Focus On: E-philanthropy: Upping Your E-appeal

Relationship building
For NSALA, the Internet also represents an important relationship-building tool.

“We can’t just look at how many dollars are coming in through the Internet right now, but how are we communicating with donors and building relationships online for the long haul,” Wilson says. “With e-mail and the Internet, we’re just scratching the surface. We mail 40 million direct mail pieces a year. We’ve collected about 150,000 e-mail addresses at this point — of which we’re mailing about 80,000.” (The rest of the addresses have been flagged as unmailable, she explains.)