Launching & Scaling Crypto Donations
Description
‘Crypto Donations’ is a British Red Cross fundraising product, first launched in February 2023, becoming one of the first large UK charities to accept cryptocurrency donations in the UK.
Enabling crypto as a donation method was designed to serve a new demographic of ‘crypto philanthropists,’ who wanted the opportunity to do good with their crypto and make a positive impact in times of crisis.
Information
Brief
Explore Accepting Crypto DonationsService
Market Research, Procurement, Product LaunchClient
The British Red CrossField
Digital Payments, Cryptocurrency, FundraisingProduct
Minimum Viable Product to Pilot (in market)Year
2023Timeline
1 yearTeam size
2Challenge
- Nascent UK crypto fundraising market – little insight or market data to draw from when exploring crypto donations.
- Reputational risks – WWF cancelled their NFT sale in Feb 2022 after public backlash regarding environmental impact.
Opportunity
- Crypto donations were increasingly popular in the US non-profit sector ($500M donated in 2021).
- March 2022 – British Red Cross received its first crypto donation offer ($500k) for the Ukraine Crisis Appeal, highlighting clear donor demand.
Solution
Deliver MVP to assess desirability, feasibility and viability of crypto donations. Product development followed a phased, agile approach:
1. Accept crypto passively, without marketing – assess feasibility & risk level
2. Actively seek crypto donors – assess desirability & marketing strategies
3. Use blockchain technology to better support those in need (secure transfers to international partners)
Outcome
- Six-figure generating fundraising product
- 170 crypto donors
- Average donation $480
- Awarded Best Donor Appeal (The Giving Block, Nov 2024)
- Praised by UK Charity Commission for good procedure
- Successfully onboarded crypto donation solutions provider
My Impact
Managed stakeholders across Finance, Legal, Operations, Compliance, Data Governance, IT Security, Procurement, Environmental to capture requirements and assess risk for crypto donations.
Objective:
Accept crypto donations safely, validate desirability & viability, derisk opportunity.
Action:
- Created comparison matrix to assess crypto suppliers against stakeholder criteria.
- Set up working group with C-level and legal; regular meetings and Teams channel for communications.
- Presented donor insight and fundraising data internally and at international conferences.
Results:
- British Red Cross became a crypto fundraising thought leader.
- Created a safe crypto donation procedure.
- Reached new target audience and accepted donations without backlash.
Initial donation process required emailing, identification and password access, leading to 90% drop-off.
Objective:
Create a compliant yet user-friendly journey for donors.
Action:
- Personalized thank-you emails and feedback collection.
- Removed password encryption to donation page.
- Embedded donation widget directly on page.
- Included choice of Red Cross appeals.
- Increased donation threshold from £5k to £10k.
Results:
- Frequency of donations: 2 → 10 per month
- Average gift: $11 → $480
- Number of donors: 3 → 173
Phased approach: identify target audience and test desirability without active marketing.
Objective:
Engage crypto donors and validate desirability & viability before Phase 2 marketing.
Action:
- 4-day Design Sprint to generate engagement ideas.
- Crypto training courses & conferences attendance.
- Engaged crypto influencers and strategist to support proposition.
Results:
- 100% uplift in donations after conferences.
- Three press features: The Crypto Basic, Token Post, The Reason Digital.
- Raised £10,000 with 42 donors, no paid marketing, no backlash.
