The NonProfit Times - March 1, 2008 - (Page 18)

SPECIAL REPORT Continued from page 17 sites. Some 46 percent could not remember or did not know what mechanism was used.The remaining donors said: Direct Mail – 17% Search Engine or Web Site Visit – 12% Special Event – 10% Print Advertisement – 6% Online Solicitation – 5% Television Commercial – 4% Age definitely played a role in responses and nonresponses. The younger the responder, the more likely that the contact and response were electronic or personal contact. Of those ages 18 to 24, search engine or Web site visit or special events were the top two drivers to an online gift. In the 25-34 age group, mail and search engine or Web site visit pushed response. From 35 to 44 years of age, search engine or Web site visits and print ads drove the giving.The 45 to 54 group were pushed by direct mail and special events. From 55 to 65 was direct mail and search engine or Web site visits. For the 65 and older crowd, mail was far and away the push mechanism. According to Tad Druart, spokesman for online fundraising firm Convio, because the survey is done by telephone,more active younger donors might not have been contacted. Federal Communications Commission rules prohibit random calling to cell phones. “An example: I just hired a new employee who graduated with a master’s degree after almost six years in college in the Austin area. Her phone number has been the same phone number since high school in Beaumont,Texas.That number and an everimproving phone will probably be with her for life. Technology is allowing her to use that number with her cable provider, so she could have a phone that plugs into the computer, but maybe not the wall,” said Druart.“My daughter is in a dorm. Every room has a phone jack.We gave her a landline that she has never plugged in. Out of curiosity we got her RA to look in all 50 rooms on her floor. Not one landline was plugged in.” HAVE YOU MADE A FINANCIAL DONATION ONLINE TO A CHARITY IN THE PAST 2 MONTHS? Yes - 19% No - 80% Don’t Know - 1% Male - 20% Female - 18% 18 That’s where social networks come into play for pushing online giving, 18-24 Direct Mail, Web Search/Site Visit said Druart. “One of the fastest-growing trends we 25-34 Direct Mail, Web Search/Site Visit see in the social networking world is that the solic35-44 Web Search/Site Visit, Print Ads itation comes from a friend via email or online. 45-54 Direct Mail, Special Events Since it does not come from an organization they 55-64 Direct Mail, Web Search/Site Visit don’t view it as an online solicitation. A good piece 65 + Direct Mail of the none of the above could be solicitation from a friend/co-worker,” he said. The more education the more likely the 18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ donor was to give online, according to the 18% 18% 20% 23% 18% 18% NPT/HarrisInteractive data. Some 35% of donors with a post-graduate degree reported giving online. Of college Some High School Some College Post Grad graduates, 23% said they High School Grad College Grad gave online. High school graduates were at 15% and those with some 12% 15% 20% 23% 35% high school had just a 12% response. The longtalked-about digital divide, of the less affluent having $100,000 group. It drops to just 7% of donors reduced access to the Internet, might be an issue in in the more than $100,000 group. these responses.“Our research shows approximately However, those in the $75,000 to $100,000 70 to 80% of online donors have higher education group, across all solicitation forms, were more likely vs. 50 to 60% in direct mail files. Both, of course, are to give online at 33%. It drops to 30% in the more higher than the general populace,” said Johnston. than $100,000 category and 19% in the $35,000 to Someone in the $35,000 to $50,000 income $50,000 category. This is where the U.S. economy bracket is most likely to be driven to give on- and competition kick into response when it comes line from a mail solicitation, according to the to more affluent donors. NPT/HarrrisInteractive data, at 37% of those in “These are the ones most targeted by competing that category. It drops to 24% in the $50,000 nonprofits, so a downward shift in future earningsto $75,000 category and 16% in the $75,000 to expectation has a more profound effect,” said Herschell Gordon Lewis, a direct response consultant in Pompano Beach, Fla.The questionable economy and donor fatigue might reduce response. While the question sought answers to online giving, one of the least likely ways donors were persuaded to give was from an online solicitation. Such solicitations ranked at 5%, just ahead of television spots.And, that was pretty much the case across all of the age groups. The same appears top be true north of the border.“I’ve seen Statistics Canada data on giving that has consistently shown lower income people giving more as a percentage of their income and that falling as you earn more,” said Johnston.“The farther you get from services that could help you -- the less you give as a percentage of income.” Married people who gave online were twice as likely to be driven by direct mail (21%) versus search engines (10%) and special events (10%). “I would suspect that widows and married folk get more direct mail, so I’m not surprised that they’re driven to online giving more by direct mail,” said Rick Christ, president of NPadvisors.com in Warrenton,Va.“I wonder if singles and divorced people spend more time online or if people who spend so much time online tend not to get or stay married which is why they get more online appeals. Or, put another way, what are single and divorced people doing online, and how can nonprofits cater to those needs and desires in a way that benefits philanthropy? I wonder if some nonprofits, especially museums, etc., are benefiting from special events as WHAT DROVE THEM TO GIVE ONLINE BY AGE OF PEOPLE WHO SAID THEY GAVE ONLINE OF PEOPLE WHO SAID THEY GAVE ONLINE MARCH 1, 2008 THE NONPROFIT TIMES www.nptimes.com http://NPadvisors.com http://www.nptimes.com

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The NonProfit Times - March 1, 2008 Fuel Costs Eating Up Food Banks California Legislation Pushing Foundation Funding Diversity Estate Tax Won't Die Contents Who...When...Where...How...What? Red Cross Cuts Jobs, Regional Support In $200 Million Deficit General Ramblings: What the....? Briefs Taxing Issues: New for 2008 Foundations: Rebooting At Gates Mail Drove Donors to Give Online Streetsmart Nonprofit Manager: The Power of the Founder Software: Technology Innovation Calendar Fundraising Guide NPT Jobs Resource Directory AFP International Conference Insert

The NonProfit Times - March 1, 2008

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