Study Finds Internet is Favored Way for Major Donors to Engage With Nonprofits

Seventy-two percent of major and mid-level donors believe that donating online is more efficient than offline and helps charities reduce administrative costs.

This was a key finding from a national research study of the online behaviors and attitudes of the “wired wealthy” — individuals who donate a minimum of $1,000 dollars annually to a single cause and give an average of $10,896 to various charities each year, with a median gift of $4,500.

The study, from on-demand constituent relationship management software and services provider Convio, integrated marketing and fundraising services provider Sea Change Strategies and full-service custom research firm Edge Research, began in the fall of 2007 and includes responses from more than 3,000 donors from 23 major nonprofit organizations. A variety of nonprofit sectors were represented, including: advocacy/public affairs, animal welfare, Christian ministries, environment, health, international relief and development, and public television.

Additional findings from the research include:
* 51 percent of those surveyed said they prefer giving online, and 46 percent said that five years from now they will be making a greater portion of their charitable gifts online.
* 40 percent of those surveyed said that most charity Web sites made them feel personally connected to their cause or mission.
* 74 percent of those surveyed said it was appropriate for the charity to send an e-mail reminding them to renew an annual gift.
* 74 percent of those surveyed said an e-mail from the charity about how their donation was spent and what happened as a result would make them more likely to give again.
* 65 percent of those surveyed said they always open and glance at e-mails from causes they support.

Read the full report, “The Wired Wealthy: Using the Internet to Connect With Your Middle and Major Donors,” here.