Comments on: More Good News Re Online Fundraising

By: Vinay Bhagat

Vinay Bhagat — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:45:52 +0000

The question from “Chicago” about peer to peer fundraising growth is an interesting one. I don’t have a break-down for 2010, YTD, but for 2009, we saw 14% online revenue growth across our entire benchmark and 10% for special event centric fundraising organizations. This was a slight contrast from 2008, where the growth rate for special events fundraising was around a few points higher than the overall benchmark. The recession took a larger toll on high ask fundraising events than smaller events and appeal based fundraising.

I do believe however that peer to peer funraising will teturn to being a larger growth vehicle in the future, both online and overall. The generational donor research we recently published – Next Generation of American Giving indicated that across demographics, peer to peer solicitation was considered the most acceptable form of solicitation from a charity with whom you have a pre-existing relationship. Interestingly we also learned that 50% of the reason why people support the cause is due to the ask from the friend/ family member, and 50% is because they genuinely are interested in/ care about the cause.

Vinay Bhagat,
Founder & CSO, Convio

By: Chicago

Chicago — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:50:56 +0000

This data leads me to question the type of donations that are being received online. Are they in response to Direct Mail or online appeals or are they tied to fundraising initiatives such as walks and runs? As people become more comfortable with online security we are seeing an increase in online donations too, but they are for our endurance training program and run/walk where people are giving to people they know not because of our organization. Is there any data out there to show if online giving has increased as a result of basic fundraising appeals from the organization?

By: Tad Druart, Convio

Tad Druart, Convio — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:33:53 +0000

Roger, it is good to see the growth in online fundraising. To add a little more color to the good news here is the actual data for Convio’s 1,300 clients:

Online Giving revenue increased by 20 percent for the three months ending May 2010 as compared to the same period in 2009 – in the same period of 2009 organizations in the study raised just close to $262M compared to more than $314M in the same period in 2010.

These orgs raised $1.2B in the past 12 months. Our clients have raised more than $750 million in the first six months of 2010. Eliminating giving related to Haitian relief the amount raised is more than $950M during the last 12 months, and more than $500 million in the first 6 months of 2010.

Nick’s analysis is very consistent with what we are seeing as well. Thanks for sharing the good news.