By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting

While younger generations sometimes receive a bad rep for their (over)use of cell phones, several recent stories are highlighting the extraordinary capacity for fundraising that cell phones allow. So get out your smart phone and prepare to raise some serious cash.

Use texting, but make it personal

Over the holidays, one creative individual used her cell phone to spread her contagious passion for a great cause to her friends. As highlighted in a recent blog, mGive Executive Director Jenifer Snyder created a spur-of-the-moment text campaign that helped Broomfield nonprofit, A Precious Child, meet its holiday goal of collecting toys for kids in need. After hearing that the organization was short of its holiday gift goals, Jenifer texted friends and family a personal message about how they could help. Many responded, eager to help the cause. If there is an organization you are passionate about, pick up your phone and let your friends know, in a tangible way, how they can help. Text your friends asking them to donate to the cause, volunteer with you or help spread the word.

Find apps to make donations

Citibank has launched a new application that allows users to pool rewards points for collective purchases, according to an article from Mashable. Among the ways customers can pool points is to gather them to raise money for charity. If you are a Citibank customer, rally your friends together and choose a favorite charity to help with unused rewards points.

Text a donation now, pay later

I’m sure you’ve sent the campaigns asking you to text a code to a nonprofit to give $10 or $20. This can be a simple and hassle-free way to donate to causes you want to support. You don’t need to carry any cash or fill out a form with your billing information, you simply text and the donation is added to your cell phone bill at the end of that month. PBS reported in 2010 that U.S. relief groups raised $150 million for victims of the earthquake in Haiti, thanks in large part to these types of text campaigns.

These are just a few examples of how technology is allowing nonprofits to raise money quickly on a local and national with the help of generous communities. How do you use your cell phone or other technology to help causes close to your heart? Comment below or share on our Facebook page.