Fundmetric, the Halifax software company that helps charities increase engagement with donors, is offering its “giving page” free to small charities across Canada to help them raise money during the pandemic.

The giving page is the online page that Fundmetric provides for charities so there’s a place where donors can go to make contributions, and it customizes messaging to resonate with the best donors. It can carry out back-office functions for the charities and is compliant with the Canada Revenue Agency. The company said the only criterion is that each recipient must be a Canadian non-profit. Obviously, the tax receipt functionality is only available to registered charities. (Details are available here.) 

As a rule, Fundmetric’s clients are large charities like Amnesty International USA, Kent State University, and Oregon State University. The company is now aiming to help Canadian charities of all sizes respond to the pandemic by switching to digital fundraising so they can bring in money during the current crisis.

“With self-isolation and physical distancing being of paramount importance, many charities are faced with the prospect of having to adapt to digital fundraising extremely quickly,” said Fundmetric CEO Mark Hobbs in a new Covid-19 page on the company’s website. “Fundmetric will be making our giving pages available to charities free of charge to help them continue to fundraise.”

FundMetric started seven years ago with a goal of helping charities enhance their engagement with donors. As the company has grown, it has increased the sophistication of the product so it uses machine learning to maximize fundraising campaigns. While identifying donors who are most likely to give to the charity, it also tells these donors how their money has been used and the impact it has had. This encourages donors to repeat and/or increase their donations.

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In an interview Tuesday, Hobbs said data has shown that many people increase their charitable giving during economic downturns. Obviously, a lot of people are unable to make donations because they’ve lost their jobs, but those who weather the storm tend to open their pocketbooks more than usual.

With social distancing, some fundraising avenues such as events or even personal meetings are closed to charities, so it’s important for them to use digital campaigns to best effect. They still have employees and it’s an excellent time for them to increase their use of online tools.

"So few charities have integrated a digital transformation plan into their corporate strategy, even though studies have shown that the digital economy is expected to have a major impact on nonprofits and businesses alike in the next few years,” said Rachel Crosbie, the company’s Head of Account Management.

“Fundmetric hopes to help these organizations adapt their fundraising methods to a digital platform, enabling them to continue to raise funds now, while setting the stage for their future.”

Fundmetric, which brought on former Nova Scotia Opposition Leader Jamie Baillie as Executive Chair last year, has been performing well, said Hobbs. The company employs seven people and hopes to add a couple new employees in customer success. In fact, Hobbs wants to hire restaurant workers who have been laid off recently, in part because they understand customer service so well. He is hoping Fundmetric can help these laid off workers just as it hopes to help Canadian charities.  

Said Hobbs: “At the end of this, charities that would have never had the opportunity [to adopt these digital technologies] can raise more today and be set up for the future.”