the art and science of fundraising online

The Art and Science of Fundraising Online

Jocelyn Harmon, Care2Allyson Kapin, Rad Campaign

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Did you know?300 billion was raised in 2008. – Giving USA

$15 billion was raised online in 2008 – a 44% increase over 2007) – Blackbaud

$21 million has been raised by Causes since its launch three years ago.

30% of online giving happens in December.*

Average online gift was $144.72.*

*Source: 2008 donorCentrics Internet Giving Collaborative Benchmarking Analysis

Did you know?Online donors are younger.*

Online donors have higher incomes.*

Online donors give offline.* (The reverse is not true.)

The Internet is a significant source of new donors.*

70% of 50 – 64 year olds are online. – Pew Internet and American Life Project

*Source: 2008 donorCentrics Internet Giving Collaborative Benchmarking Analysis

4 Steps to Online Fundraising Success

1. Build a Great List

2 OptionsOrganic cultivation – via your own website,

events, social networking sites, direct mail

Paid acquisition – Google Ad Words, email append*, chaperoned emails, online acquisition (like Care2!)

2. Create Killer Landing Pages

3. Don’t Write Crappy Copy

Don’t Write Crappy CopyBe donor-centric

Tell a story

Be brief!

Write to one person

Use the active vs. passive voice

Make an outline

Edit, edit and edit some more

Add images

4. Measure Everything!

Measure Everything!Email Metrics

Deliverability

Open rate

Click-through rate

Unsubscribe rate

Conversion

Subject Lines

Images

Signatures

Test low and high-dollar asks

Website Metrics

Visits

Page Views

Time on Site

Bounce Rate

Traffic Sources

What You Can Expect The average study participant sent 4 emails per

month.

Email fundraising response rates were .13%, and email advocacy response rates were 4%.

The average gift size for a one-time online gift was $81.33.

Annual email file churn was just under 17%.

Online fundraising grew overall by 4.5% between 2008 and 2009.

For half of the nonprofits in our study, online revenue either held steady with 2008 or declined.  This decline was driven by a drop in the average gift size.

Source: 2010 e-Nonprofit Benchmark Study

What About Social Media?Social media are not a panacea and Facebook is not

FREE!

What About Social MediaEngagement is key!

Give donors choices about how to connect with you.

Determine the “ROI” of your social media efforts?Return on InsightReturn on InteractionReturn on InvestmentReturn on Impact

Resources for You2010 e-Nonprofit Benchmark Study

The Convio Online Nonprofit Benchmark Study

donorCentrics: Internet Giving Benchmark Analysis

Pew Internet and American Life Project

www.frogloop.com Care2’s online marketing and fundraising blog

www.marketingfornonprofits.org

www.nonprofitmarketingblog.com

Connect With Us!

Jocelynh@care2team.com

@jocelynharmon

www.marketingfornonprofits.org

allyson@radcampaign.com

@womenwhotech

www.frogloop.com