With the Internet's growing importance, widespread use, and influence, nonprofits have new opportunities for communicating with their constituents, getting their work done, and garnering support. The Internet isn't replacing other media, but it is taking its place alongside them. Most notable is the role that email is playing in the operational capacity of nonprofit organizations. Email has created a sea change as a tool for communicating with donors and colleagues, alerting activists, and disseminating information. New services enable even nonprofits with the smallest budgets to sign up members, take credit card donations, sponsor online discussions, offer surveys, put up searchable databases, and much more. As a complement to existing methods, the Internet is a medium that has finally come of age for a nonprofit sector that is hungry for modern and effective campaign tools and techniques.
Successful online fundraising programs generally have two major components. The foundation is an informative, interactive web site and an email communications program which, together, help build relationships with your web site visitors and the people you get to sign up for your email newsletter or online advocacy program. The second component, often overlooked, is a strategy for attracting new people - especially potential donors - to your site, so you can begin the relationship-building process. Online fundraising can't exist in a vacuum. The success of your online fundraising program will be largely dependent on your organization's overall Internet presence as well as your traditional offline activities.
What Can A Nonprofit Organization Do Online?
Raising money is only one of the many ways nonprofits use the Internet. So as you develop your online fundraising program, remember to consider it as part of a much broader online presence.
Marketing. You can use the Web and email to complement and maximize your overall marketing efforts. Your web site can be a brochure, a news service, an information library, an activist center, a community meeting place, a store, and more, all in one. It allows you to present your mission and programs in their best light and interact in new and engaging ways with your constituents at their convenience.
Education and Outreach. As a constantly evolving repository of information, your web site can play a unique role in disseminating information and engaging people. Its educational uses are as wide as you are creative and inventive. Make sure your education and outreach materials are easily accessible, downloadable or printable, and up-to-date.
Name Recognition/Branding. Web sites and email newsletters are key assets in creating a powerful and memorable brand for organizations. With your own Internet domain name and the "look" of your website, you can create a memorable virtual experience for your constituents. Use every opportunity to reinforce that your web site and email newsletters are fundamental parts of your organization. Just as people remember the name of your organization, they should also remember your domain name (URL).
Service Delivery. Some organizations can deliver their services online. If you provide information, help people adopt animals, or let people contact their members of
Congress, you can offer these services on your website. You can provide detailed information on how your service works, enable payment for service, or offer tools to allow people to check on delivery status.
Sales/Distribution. Whether you're enrolling people for your events (free or paid), selling products, or distributing publications, your web site can play a key operational role. Using an Application Service Provider, you can create a catalog of products and services and accept online credit card payments, or let users download documents free.
Advocacy. Advocacy is one of the most important ways to engage people online. You can highlight important issues and suggest ways people can get involved - from volunteering to sending faxes to elected officials or corporate CEOs. Whether it's a hot political issue or an enduring social problem, your web site and email newsletters can become important resources for people seeking to make a difference.
Collaboration. The Internet offers great opportunity for collaboration with other organizations and companies, as well as among your members and supporters.
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