Glossary

Online Donations refers to the process of donating money to a cause or nonprofit organization through the internet. These donations are typically made through digital platforms such as a nonprofit's website, third-party fundraising platforms or social media channels.

Online donation platforms, such as Soulclick, often include secure payment processing and are integrated into donation forms, social media campaigns, or specific fundraising events.

Online donations are crucial for reaching new, younger target groups and lowering barriers to giving, allowing supporters to contribute anytime and from anywhere. Donations can be one-time or recurring, helping organizations maintain a consistent flow of contributions over time.

Online Fundraising is a broad term for all measures, tools, and resources that nonprofit organizations use to generate donations over the internet. Also known as digital fundraising, it encompasses online donation software, email campaigns, and platforms like social media or crowdfunding sites, allowing organizations to reach a wide audience. An essential aspect of online fundraising, particularly in the early stages of donor engagement, is effective communication through targeted content and compelling storytelling.

An Online Fundraising Tool is a specialized software solution designed to help nonprofits collect online donations. It typically includes a donation form with an integrated online payment solution (see: payment gateway). Advanced tools like Soulclick provide additional features, such as:

• Fundraising hubs such as a donation shop

• Dashboards for data analysis

• Email automations

• Content hub for storytelling

• Integrations with third-party systems (e.g., CRM systems)

On-Premise (short: On-Prem) is a software deployment model where customers operate their software on own servers and infrastructure. Over the last years, the market has shifted significantly from On-Premise to SaaS and Cloud Computing solutions, which generally offer more flexible scalability and lower setup costs.

With On-Premise software, the responsibility and costs for maintenance, security, and updates lie with the customer. This can be particularly challenging for small and medium-sized nonprofits with limited IT knowledge.

Open Banking allows third-party providers and software platforms to access and use banking services and applications directly through API interfaces. With Open Banking, your organization can, for example, track invoice payments via Soulclick. The bank reconciliation feature enables the automation of downstream financial and communication processes, which can be particularly beneficial when managing high transaction volumes.

Opt-in refers to the process of obtaining explicit consent from users before processing their personal data. It’s commonly used in email marketing to send newsletters or automated emails to users who have subscribed on your organization’s website. Under European Data Regulations (GDPR), organizations are required to use a double opt-in process for extra verification, which often involves asking users to confirm their subscription through a link sent to their email. This additional step ensures that the user’s information is correct and that the consent is intentional.

In Organic Marketing, charities use high-quality content to reach their target audience without using paid advertising. The goal of organic marketing is to improve visibility on search engines and social media to gain more followers and increase organic web traffic. Typical organic measures are:

• Landing pages and blog articles

• Social media posts

• User-generated content

• Email marketing

• Search engine optimization (SEO)

• PR

Effective organic marketing not only strengthens online fundraising but also enhances a charity's credibility – particularly among younger audiences.