalance to dwindling donations and escalating operational costs.

The inaugural mobile lottery, a collaborative effort with Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter, was launched in May 2022 and quickly gained traction, especially on social media platforms. Following its success, Mobile Lotteries have been initiated in collaboration with numerous charities such as Edinburgh Dog & Cat Home, Hope Rescue, and Birmingham Dogs Home, attracting over 10,000 weekly participants who play in support of their preferred charities.

Mobile Lotteries have proven to be a boon for charities, offering a steady stream of income, a critical factor as they navigate through the challenges of rising expenses and reduced donations amidst the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Chris Bray, CEO of Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter, shared his insights: “Just like many charities in the current climate, our running costs are rising significantly. However, through our Mobile Lotteries, we can build a reliable source of regular income, which will help us to continue to provide care to animals throughout the cost-of-living crisis.”

The advent of the GiveCircle platform is set to further empower charities, enabling them to tap into new demographics, expand their lottery initiatives, and thereby increase their revenue streams to support their missions.

Chris Newell, founder and CEO of GiveCircle, remarked: “We have already seen the positive impact that Mobile Lotteries can have on charities. By launching GiveCircle, we will be able to work with our existing partners to grow their lotteries further and also welcome new charity partners.”

GiveCircle is committed to assisting its partner charities in conducting social media campaigns, a critical channel through which over 90% of Mobile Lottery participants are recruited. This strategy is particularly advantageous for charities of varying sizes in attracting new supporters.

Marion Yates, General Manager of Animal Rescue Cumbria, commented: “Working with GiveCircle has been a really positive experience, raising our profile and helping us reach many new supporters who now play our lottery. With so many cats and dogs needing our help, the growing number of lottery players makes a huge difference to a small charity such as ours.”

As GiveCircle evolves, it anticipates forging partnerships with an increasing number of charities for Mobile Lotteries. Currently, while over 6,500 charities utilise Donr’s platform for Text Giving campaigns, only a select few have had the opportunity to benefit from Mobile Lotteries.

Chris Newell elucidated: “GiveCircle acts as the lottery manager, which means we have to do a lot of administrative and regulatory work, as well as helping charities with the marketing of their Mobile Lottery. As a result, we had to make the difficult decision to restrict the number of charities we worked with. Launching the platform will enable us to grow our team and, in time, work with more and more charities.”