The NonProfit Times - July 15, 2008 - (Page 1)

The Leading Business Publication For Nonprofit Management • www.nptimes.com • $6.00 U.S. July 15, 2008 EXCLUSIVE NPT RESEARCH Web Triggers Direct Mail Response Benchmarking data show huge increases from three years ago when the survey was done three years ago to When you received a mail solicitation from a charity, 44 percent this year. Those who said they cross virtually every demographwhich of the following places on the Internet do you went to the organization’s Web site just about ics -- age,gender,race,income,edudoubled, from 19 percent to 37 percent of cation and household size -- more look at before deciding whether to give money? those who responded that they went online. people are heading for the InterConversely, the percentage of people who net before they make a charitable donation. All respondents 2005 2008 said they don’t look up the organizations on And if you still think seniors are channel surfLook up 25% 44% the Internet declined from 61 percent in the ing for repeats of “Murder, She Wrote” instead Do not look up 61% 47% 2005 survey to 47 percent now. (Some 13 of surfing the Web, you’d be wrong. Don’t know/none 13% 10% percent replied:“Don’t know/None of these” According to a new The NonProfit Times three years ago while 10 percent chose that study, twice as many potential donors are 2005 2008 option this time.) heading online after receiving a fundraising Organization’s Web site 19% 37% “It’s another clear priority certainly to any solicitation by mail than they did just three Independent rating organization 11% 24% nonprofit that’s doing direct mail,” said Rick years ago, and among those 65 and older, the Christ, managing partner with Warrenton,Va.increases were even more substantial. Online discussion group 3% 10% based npadvisors.com, indicating that nonThe NonProfit Times engaged the OpinBlogs 2% 8% profits investing in their own Web site can ion Research Corporation (ORC) in Princesatisfy nearly half the people.“That’s a really powerful thing following options: look up organizations on the Internet; ton, N.J., to repeat a study it performed three years ago for that says, your own Web site is more important in supportgo to organization’s Web site; go to the sites of indepenThe NPT. ORC asked 1,000 people:“When you receive a ing a direct mail package than it’s ever been,” he said. dent rating organizations; go to online discussion groups mail solicitation from a charity, which of the following The survey results show a trend that “we’re seeing and/or blogs. places on the Internet do you look at before deciding pretty clearly, more people are online, more people are The percentage of people who said that they looked up whether to give money?” Exclusive NPT Research, page 4 the organization on the Internet jumped from 25 percent Survey participants could choose more than one of the BY MARK HRYWNA A Limited ‘Face’ Time Most donors on Facebook go unthanked by charities BY MARK HRYWNA Building Vs. Blowing Up Games aimed to change kids’ idea of nonprofits BY MICHELE DONOHUE hoose whether your child goes to school to learn or works in a rum distillery to make money. Decide whether a bicycle or medicine is more important to spend precious resources on. These are decisions most of us don’t have to make every day – but they are the choices you have to make in the game Ayiti:The Cost of Life. Ayiti simulates choices Ayiti: The Cost of Life demonstrates poverty in Haiti. people in Haiti have to make – I Can End Deportation, from New York health or wealth, education or jobs – and City-based human rights organization is just one of the many games emerging Breakthrough, to the United Nations from the growing social and health game (U.N.) Foundation’s Deliver the Nets sector. Nonprofits and academic instituabout battling malaria, which kills a miltions are increasingly interested in using lion people each year. interactive game play to drive their misBuilding Vs. Blowing Up, page 6 sions home – from ICED, which stands for T echnology is fast. At any second a GPS unit can track your location and text messages can be sent between continents. Emails packed with data can be received within minutes, if not seconds. So what takes so long for nonprofits to acknowledge an online donation through the Causes application on Facebook? The answers vary, but in most cases, nonprofits are only just starting to develop strategies for how to handle Causes donations via Facebook, others are beginning to direct some resources to it, and still others have yet to realize they’re receiving donations. On May 1, The NonProfit Times made $25 contributions to 10 different Causes on Facebook, selecting the top five Causes (based on number of members) as well as five national organizations in a range of C categories. While an immediate generic notification is sent by email to the donor from Network For Good, which processes donations for a cut of 4.75 percent, none of the nonprofits corresponded directly, by email or regular mail, at presstime, some six weeks after the donation. For many nonprofits, they’ve only just begun to catch up to Causes, which was launched in May 2007 by Project Agape. The Berkeley, Calif.-based start-up firm Limited ‘Face’ Time, page 7 ADVERTISEMENT THIS FRONT PAGE NEWS IS FOR YOU We’re increasing your bonus to $50 per active account. Call 1-866-747-7488 or visit www.cardpartner.com http://www.nptimes.com http://www.cardpartner.com http://www.cardpartner.com

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The NonProfit Times - July 15, 2008 Web Triggers Direct Mail Response Limited 'Face' Time Building Vs. Blowing Up Contents 'Mark'ed Man Who Are They? Making The Case Predictive Modeling Business Briefs Awards Calendar NPT Jobs Resource Directory

The NonProfit Times - July 15, 2008

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