When it comes to non-profits and social media, the final question always remains: how can I use these applications and platforms to actually increase donations? How can I use these to make money? The answer, many have said lately, is to turn to mobile fundraising. DC Week 2010 covered this topic with a "Mobile Fundraising and Advocacy" panel. With Arlene Remick from textforbaby.org and Ken Eisner of OneEconomy , along with David Hoover , the director of Government Affairs for The Wireless Association , the topic of mobile fundraising and advocacy was covered from all sides.

Textforbaby.org is a prime example of how mobile phones can be used to transmit information to a very specific demographic with a specific purpose. In the case of Arlene Remick and textforbaby, that group is pregnant and new mothers and the information that is sent out is infant health alerts, specifically to low-income and non-online mothers. The key, she said, to effective mobile non-profit action is "quick response, which is essential, and communicating active and true information. People in the U.S sent  1 trillion text messages a year in 2008-this is an area of social activity that is continuing to be tapped for fundraising.   She mentioned that the work of David Hoover with the CTIA to connect textforbaby.org with all cell phone carriers was a massive step for them, and that connection with cell phone carriers would be necessary  to success for any mobile fundraising effort.

Ken Eisner was one of the founders of Boost Mobile and has had a hand in several mobile ventures over recent years.  Now, he is working to integrate wi-fi into low-income public housing and pursue broadband adoption into more American homes. He remarked that "With mobile fundraising, the cause has to be strong and topical, and the backing of carriers is essential."  The panel focused on a key building block of all social media action, the interaction between the content and the audience. Especially when it comes to mobile fundraising, Eisner noted, "Make sure that you’ve thought out how to stimulate the audience and not just make a campaign."