Monitise plc (LSE: MONI.L) today announced the launch of MoniGive, a service which will enable consumers to make charity donations directly from their bank account using the Monitise secure mobile banking and payments service.
Charitable organisations will be able to connect into Monitise's multi-bank, multi-mobile operator mobile banking & payments ecosystems (MONILINK in the UK and Monitise Americas in North America), providing a swift and convenient means for receiving donations. Annual charitable donations from individuals are estimated at £8.6 billion* and $222.89 billion** in the UK and USA respectively.
MoniGive allows charities of any size to receive immediate, non-repudiable donations directly from consumers' bank or card accounts. The service is accessed via the secure Monitise application, making the mobile phone a virtual 'collection box'. Furthermore, using the secure messaging service which is integrated into the Monitise service, MoniGive enables charities to contact customers, on an opt-in basis, with a call to action to which they can respond immediately. This is especially beneficial in large disaster-relief campaigns where a timely response is critical.
Payments made via MoniGive are fully automated, ensuring that charities benefit from low collection costs. Consumers will have the convenience of managing their charity accounts alongside their bank accounts in a secure application on their mobile phone. They will be able to give to their chosen charity without having to research or remember payee details or wait until they can get online or call the contact centre. MoniGive also encourages responsible giving by allowing consumers to check their balances from the same, secure application before making a donation.
Finally, consistent with Monitise's ecosystem approach, MoniGive uses existing payment systems to minimise integration for participating organisations. This ensures that up-front costs are kept to a minimum, while ensuring that schemes such as Gift Aid continue to be delivered in a seamless manner.
John Logan, social innovation consultant and former director of the Vodafone Group Foundation commented: "I am delighted that Monitise is launching Mo MoniGive. Society is more aware than ever of the needs of the less fortunate and donors want their money to have the maximum impact. They want any delay and administration costs to be kept to an absolute minimum. MoniGive will probably be the most cost effective and speedy donation mechanism available to anyone thinking of giving money to a charitable cause. The charitable organisations that we have consulted have been very enthusiastic about this new service."
Richard Johnson, Chief Marketing Officer at Monitise Group added: "Our ecosystems already connect consumers of many banks and mobile operators in the UK and USA, allowing them to control their funds using a simple and secure application on their handset. It has always been a priority for us to extend the benefits of this secure, low cost channel to the charities sector, providing consumers with a convenient way of managing their donations, while also creating an easily deployable fundraising route in situations where speed is of the essence.
"I suspect that many of us have experienced the frustration of wanting to contribute to a good cause, but then finding it hard to find a way to actually make the payment. We hope that MoniGive will help address this issue."