Three Keys to Cultivating Donors Online

Dec. 27, 2005

By Bill Strathmann

Network for Good's success is rooted in three principles of online outreach, which are key to any nonprofit focused on cultivating donors on the Internet:

1) Reach out to audiences when they already feel an impulse to give. Network for Good does this through our powerful media partners, AOL and Yahoo! For example, in the wake of Katrina's devastation and after the horrible earthquake in South Asia, AOL and Yahoo! news content included "how to help" links to our site. People heard the news, they were moved by the plight of victims, and they wanted to help in some way. We provided a way for them to make a difference by donating with a mouse click. Similarly, nonprofits should capitalize on moments when people are reading about, hearing about or thinking about their issues.

2) Make transactions easy and convenient. When donors are inclined to give, the act of making a donation should be as simple, secure and easy as possible. This is one of the most promising aspects of online giving -- it's instantaneous, efficient and convenient for donors and nonprofits alike. We offer free and low-cost tools to nonprofits to help them set up Donate Now and e-mail functions, so even the smallest nonprofits can harness the power of the Internet.

3) Remind donors of the benefits of online giving over time. The Internet also offers great possibilities for cultivating donors once they've contributed to a cause, as long as organizations are scrupulous about honoring donors' wishes about how and when they want to be contacted. We engage donors who want to hear from us by thanking them for their gifts, providing them with information on charities and giving opportunities, helping them manage their donation history and tax receipts, and enabling them to fulfill their charitable impulses through volunteering. The goal is to show them the impact of their gifts on people in need, plus the personal benefits to making those gifts online -- it's convenient not only to give once, but to keep records and to give again.

Bill Strathmann is chief executive of Bethesda, Md.-based Network for Good, a not-for-profit, e-philanthropy Web site where individuals can donate and volunteer with causes they care about. He can be reached by visiting http://www.networkforgood.org