The connection between these two items are two people, Mark Rovner and Katya Andresen.
The Wired Wealthy
The first $50,000 fundraising contest I won for the Sharing Foundation was the Yahoo/Network for Good Charity Badge contest in 2007. (We raised $53,000, plus we got a $50,000 prize). Do you think the $53,000 came from $10 gifts? We actually received 2 $5K and one $15K gifts - not to mention a number of $1K. What was surprised me was they came from people we didn't already have on our radar (yep, we've cultivated them since). So, the reminder and more data about ways to connect and cultivate your middle and major donors online is a good one.
Convio, Sea Change Strategies and Edge Research asked 3,000 donors from 32 nonprofit organizations about their online behaviors and preferences. I had coffee with Gene Austin at NTC and he told me that the study is available for free but you have to register first to get your copy.
Kami Huyse has a write up of the study, summarizing some of the key findings.
The Seven Things Everyone Wants: What Freud and Buddha Understood (and We're Forgetting) about Online Outreach
That was the title of a session by Mark Rovner and Katya Andresen at the NTC in New Orleans that I really, really wanted to attend, but was presenting at the same time. I'm hoping that will put their slides in slideshare. Thank god Britt Bravo and Michaela Hackner took such terrific notes.
And, while I wishing for slides to magically appear on slideshare, I hope Bill Strathmann will post his slides from his ROI session -- another session that I wanted to attend, but was also presenting.
I enjoyed reading Kami's article and reaction to the Wired Wealthy research yesterday, as she did a great job of relating your online fundraising success to these research findings. I think it ties in closely to your session at NTC about nonprofits harnessing the power of the Internet and social media and being willing to experiment to achieve the desired results. Thanks for a great session at NTC and coffee talk - I enjoyed it!
Posted by: Jordan Viator | March 25, 2008 at 07:42 AM
I agree with Jordan Beth, you are really walking the talk and getting results. I send non-profits looking to use social media here first.
Posted by: Kami Huyse | March 25, 2008 at 08:55 AM
Beth the Wired Wealthy piece fills a big hole in the sector's knowledge of the importance of the online medium and major giving. Thanks for taking the time to acknowledge the hard work of the three orgs that led the study. Congrats on being recognized as "The person you turn to most for trusted advice (for nonprofit technology issues)". Well deserved.
Posted by: Gene Austin | March 25, 2008 at 09:55 AM