Mark Davis

With social scoring, organizations now can discover which constituents use social media and engage them more effectively, integrate joint e-mail and social-media campaigns more effectively, and identify influencers and have them help "friendraise."

The popularity of social media websites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube has given rise to promising new ways for event participants to raise money online for nonprofits. While some industry observers doubt the fundraising potential of these platforms, participants in special events continue to be an exception and have shown strong success by tapping in to the power of social networking.

Given the current state of the economy, there has been concern among nonprofits about the affect it will have on their fundraising and donations. It is during these times that charities should double their efforts to engage donors and get creative in the ways they seek new donors. Online event fundraising continues to be an effective method to accomplish both of these goals. Since 2000, event fundraising technologies have proven to be an area of growth for many organizations, and multiple surveys suggest that online tools provide more satisfying overall donor experiences. And now, with the fall events season complete, this is the best