Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

Chapter 1: Raining Donations: Why Not-for-Profit Is Big Business Online

In This Chapter

• Increasing value with e-philanthropy
• Spreading the message and convincing decision-makers

Did you know that four of ten donors always go online for information before making a donation? In addition, according to Blackbaud, Inc. (www.blackbaud.com), online donations accounted for nearly 8 percent of all giving for nonprofit organizations in 2010. That's up 35 percent over the previous year and is expected to continue to grow.

As of November 2010, 50,000 not-for-profit organizations received a total of more than $430 million in online contributions. Moreover, the total numbers may have been even greater; the stated amount was managed by a single online processor, according to GuideStar, an organization that tracks and reports on charitable organizations. Even more encouraging is that the median donation (for online contributions of more than $1,000) is $1,200. With e-giving exceeding expectations and the online generosity not slowing down anytime soon, one question remains: What are you waiting for?

Now is the time to bring your organization online and expand its Web presence — and its capability to capture the spirit of e-giving. If you're unsure about how to accomplish these goals, we're here to help! In this chapter, we explain why online giving is appropriate for your cause and how to get everyone else in your organization on board.