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WASHINGTON (AFP eWire – Feb. 2, 2004) – Donors are using the Internet to give online, and at the same time, many nonprofits are planning to increase online fundraising this year, according to two new surveys from Kintera Inc.
Donations of more than $1,000 – considered major gifts at many nonprofits – brought in 8.3 percent of all dollars raised online in 2003, according to a survey of 3,151 fundraising campaigns. The campaigns ranged from a few weeks to six months and were conducted in more than 500 communities, large and small.
In the study by Kintera, a software provider for the nonprofit sector, 54 percent of all the large gifts were $1,000, while nearly 4 percent were $5,000 or more. Eighty-seven percent of the campaigns received at least one donation online, and almost 15 percent received at least one gift of $1,000 or more online.
“This new Kintera study clearly shows that people are willing to make large donations online,” said Ephraim Feig, Kintera’s chief technology officer and chief marketing officer. “The growing importance of a nonprofit’s targeted and personalized website, combined with web-based advocacy and other community building tools, are motivating donors to give big.”
A second Kintera survey revealed that the majority of nonprofits plan to increase their web-based fundraising this year.
Eighty-six percent of respondents to the online survey expected to improve Internet fundraising efforts in 2004 compared to 2003, while 6 percent expected to maintain 2003 levels and 8 percent reported that they will decrease their online fundraising efforts.
“Donors are realizing that it’s much easier to make a difference immediately with an online gift, than by mailing a check,” said Harry Gruber, founder and CEO of Kintera.
Kintera’s findings are similar to those discovered through AFP’s most recent State of Fundraising survey, released last year, and a previous study by the Chronicle of Philanthropy.
AFP’s State of Fundraising 2002 found that of the nonprofits that sought online solicitations in 2002, 51 percent in the United States and 58 percent in Canada raised more money than the previous year. In addition, 42 percent in the United States and 39 percent in Canada raised about the same amount both years.
Source: Association of Fundrasing Professionals | 
