Here’s what online fundraising isn’t: simply putting a “donate now” button on your Web site.
Online fundraising isn’t quite that simple, but it’s not that complicated, either. Why not find a way to involve your entire community in an activity that they will enjoy while tapping into a new revenue source?
Though the Internet revolution occurred at the end of the 20th century, many nonprofit organizations have yet to take advantage of cause-related marketing, fundraising and communicating online. While some fundraising professionals are simply afraid of new technology, most believe that entering cyberspace is cost prohibitive. However, in today’s increasingly competitive fundraising arena, it is more expensive NOT to utilize the modern tools available and -- even more importantly -- not to use them wisely. Not convinced? Go to the Internet and use a search engine (e.g., http://www.google.com) to find the words “online fundraising.” One will find approximately 1.73 million matches -- matches that
Not all leaders with vision have the ability to fund their own dreams, writes Nick G. Costa, senior vice president of fund development for Stamford Health System and author of the new book, Dream Builders: Everything You Need to Know to Achieve Your Organization’s Most Ambitious Dreams with TOP GIFTS™ Fundraising.
Assume that you have just stepped into the marketing job for an established nonprofit organization. Your predecessor has disappeared in the midst of planning a 100,000-name prospecting mailing, leaving you with a clever new package, ready to test against an established control; an updated housefile; and a yellow sticky note on your computer screen that says: “Set to go. Just have to order the lists. Call our broker.” Where do you begin?
