Convio Report: Four Trends You Must Know

To continue growing revenue despite the floundering economy, Convio suggests continuing to reach out to donors, show your appreciation for them and communicate their value to your organization.

• Coordinate outreach efforts. Use a constituent relationship management system to integrate each point of contact with constituents into a coordinated effort.
• Offer alternatives to monetary gifts, such as volunteering, advocacy, donating supplies or forwarding your communications on to their family and friends.
• Show your appreciation. Send handwritten notes, make thank-you calls, send personalized communications to select donors, and/or add a members-only section to your Web site that offers previews of upcoming content or reports. The paper also suggests offering major donors VIP status for events and inviting them to conference calls with your organization's leadership.
• Give constituents a voice through online surveys, polls and petitions.

3. Nonprofits received a larger number of gifts in the fourth quarter of 2008, which increased online fundraising revenue. Adding new donors and increasing giving frequency is key to offsetting lower gift amounts.