Start 2025 with a Fundraising Game-Changer: The Gray Water Ops Smart Coin?

As we close out 2024, I want to share a powerful way to keep your organization top of mind with donors—and turn one-time gifts into ongoing, additional donations. Meet the Gray Water Ops? Smart Coin?: a two-inch custom-minted coin with an embedded NFC ntag 424 DNA microchip, designed to elevate your charity’s fundraising to the next level.

Why It’s a Perpetual Donation Machine

• Effortless Engagement: Donors, who want to support your cause, receive a special fundraising tool they can carry in thier pocket or purse. It's a custom metal coin designed for your charity. When sharing your charities mission with others, it's a tangible piece of the fundraising effort you can PUT IN THEIR HAND as you tell them all the great things your charity does. If the person you're talking to seems interested, ask them to tap their smartphone to your coin and watch the magic unfold! When they tap the coin with their phone the microchip embedded in the coin tells your phone to open a browser and go to the website link programmed on the coins. It's a direct fundraising line that previous donors can easily connect new donors to your cause and instantly access your donation pages, social media channels, or exclusive content.

• Origin: The Smart Coin? was born from a patent I was working on, for a high tech magic coin trick called Smart Phone Card Trick. A spectator would select a playing card, shuffle it back into the deck and then identify the card by touching their own smartphone to my coin. The selected card would appear on their smartphone. The trick could be repeated over and over, with different people, getting different results with each card selected! While using the technology to make the magic happen, I stumbled upon a way to use the same technology to help charities riase more money (on top of what they're currently doing in their fundraising efforts).

• 30 Years in the making: As an artist designing custom military and police coins for the past 30 years, I've seen how people respond to challenge coins when they hold one for the first time. It's a very tactile experience as the tips and pads of your fingers run across the 3D metal detail as you take in the beauty and design of the coin. The coins have weight and are die struck from solid brass.

• In my #1 best selling Amazon book, "The Coin That Changed Charity" I tell my story, from receiving my very first challenge coin back in 1990, to developing the most technologically advanced challenge coin on the market. My patent was approved in 2015 but until about 4 years ago, only a handful of smartphones had NFC capability. My patent was ahead of it's time! Now almost every smartphone on the market has NFC capability.

• Tangible Reminder: Unlike flyers or emails, this coin is a physical, eye-catching piece—perfect for sparking conversations and driving repeat support. The coin does all the work. Much easier than asking someone to go to the website or check it out later. Why later? Why not show them NOW and ask for their support?!

• Personalized Experience: Each coin can be custom-designed with your charity logo and messaging, keeping your cause front and center in a way that’s both memorable and interactive.
• The coin is a thank-you giveback: It keeps working for your cause, long after the initial donation is made!
• Find just ONE other person to make the next donation: You'll create a perpetual donation machine and help your charity grow with an easily obtainable goal. Every donation after the one is an extra cherry on top!

From E=MC2 to C=MD2 the new Theory of Donor Dedication

Ready to see it in action? Check out this short video: Smart Coin? Video

As we look ahead to 2025, let’s make it the year of innovative giving. The Smart Coin? is your key to forging deeper donor relationships and fueling a steady stream of contributions—all while showcasing your organization’s forward-thinking approach.

Men and women in the US military, law enforcement, fire departments, clubs, and organizations all have members who carry special coins that have an emotional connection with the larger picture. Each plays a unique role in a group of individuals who are connected by their unique circumstances. They carry coins to show their affiliation and pride in the organization they belong to.

Charities and fundraisers could take a lesson from that playbook and give your donors a reason to carry your coin and keep your organization top of mind in their day to day life.

EVERY charity has dedicated, loyal supporters. It's THESE people who would appreciate the value and fundraising potential a Smart Coin? brings to the table. They'll WANT to put your coin in other people's hands, share your cause and FIND others to donate. Each donor becomes an extension of your fundraising efforts linking directly to your donation page.

With NFC technology, you could even add UTM codes to the link and track each individual donation back to the donor it came from. Nothing wrong with a little friendly competition of who can generate the most donations by getting others to tap thier smartphone to your coin!

Here’s to a successful end to 2024 and an even brighter, more impactful 2025! If you have any questions about integrating Smart Coins? into your fundraising strategy, feel free to reach out.

— Gray Water Ops: Veteran-Owned and Changing Fundraising, One Coin at a Time.