What is a non-profit app?
A non-profit application is a web, mobile, or desktop application that enables users to manage the fundraising and outreach efforts of their organization. Non-profit apps typically include features for collecting donations, posting news and updates about the mission of the organization, managing volunteers, and connecting with other members of the organization.
Non-profit apps have much in common with other social networking apps like professional networking apps and event planning apps. Popular non-profit apps include Charity Navigator, Habitat for Humanity, GoFundMe, and the American Red Cross.
Examples of non-profit apps built with Crowdbotics:
- An app that broadcasts sermons over the web.
- An app that will manage payment, booking, availability, and events for a 5,500 acre land trust in Iowa. The area is large and there are a ton of activities available, including hiking/equestrian/mountain biking trails, a campground, venues for weddings/birthdays/ etc.
- A web app that will help people transition out of the military better.
What is the typical cost to build a non-profit app?
A non-profit app usually costs about $37,500 to build. However, the total cost can be as low as $25,000 or as high as $50,000. A non-profit app with a low number of features (also known as a minimum viable product, or MVP) will be more affordable than an app that includes all intended functionality.
For example, here are some previous non-profit app price quotes from Crowdbotics:
How long does it take to build a non-profit app?
A non-profit app usually takes 267 hours to build. However, a non-profit app can be built in as few as 133 hours, or in as many as 600 hours. The exact timeline mostly depends on how complicated your specific app is. As a general rule, it will take longer if you require highly custom designs, niche features, complex logic, or non-standard release platforms.
For example, some previous non-profit apps build with Crowdbotics received the following hourly estimates:
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Crowdbotics has quoted and built hundreds of applications for teams of all sizes. Browse our historical estimates by industry and app type to understand possible costs and considerations.
How to successfully grow your non-profit application
Non-profit apps are unique in that they must grow their user base without an immediate revenue stream. Non-profit apps must attract new users by developing a platform that provides value to its users and makes it easy for them to spread the word about the non-profit app. Non-profits should also publicize their mission in order to draw attention to the app, and they should encourage users to donate using the app and by providing real-time updates about how donations are being used.
Risks and challenges of building a non-profit application
If your app is designed to raise money for a good cause, you will be exposed to the risk of not meeting donation goals and losing all of the invested capital. You may also risk alienating potential participants if your app does not live up to its promise. Before developing your app, you should research whether there is sufficient market demand for your idea, analyze how much it will cost to develop the app, and determine whether you can meet all of your fundraising goals while meeting industry-standard goals for charitable giving.
