Joined on 01-01-2000
TechSoup Member
Hello everyone,
I thought I'd share a success story with online fundraising. I created www.TheEnvironmentSite.org recently and so far it has raised over £600 with totals raising every day.
I'm new to the forum so hopefully I'll be able to get some more knowledge from you guys and maybe give a bit of my experiences to help others as well.
Adi
Joined on 12-31-1999
Wood River, NE
We're strongly considering online fundraising ourselves. I'd certainly like to hear more about what you went through, and what your advice is to others.
Up to now, we've gotten by on grants for specific projects, and the interest off our investments - which has been lousy the last couple years. Time for us to move forward.
Mike,
Can you be more specific about the options you're considering? This is a big topic, and can range from "click to give" sites like the one above (as well as www.thehungersite.com and www.care2.com), to online giving on your own web site, online auctions, virtual fundraising events, email fundraising, and so forth.
If you're still exploring this topic, check out the resources I've collected on my web site:
www.rlweiner.com/resources.html
These include articles, books, and newsletters about online fundraising and email marketing.
-- Robert
Adi,
Can you say more about your site? How much did you invest to get it started (money, staff time, and any donations)? How is money being generated? How much has come via sponsorships versus direct donations? How did you line up sponsors? Where are the donations going? If you're passing donations along to other orgs, what are your criteria for giving?
-- Robert
Joined on 12-31-1999
Wood River, NE
Well, Our website is a brochure-site now. We'd like to use it to raise funds, knowing that we need to provide, in turn, a richer experience for the visitor. The problem is that we are a relatively quiet research NPO - nothing to sell, and we aren't really an advocacy group. We need to find a middle ground that will complement the efforts of the fundraiser we hope to hire this fall. In my readings of this and other forums, I feel a good ePhilanthropy website is a "must" for the efforts made by the fundraiser.
Does that help?
Mike
Mike,
It's fairly easy to add online giving to your site. You can either build it yourself or use a vendor. Here's an article that will help you sort out your options:
Online Donations: Sorting Out the Chaos. But a Donate Now button won't do much good by itself. You need to promote it to your audience via your publications, email, and any other channels you have.
FYI, I've created a Resources page on my web site with links to lots of articles about online fundraising and email marketing. You can find them at: http://www.rlweiner.com/resources.html#email
Be sure to click on the link to Groundspring's "Online Fundraising Handbook". It discusses a wide range of approaches to raising money online. I also have a link to the book "Fundraising on the Internet," an essential reference in this field.
I hope this helps.
Robert
Joined on 12-31-1999
Wood River, NE
Thanks! I'll certainly look into that.
Joined on 01-01-2000
TechSoup Member
Sorry its taken so long to respond, been snowed under with the day job.
I havn't invested any money in the site other than my time to develop it and hosting costs.
The money is generated in three ways:
- Click to donate money is raised via fixed term advertising arrangements with partner companies. These companies pay £1 per day for however many days they want.
- Shop to donate money is raised on a commission basis based upon the number of products our visitors buy via our 'affiliate shop'.
- Search to donate money is raised via partnership with a number of search engines. Our visitors search the web using these search engines and if they click on a 'sponsored link' we get a percentage of that fee.
All money currently raised has come via these three methods.
Initially I approach several companies to sponsor the site whom I knew personally. The site also has information for companies to approach us with sponsorship ideas.
All money raised goes to the Surrey Wildlife Trust in the UK. This was a local charity in an area relevant to the site.
Adi
Joined on 06-26-2006
TechSoup Member
Article explaining different ways to make money with your organization's website. Good for beginners.
dawnreel.com/makemoney.html
Joined on 01-01-2000
TechSoup Member
Hi there
I was searching online for online fundraising initiatives, and interesting that this thread showed up on page two of the google search?
I wonder what kind of dialogue would ensue since this original post in 2004 regarding technology for fundraising?
With so many online peer to peer sites, and the inception of online donor portals, what are people's thoughts now?
My name is Beverley, and I created an online donation gateway seeing a need for a site that transcends borders and facilitates global giving with our localized currency capabilities. We provide on site peer to peer campaigns or the same services via an API.
Anyone up for discussion on how best practices for online donations can leverage brick and mortar campaigns, and if anyone thinks they may surpass them in regards to amount raised?
For those of who serve NGo / NPO's, be an interesting dialogue.
Warm regards,
Beverley
aka PincGiving.com
Joined on 05-21-2002
TechSoup Member
This was really good information. I found an executive report that elaborated on some of the strategies presented here at www.ephilanthropycourse.com
The web is full of good reports so I just thought I would share one that might help out.