Getting Your Wires Crossed

Director of Membership and Annual Giving Amy Golden admits that The Nature Conservancy was initially somewhat resistant to investing in fundraising channels other than direct mail. But it recognized that its direct-mail constituency, while an affluent audience, is older and aging, and either retired or on the verge of it. To attract a younger audience, Golden and the development staff recognized a need to improve the organization’s Web presence and tap into the younger, Web-savvy field of potential donors.

To that end, The Nature Conservancy launched its Great Places Network, a free membership program that serves as an online community where visitors can sign up to receive a free monthly newsletter that can be tailored to report on issues germane to the state they live in and the specific issues they’re interested in. It’s a way to get people interested in the organization’s mission in the door and open to e-mail appeals. When someone makes a donation through an e-mail appeal, he or she then is
flowed into The Nature Conservancy’s regular donor file and will begin to receive direct-mail appeals.