By Debra Brown, COO, MobilizeUs.com

It’s not surprising that after the widely publicized success of the 2010 Red Cross "Text-to-Give" campaign for Haitian earthquake relief, social change organizations wanted to hop on the text-to-donate bandwagon.

But as many quickly learned, the biggest barrier for grassroots groups emulating the Red Cross style text-to-give campaign is cost.

There are a couple of different ways to create a grassroots text-to-donate program that allows you to reach the same goal as a traditional text-to-donate campaign: making it possible for someone to make a donation to your organization by initiating a text message.

In fact, you can create a text-to-donate campaign for a fraction of the cost as a traditional campaign, and you stand to gain much more than the initial donation. A couple of examples:

Mobile phones have become an emerging tool for nonprofits that are seeking to engage with supporters, recruit volunteers, and raise money. MobileActive.org has published its third guide on mobile activism, entitled "Using Mobile Phones in Fundraising Campaigns", written by Michael Stein, an Internet strategist based in Berkeley, California. The Guide features case studies from around the world, strategies for using mobile phones in fundraising, and a how-to section for organizations considering using mobile phones to support their causes. The Guide includes the following sections:

• Mobile Phones in Fundraising Campaigns
• Mobile Fundraising for Humanitarian Relief
• Partnerships between Charities and Commercial Entities
• Harnessing Media and Entertainment Content
• Interplay between Donors and Activists
• Searching for Return on Investment in Mobile Fundraising
• Lessons Learned

The Guide includes case studies and examples from Greenpeace India, Doctors Without Borders Austria, American Red Cross, Live 8, Breakthrough Breast Cancer (UK), Planned Parenthood Federation of America, YouthNoise, StandUp for Kids, Sweet Relief, Amnesty International, and Amnesty Norway.

We here at NTEN spend a lot of time thinking about how nonprofits can use mobile phones in their work. Why? Because we believe that mobile phones are game changers, with the ability to shift -- fundamentally shift -- the way we communicate. Mobile phones are powerful tools in your media arsenal. No one has said it as eloquently as Alan Moore.

Robin Good just republished his essay, Mobile as the 7th Mass Media (part one is available here, part two is available here). In a word, this paper is delicious. It's a concise, smart, and at times funny take on the history of media. Each iteration receives a short history, with concrete lessons learned. Then, Robin tackles mobile phones as the next wave of media, applying everything he has just covered.

If your organization is thinking about starting, or is currently running, a mobile campaign of any sort, you need to read this paper. If your boss remains unconvinced, text her the URL.

Some highlights: 

“Don’t you wish your city was cleaner and greener? Begin by planting free saplings offered by Greenpeace. Reply GREEN to 6363 to get your sapling.”

The campaign, run by Greenpeace India, generated 149 new members, a conversion from lead to member of 16%.

How are mobile phones used in fundraising campaigns of NGOs around the world and what results are we seeing? How about the United States - where is mobile fundraising now and where is it headed? For a critical and insightful review, download the latest MobileActive Strategy Guide in our series of hard-hitting evaluations of the potential and perils of mobile phones in social change work.

See all guides and download the latest here.