Mastercard Donate Offers Consumers More Ways to Give Back

New roundup feature and mobile app will allow for giving through everyday purchases. Builds on company’s longstanding commitment to supporting causes and delivering impact at scale. 

This unprecedented year has accelerated charitable giving by double-digit percentages^[1]. With consumer spending increasingly moving online, Mastercard is today announcing the expansion of its digital giving platform – Mastercard Donate - to enable cardholders to round up their everyday spend to the nearest dollar for donations to the charity of their choice. 

Consumers will be able to simply register their debit or credit card information, select the cause they wish to support and start contributing small donations that add up to big impact. Visitors to the Mastercard Donate site can already make one-time and recurring donations. The newly expanded roundup feature, allowing cardholders to make donations based on the roundup amount, will be made available to U.S. cardholders through a new Mastercard Donate mobile app in time for the holiday season and through the website shortly after. 

With the freedom to modify where their contributions go and with real-time tracking to watch them grow over time, Mastercard is supporting digital giving in simple, smart and secure ways.  The charities available support a range of critical issues, from food insecurity through World Central Kitchen and World Food Programme to emergency response through World Vision, cancer research with Stand Up To Cancer, fostering environmental sustainability through our Priceless Planet Coalition with Conservation International and World Resources Institute, and economic growth for underserved communities with National Urban League. 

Today’s announcement builds on Mastercard’s longstanding commitment to delivering social impact at scale. Since 2012, together with our customers and in partnership with World Food Programme, Mastercard raised $26.9 million to support School Feeding programs, equal to more than 107 million meals that help address childhood hunger. With the help of millions of cardholders, we donated more than $50 million over the last 10 years to Stand Up To Cancer to help fund groundbreaking cancer research. Currently in the U.S., every time you use your Mastercard to make online purchases or pay with contactless in-store at qualifying grocery stores, drug stores, and restaurants, as well as for transit, Mastercard will donate one cent per transaction – up to $4 million^[2].

“Now more than ever, charitable organizations need our support, and we have a long history of supporting causes not only through our own contributions, but by partnering with our customers and empowering consumers to support the causes they are passionate about as well,” said Raja Rajamannar, chief marketing and communications officer, president of healthcare at Mastercard. “By providing choice in how they give, we can ensure that their dollars have impact, whether locally or globally, with a one-time donation, recurring donations or opportunities to give based on roundup amounts.”

Partnering for Impact 

During the onset of Covid-19, Mastercard worked with Goodworld and Accelerator for America to stand up Mastercard Donate for The Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles. A social giving campaign contributed to the more than $36 million in donations raised and distributed to Los Angeles residents in need. 

Mastercard is also currently deploying its Priceless Experience platform to enable cardholders to take part in custom curated, virtual experiences with proceeds benefitting various charities. This includes Riot Games League of Legends Mid-Season Streamathon, a three-day esports competition with featured programming across five continents with donations generated by auction going towards Covid-19 relief efforts.

In January, Mastercard launched the Priceless Planet Coalition, uniting the efforts of businesses and consumers to make meaningful investments to plant 100 million trees over five years – together with forestry partners Conservation International and World Resources Institute. The global coalition encourages contributions through a variety of mechanisms, such as rewarding environmentally friendly actions, as well as enabling round-up donations at point of sale and loyalty point redemptions.

To learn more about Mastercard’s commitment to building a more inclusive and sustainable digital economy and the impact of the company’s broader philanthropic efforts, visit the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.

Quote sheet

“Our collaboration with Mastercard demonstrates the profound impact we can have when we unite for a powerful cause that touches everyone,” said Stand Up To Cancer co-founder Rusty Robertson. “Mastercard’s unwavering commitment to Stand Up To Cancer allows us to continue our lifesaving cancer research, moving us closer to a world where everyone diagnosed with cancer is a long term survivor.”

“Partnering with Mastercard on new, innovative giving initiatives like Mastercard Donate, has enabled us to reach new audiences, and inspire them to join us in making a difference in the lives of the world’s most vulnerable children,” Andrew Morley, CEO and president of World Vision International enthusiastically confirmed.

sources

[1]  Fidelity Charitable, Communities in crisis: How donors are responding to COVID-19

[2] Promotion ends on December 31st, 2020, or when maximum $4 million donation is reached, whichever comes first. Debit PIN and International transactions ineligible. Stand Up To Cancer is a division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Terms apply. See Mastercard.us/standuptocancer.