Today, nearly every nonprofit organization maintains a website and, as a result, an option for donating online. Online solicitations can and should be part of any multi-channel fundraising drive but should not be the only way a group collects donations. Our experience shows us that online fundraising is most effective when…

—Solicitations are well-timed and well-targeted. Sending the right message to the right people at the right time can make a huge difference in impact. Luckily, segmenting email lists is fairly easy and inexpensive. 
—Solicitations are requested for a specific fund or event. Short-term donation drives do well online.
—The process is easy and inspires confidence. Online donation portals should be user-friendly and professional, reassuring donors that their funds will be well-spent and their information protected.
—Donors have a chance to interact. Online solicitations can ask for more than just money. Studies show that individuals who volunteer their time end up making greater financial donations down the road.

About Corinne Servily

Corinne Servily founded EuroAmerican Communication (Now Faircom New York) in 1993 with the goal of helping nonprofit organizations expand their reach and achieve their goals. Today, Ms. Servily does just that by providing cutting-edge fundraising programs online and through traditional media.