June 26, 2019; Fortune
Hinge and Rock the Vote are using a creative partnership to drive voter turnout. Until this Friday, Hinge will donate $1 for every like on their Rock the Vote Instagram post.
Hinge’s mission states, “In today’s digital world, singles are so busy matching that they’re not actually connecting, in person, where it counts. Hinge is on a mission to change that. So, we built an app that’s designed to be deleted.” Rock the Vote, on the other hand, “is a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to building the political power of young people.” Not exactly a pair one would initially think to put together.
According to a Fortune article, Hinge says “83 percent of Hinge members want to date someone who is politically active, yet nearly half have skipped voting in a general election.” The dating app is hoping to “encourage users to participate in the 2020 election and maybe even meet a politically compatible match in real life.”
It shows both organizations are thinking outside the box and about the bigger picture.
A spokesperson from Hinge told Fortune, “After finding that the majority of our members would like to date someone who is politically active, we couldn’t think of a better partner to inspire political activism than Rock The Vote.”
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This partnership serves a dual purpose. For Hinge, it works to increase the number of their users going on dates. For Rock the Vote, it raises the number of people going to the polls. By using social media, they both increase their visibility to potential new audiences.
Partnerships between nonprofits and for-profits can be tricky. Finding a best-fit partner can take time and resources and doesn’t always produce the desired outcome. If done incorrectly, the nonprofit could end up hurting their own cause. NPQ recently published an article warning nonprofits to be wary of corporations using a potential partnership for PR only. A best-fit partnership benefits both nonprofit and corporation in a socially responsible, mission-minded way.
That’s not a reason to be scared off. Nonprofits can benefit from creative and unique collaborations. The partnership between Hinge and Rock the Vote is a great example of a cost-effective and creative way to serve both organization’s missions. Hinge could have just donated money to Rock the Vote and worked out a sponsorship deal for it. That really wouldn’t have addressed the issue of voter turnout, though, and it wouldn’t have helped Hinge engage with their more political members. Throwing money at a problem doesn’t always help solve it.
Instead, Hinge used their data to frame a problem and create a call to action. This collaboration gives information and encourages social activism. Both Hinge and Rock the Vote identified a common issue and offered their audiences a really simple way to be an interactive part of the solution.
With a double tap, one can donate $1 to a cause they care about—without even having to spend their own money. Nonprofits everywhere should take note. A creative, simple solution was born from data—and serves multiple purposes.—Sarah Miller
