So, we hear you ask - what are the newest ways to give? We have a look through some of the newest and most innovative ways to fundraise through the power of new technology.

Topping the list of innovative technological ways to encourage people to give is the British Red Cross' partnership with Electronic Arts, the developer behind the ever popular SimCity video game. Players now have the option to pay £7.99 to download Red Cross branded content to use within their game, such a relief centre - with 80% of the proceeds going to the charity. The British Red Cross is one of 10 national Red Cross societies around the world that is taking part in the partnership. Electronic Arts said that it would give a minimum of £63,000 to each of the participating Red Cross societies as part of their year-long collaboration.

Next we have a creative idea to increase bidding at a charity event, brought to you by a partnership between Ronald McDonald House Charities and Bidtech. Using its partner's own innovative event technology, the charity raised a record £48,000 at its latest Gala Dinner. Two iPads using Bidtech's technology were placed on each dinner table, displaying menu details, venue information and stories about the charity itself. Each iPad used the silent auction technology designed by Bidtech to enhance the friendly competitiveness at the event and so increase the will to bid. A full description of each item was provided, and bids were displayed in real time on a large digital leader board situated at the front of the room for all to see. To encourage even more donations, people could also make a personal gift to the charity using a pledge feature.

This is a great example of the simplicity of personalising messages to fundraisers and the public by using technology. Diabetes UK used Vine, a mobile app owned by Twitter that enables its users to create and post short video clips, to thank and encourage their event fundraisers - in particular one fundraiser. The fundraiser is cycling from London to Paris to raise funds for Diabetes UK and to inspire her and the other cyclists, the Diabetes UK team created a homemade video. Rather like the old stop-motion videos of the past, this is a great way to add the personal touch to communicating with people through new technology.

With the pace of life ever speeding, on the go giving is becoming increasing popular. Donate Mobile provides a mobile phone service which helps charities raise funds by saving on mobile costs and getting employees to switch contracts to the provider. For every charity switching their company mobile phone contracts, Donate Mobile will donate 10% of the monthly mobile spend to the charity. Offering business mobile phones and contracts is the next step in the provider's ‘mobile regular giving' range of solutions for UK charities. Its estimated that charities could raise a minimum of £1,440 over the length of a 24-month contract, per 20 employees.

The power of speed and ease can also be seen in the case of JustTextGiving by Vodafone, the text donation service launched by JustGiving and Vodafone now being used by over 100,000 users which has raised over £10 million so far. Over 18,000 charities have also used JustTextGiving, with more benefiting from some of those 100,000 users who have chosen to use the service on their behalf.

With apps becoming ever more popular thanks to Android and Apple, fundraising apps have taken the sector by storm. More Partnership has designed a free mobile app which makes it easier to work out Gift Aid. The user simply puts in the donation amount and the donor's tax rate into the app, which then works out how much the charity should receive in Gift Aid.

Have you ever been running an event while juggling a pile of printouts? Well, some of that could be a thing of the past with Blackbaud's new app. The Raiser's Edge Event App for iPad has been made to help charities manage events, in terms of event registration, data linking to the Raiser's Edge, access to event statistics, data synchronisation, check-in lists and more.