Googling for Donors

In the typical direct-mail or online fundraising program, nonprofits expect to pay to acquire a donor and get a positive return on investment only with a second or third gift.

But in a recent three-month period, Amnesty spent $14,600 on Google and Yahoo! keywords, and brought in 380 new donors and almost $38,000, says Kyra Stoddart, direct response and online fundraising coordinator at Amnesty International.