Cause Mobile Wallet’s mobile-payment application is being used in a partnership with Red Bull and People Water to raise money for Life Rolls On, the featured charity at this week’s Vans US Open of Surfing, adding another dimension to charity fundraising.

Event sponsors Red Bull and People Water will accept onsite payments via the Cause Mobile app, a portion of which will be donated to the charity, which seeks to improve the quality of life of young spinal cord injury victims through action sports.

“This is the most important aspect for us – directing existing dollars to worthy charities like Life Rolls On,” said Brad Barton, president of Cause Mobile Wallet. “LRO is an outstanding charity that does wonders for people with debilitating spinal injuries.

“We know that every dollar makes a difference, and being able to facilitate those dollars to these types of charities is what we are all about.”

Goods and services

Newport Beach, CA-based Cause Mobile Wallet’s free app allows consumers to purchase goods and services at participating businesses using their smartphones, and have .5 percent of every transaction donated to the charity or school of their choice.

Users can set up profiles, choose a preferred charity or school to receive a portion of purchases, and buy items at participating merchants’ shops or events. The app can be found in the iTunes App Store or Google Play Store, or by texting CAUSE to 95577 for the download link.

Information also can be found at www.causemobilewallet.com or by emailing [email protected].

“Cause allows consumers to have all the convenience and purchasing power of a credit card contained within their smartphones. And best of all, it doesn’t cost the user anything to use the app – nothing changes for them, but they are giving back just by using Cause,” Mr. Barton said.

The 2014 Vans US Open of Surfing, which runs through Sunday in Huntington Beach, CA, attracts top surfers, skateboarders and off-road motorcyclists. All events are free.

Cause chose to unveil its app at the surfing championship because it was a local event and drew about 750,000 last year, offering national exposure.

Redrawing landscape

Mobile charity apps are changing the landscape for fund-raising organizations as charities need do little to reach a large target audience.

“We typically ask charities to email their supporter base or add us to a news-letter, just to let them know that they have partnered with Cause and to download the app, use it to make purchases, and thus support their favorite cause,” Mr. Barton said.

Charity apps also build broad engagement and support. “We market via social media to bring awareness to our product and to the charities that we support,” he said. “This marketing will bring new supporters to our partner charities.”

The app puts no restrictions on merchants, requiring only an iPad on the merchant side, and only an iPhone or Android phone for the consumer, according to Mr. Barton.

In a special promotion for the event, which celebrates 100 years of surfing this season, those who download the app will be entered into a draw for a custom-made surfboard.

“Merchants can open a Cause Mobile Wallet account risk free,” Mr Barton said. “We don’t have a termed contract. You can cancel at any time without penalties or cancellation fees. It’s free to download.”

Michael Barris is staff reporter with Mobile Marketer, New York.