With the increased utilization of mobile technology, everything is transitioning online, including such things as charitable donations.

Just take a look at a recent study by fundraising and volunteer website Network for Good, which shows an exponential increase in online donations within the past 10 years. In 2001, Network for Good recorded just 4% of donors completing their charitable transactions online, while this year shows 65% of their donations coming through the Internet. A whopping 1,600% increase! So has online giving gone “mainstream”?

While the frequency of online giving has certainly jumped, another interesting piece of data in Network for Good’s report lies in the average monetary sum recorded. Since 2001, the average online gift has decreased from $226 to just $73 – a significant drop. While various factors have likely contributed to this change (such as the economic downturn and its effect on Americans’ pocketbooks), the convenience of donating online also allows people to take advantage of designating their funds to go toward specific disaster relief efforts. The lower average may simply indicate that donors are splitting their contributions among various projects, spending smaller amounts on each.

With the ever-increasing use of online properties, as well as efforts to eliminate paper waste from check usage, web-based payment will only continue to increase into the next decade.  The ease of use and fast speed of the internet makes online gifting a much more efficient process for those interested in philanthropy.