DEV Community

Cover image for How To Build an App For Your Charity Organization - Step by Step Guide
Steve Johnson
Steve Johnson

Posted on

How To Build an App For Your Charity Organization - Step by Step Guide

What is an App for Your Charity Organization?

An app is a software program that interacts with a user’s device to allow for an easy way to support a cause. It can be used as a fundraising app, a marketing app, or a collaboration tool. The software can be a mobile app or web-based. Apps can be created for most organizations, including nonprofit organizations, churches, and schools. A great way to get started build an app for your charity organization is to start with the mobile app development platform, Xamarin. With Xamarin, you can create apps for mobile devices, computers, and even the web. This makes it easy for you to create apps for your organization.

Why Build an App for Your Charity Organization?

The concept of an app for your organization can be a tough one to sell to your staff and board. But when you consider the huge benefits that could come from building an app for your nonprofit organization, it’s easy to see why this is a great idea. These benefits might include the following:

  1. Increased donor engagement - New donors will be able to donate simply by opening the app. This increases engagement and will hopefully lead to more donations.

  2. New and upgraded donors - When a new version of the app is released, it will come with new features and will also include updates for any problems that were fixed in the new version. This creates a great way to engage and get to know new donors while also increasing your organization’s lifetime customer base.

  3. Increased revenue - Let’s face it when people donate they are expecting a gift receipt in return. This could be a chance to promote your organization to friends and family, or it could be used as a way to market your charity to other potential donors.

  4. Increased brand awareness - When someone uses your app they are going to see a variety of things. They might see the name of your organization, the logo, the benefits of the program, and maybe even some of your staff. This is going to give your organization a great deal of exposure and will likely increase brand awareness as well.

What can you build with Apps for Your Charity Organization?

Now that we’ve laid the foundation for what an app for your charity organization can do, let’s move on to how to create one. There are many different apps that you can choose from, and you’re going to need to find one that best meets your organization’s needs. You’re going to have to do research and figure out what apps are popular among your target audience, what your budget is, and what you can afford. Here are some great starting points:

  • Fundraising App - One of the most popular apps for charities right now is GoFundMe. It’s easy to use and allows for a lot of customization. You can add a lot of neat features such as setting a goal, embedding a video, and having a donate button. When people contribute to your GoFundMe, they are directly connecting their financial support with a wonderful cause.
  • Health App - There are plenty of health apps that can help you track blood pressure and cholesterol, along with a lot of other important health indicators, or you can create your own app. There are many different apps that can help you track a variety of things such as body pain, mood, and more.
  • Travel/Homestay App - This one is a little outside the norm, but it can be a great way to give back and meet new people. You can set up a homestay or host a tourist in your own home. This can be a really fun way to give back and meet new people in one fell swoop.

Read Also:- How do Nonprofits Make Money through Mobile Apps

How to Build an App for Your Charity Organization - Step-by-Step Guide

So now that we’ve seen what apps are out there and how they can be used for your charity organization, let’s get started on how to build one. To begin, you’re going to need to choose the right goal.

There are lots of different ways to go about this including projecting what your fiscal year is, calculating how much your organization costs per year, and even estimating how much your organization will be worth in five years. There are lots of different ways to go about this, but the most profitable ones will likely be the ones that use a combination of financial indicators and stories.

Start with the basics and work your way up to more complex uses. You can also use other people’s stories and facts to help shape your goal. Once you have a good idea of what your goal is, it’s time to research financial institutions that offer grants and loans that your organization may qualify for. You’re going to want to make sure that these are the right ones because there are lots of different types of grants and loans.

The last thing you’re going to want to do is to pick a goal that is too specific. You want to make sure the general public will be able to help your organization reach its goal, but not so specific that it’s hard to do. So, how do you decide on a goal? Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Is it achievable? - This is probably the most important question you can ask yourself when it comes to building an app for your charity organization. If the answer is no, then there’s probably no way for you to reach your goal. Start looking at other possible goals.

Is it in the public’s best interest? - Your goal has to be in line with what the public wants. If the public doesn’t want to see a particular type of content, that is perfectly fine. What you have to do is find a goal that is in line with what your audience wants even if it’s not what they want in the short term.

Read Also:- How to Build a Fundraising App For Religious Organizations?

Top comments (6)

Collapse
 
thembi profile image
Sassa Gov

This is a fantastic guide on building an app for charity organizations! I'm actually in the process of developing an app for our nonprofit called SASSA Status Check.

Collapse
 
noahdaniel profile image
Noah Daniel

Very helpful and informative indeed... I want to use it for my website that is SASSA Status Check

Collapse
 
anele profile image
SASSA • Edited

Thanks man, really appreciated, could you please help me how can I help needy people with my blog and want to convert it to app called SASSA Status Check.

Collapse
 
ialexcurran profile image
ialexcurran

Thanks Man! This is so helpful for me as i'm running a SASSA Grant Status charity blog for needy people.

Collapse
 
pisowifi_pausetime_2cba9f profile image
pisowifi pausetime

Great app, would love to use it for my website Piso Wifi Pause Time

Collapse
 
ask_pedia_2c77793019dd3cc profile image
Ask Pedia

Honestly great idea, going to build an app for my non profit education platform Askpedia

Some comments may only be visible to logged-in visitors. Sign in to view all comments.