BT launches charity donation service

MyDonate guarantees 100% of funds donated will go direct to charities, excluding credit card charges of 1.3% and debit card charges of 15p per transaction. This means BT will absorb “millions of pounds” in administration costs.

Currently, JustGiving takes 5% commission from every donation and charges charities £15 a month, while Virgin Money Giving takes 2% commission from donations.

BT’s CSR programme director Donna Young says: “MyDonate’s benefit to BT is boosting consumer perception about our affiliation with charities and it will help employees feel proud about working for us. You can’t underestimate pride in the workforce.”

The new service allows fundraisers and charities to set up pages in order to promote their events. Charities can also receive one-off and regular donations unrelated to specific events.

The launch charities for MyDonate, that also helped develop the service in consultation with BT, include: the NSPCC, Women’s Aid, Cancer Research UK, Changing Faces and Kids Out.

BT will promote MyDonate with a “festival of fundraising”, appearing at a number of British summer music festivals alongside partner charities to communicate the new fundraising service.

MyDonate will also feature TV presenter Ben Fogle as its brand ambassador in marketing material.

Rival online fundraising site JustGiving is readying the launch of its first corporate platform, targeted at FTSE 100 companies, in the hope of plugging the gap left by the decline in public sector funding and individual donations to charities.

Young adds: “I hope companies like JustGiving see MyDonate as a positive venture because it will grow the market; only 7% of people currently give to charities online. It will also help to keep JustGiving on their toes – competition is good in any market.”