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Girl Scouts invites consumers to put up or shut up

America?s preferred purveyor of packaged confections is assembling against sideline support with its latest initiative, which urges consumers to invest in young girls through a mobile donation platform. 

The pilot program?just in time for the season of giving?is called ToGetHerThere: The Girl Scout Challenge, and its rollout is in part to highlight the lack of funding and donations dedicated to girls and their leadership potential. The campaign represents the next iteration of Girl Scouts' historic ToGetHerThere fundraising drive, which is the largest philanthropic effort in the world for girls.

?The ease of contributing, plus the assurance that money is going to the intended places, propelled mobile giving into a viable donation method,? said Jeff Hasen, author of The Art of Mobile Persuasion. ?There is no credit card information needed since an approved non-profit can raise money through a consenting individual's monthly wireless bill.?

ToGetHerThere
The campaign is in many ways a reaction to the current ideological climate, where girls are seemingly benefitting from consumers in terms of sentiment but severely lacking in material support. To quote the press release: ?In the past decade, the concept of "girl power" has been parroted with abandon, yet actual financial support is often severely lacking?and greatly needed.?

The landing page for Girl Scouts' donation Web site

To address the discrepancy, Girl Scouts are welcoming small dollar donations through a mobile-optimized Web site and through a texting platform by texting InvestInGirls to 41444. Each donation to Girl Scouts enables the organization and its 112 local councils to continue providing impactful, girl-led programming that combines STEM, the outdoors, life skills, entrepreneurship and civic engagement.

Studies have shown that one of the most effective ways to boost a nation's economic output, enhance productivity, and improve the overall vibrancy of society is to invest in the leadership capabilities of girls and women. Girl Scouts, in its over-100 year history, has stood as an organization supremely dedicated to the advancement of young women, and it is a worthy recipient of the donations it is sure to receive from mobile users.

The platform makes donating simple

Mobile donations
The mobile platform has become an unexpectedly surgent medium for altruism as of late. For example, the American Red Cross' newest mobile application, Hero Care, aims to connect military service members with their families and vice versa, showcasing mobile?s unique abilities as the most ubiquitous digital channel (see story). 

And sandwich chain Subway is leveraging Snapchat for an in-store special that it hopes will imbue some charitable sentiment with its customers (see story). 

?Mobile givers are mostly younger, and many are first-time contributors,? Mr. Hasen said. ?A key for non-profits is to provide multiple ways to donate. 

?No one method is for all."