online fundraising 101
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Online Fundraising 101
Stacy Clinton
July 15, 2009
Today’s discussion
• Overview of different approaches to raising money on the web
• Maximize your website
• Free/low-cost online resources
• Goal: provide a basic understanding of the options and a set of tools to get started in online fundraising
Some stats
• Reasons people visit nonprofit sites are:– news and events (40%) – to stay informed about the cause the organization
addresses (40%) – Almost one in five (18%) website visitors are there
specifically to make a financial contribution*
• Younger generations are very comfortable online, especially in social media
• The number of people over 70 years old online increased 60% in the past year**
*from “Trends in Constituent Satisfaction with Nonprofit Websites” report by ForeSee Results 2009** from “Generations Online in 2009” by Fox & Jones, Pew Internet & American Life Project
Raising money on the web
• Donation Forms – many possibilities– Guidestar/Network for Good, Google
Checkout, Amazon Checkout, PayPal, Convio, Blackbaud
• Trust plays a role
• Only ask for information you need
• Include opt-in language
• Thank donors throughout the process
Raising money on the web
• Consider:– Cost per transaction– Data security– What donor information will you be able to
collect?– Will the donation form allow an opt-in?– Does the donation form allow tribute giving or
designations?– Are you able to brand the form with your
design?
Raising money on the web
• Email Campaigns
• Fundraising events with an online component
• Tribute pages
Raising money on the web
• Thank your online donors
• Keep connection with them via email communications– Create a series of messages to reinforce
relationship and bring them closer– Make sure the messages match their
expectations
Not Just a Donation Button
• “Donate Now” button is just the first step
• Your website and communications should build trust, reinforce your mission and educate how a donation will make a difference.
Maximize your website
• Donation button – must be easy to find• Content that engages visitors quickly
– 5 second rule– Taglines
• Show visitors how their donation helps• Each page should have a goal
– Click to read more– Email signup– Donate– Etc.
Maximize your website
• Know your donors!
• Create content for them, not for you
• Provide easy pathways for them to find the information they seek
• Keep content short and relevant – Cut it in half, then cut it in half again
• Tell stories, show success
Maximize your website
• Make sure potential constituents can find you online:– Search Engine Optimization– Keywords– Landing pages– Links from other websites
• Google Grants
• Google Analytics
Build Your List
• Offer email newsletter signups on every page, in the same place
• Make the offer relevant and interesting to the donor
• Don’t require too much information on the form (eliminate barriers)
• Make sure the communications you promise at sign-up match what you deliver
Free/low-cost online resources
• www.fundraising123.org• www.nten.org • www.idealware.org• www.techsoup.org• www.justgive.org• www.guidestar.org • Even the “big guys” have lots of free helpful
information:– www.convio.com– www.blackbaud.com
Free/low-cost online resources
• www.networkforgood.com
• www.goodsearch.com
• www.goodsearch.com/goodshop.aspx
• Facebook Causes
• www.firstgiving.com
A word about “social”
• Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.– Have specific plan, incremental goals– Not always a slam dunk for fundraising– A good way to reach constituents and have a
conversation with them, strengthen relationships
– Require significant staff resources to provide timely updates and immediate responses that users expect
