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

Human Rights Campaign, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that raises money in support of gay and lesbian rights, also has used the news-event strategy with success in recent months.

“The Internet is great for being able to keep tabs on important events in the news world and, when appropriate, using events as a launching pad for timely fundraising campaigns,” says Ann Crowley, deputy director of annual giving at HRC. “For example, this past February, President Bush announced that he wanted a constitutional amendment denying marriage of same-sex couples, thereby putting an end to gay marriages. HRC sent an e-mail pitch that raised a total of $700,000.”