Mark Sutton

The concept of multichannel fundraising isn’t new, but it has certainly evolved to new levels of relevance as the result of the recent advances in and proliferation of mobile and social media. The three phases outlined below highlight the evolution of multichannel fundraising.

It’s quite possible that the direction Facebook is heading with Timeline Apps will help Facebook make good on the promise of social media becoming an important, productive and measurable channel for fundraisers. So what’s the big deal? Why is this announcement potentially so important for fundraisers? Here are five reasons why I think this announcement will make a difference for the nonprofit sector.

If your organization already has an online holiday campaign underway, congratulations and best of luck this season! If not, hopefully this offers some inspiration for planning a winning holiday campaign next year. Remember, the first step is putting a date on the calendar next summer to plan!

Fundraisers typically don’t give much thought to this part of online donation processing systems until something goes wrong, as it has recently in several high-profile cases involving major for-profit companies. The reality is that online credit card processing is very safe and secure, thanks in large part to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) created by the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI SSC).

QR (quick response) codes … you have probably seen them and perhaps didn’t even notice. They are those funny, pixilated squares you may have seen on posters, magazines or product packaging. They have been described as looking like a cross between a barcode and a Rorschach test.

The online tools you use help make your event fundraisers’ jobs easier, but most volunteer fundraisers need your help and coaching. Don’t depend on the technology tools to do all the work.

We’re now seeing fundraisers use Facebook exclusively (no e-mail) as the way of reaching out to their friends and families. It’s great to see Facebook start to realize its fundraising potential. Even still, it’s just the beginning.

As you plot your fundraising strategy for 2011, it will become important to give some thought to how and if mobile giving might fit into your overall planning.

Memorial donations are not a new, but like most areas of fundraising, memorial donations are benefiting from the Internet and other advances in technology.

These five common online fundraising themes prevailed at the ArtezInterAction Conference.