“You don’t have to be a billionaire to change the world. You can do it $3 and $5 at a time,” Instead’s website reads. This “micro donations, macro impact” app is all about tapping into our everyday choices. The app clearly displays the impact of your choice -- so in lieu of your regular store-bought coffee, those few dollars could provide a South Sudanese child with clean water for a year.
The causes are supported by an Instead non-profit partner, and the app keeps 5% of the donation for operating costs. Donations are tax deductible.
Free for iOS.
The Instead app and I Can Go Without operate on the same principle: They both connect conscious consumers with trusted causes. When you make a pledge to reduce your own daily consumption, you can open up the I Can Go Without app and choose to give that money to people in need. Later, pledges are converted into donations through the app’s secure donation center.
The simple app has become one of the most efficient fundraising tools for its charity partners, which include Thirst Relief International, ONEXONE and Sightsavers.
The app keeps 6.9 cents of each donated dollar for operating costs.
Free for iOS.
Donate without dipping into your bank account, and become a sponsored athlete? That’s a beautiful thing. Charity Miles is the easiest way to integrate philanthropy into your daily workout by earning money and raising awareness for charities each time you exercise -- just turn on the app, choose a charity and press start.
The app measures the distance of your route. Bikers earn 10 cents per mile, while walkers and runners earn 25 cents per mile -- all up to Charity Miles’ initial $1 million corporate sponsorship pool.
Free for iOS and Android.
Google’s One Today app lets you “give a little and change a lot” by combining philanthropy with the excitement of novelty. Every day, discover a new non-profit organization. If you like its mission, donate $1 from within the app. For example, you can help The Nature Conservatory adopt a coral reef, save a child from pneumonia or fund a critical surgical procedure.
Share new organizations with friends, or match your friends’ donations, which are tax deductible and grouped together for simple year-end tax planning.
Free for iOS and Android.
Johnson & Johnson has harnessed our relentless photo-sharing mania and turned it into something for the greater good. For every photo you share through this app, the company donates $1 to your chosen cause, such as Operation Smile, Save the Children and Girl Up. You can donate one photo daily.
The app lets you track all the causes you’ve helped, and you’re notified when your causes reach their goals. When a cause does reach its financial goal or its donation period ends, a new cause is added to the lineup.
More than 127,000 photos have been donated so far, and they’ll never be used for commercial purposes.
Free for iOS.
Like Foursquare with a humanitarian twist, Check-in for Good uses geo-targeted advertising to connect businesses and causes with willing individuals in order to raise money.
This app also has a more direct business-to-consumer plan than others: When you visit a participating business or event, just check in. The cause receives a donation from the business, and you receive a promotional offer for that business, encouraging you to return. It’s also completely free for organizations to set up a cause page.
Free for iOS and Android.
A pen and checkbook used to be the only way to donate money to good causes. The Internet, however, has rejuvenated our concept of “giving to charity,” bringing about an unprecedented age of both citizen and viral philanthropy, and calling upon online communities to help those in need.
This concept relies on social sharing to spread the word, and is only strengthened by the growing accessibility of mobile phones. And it continues to be a groundbreaking idea for social good.
See also: 10 Empowering Apps for Social Good
These free apps transform giving into an easy and convenient activity, without interfering with your daily schedule. Donate in small increments, or do good just by using the app.
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Homepage image: Instead