Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Cell Phones & Fundraising

Pew Internet Research has released survey results indicating that 40% of adult American cell phone owners now use their cell phones to access the internet, email, or instant messaging. 34% (up from 25% in 2009) use their cellphones to access email. With outbound email appeals still the workhorse of online fundraising, I’m wondering what challenges […]

Learn More July 14, 2010

Convio’s Online Fundraising Report

If you haven’t yet seen Convio’s benchmark report on online fundraising for 2009, founder Vinay Bhagat’s video summary should wet your appetite. Heaps of data here, based on results from some 600 Convio online fundraising clients. Some highlights: Individual giving down only 0.4% compared to 3.6% for all philanthropy; Online fundraising returns up 14% for […]

Learn More July 13, 2010

Spectators Or Fans?

I’m seeing more and more marketing articles these days that emphasize relationship building and seriously engaging “best” customers. Here’s an example from Seth Godin, where he discusses Fans, participants and spectators: “Likes, friendlies and hits are all fast-growing numbers that require little commitment. And commitment is the essence of conversion. The problem with commitment is […]

Learn More July 12, 2010

Getting Noticed

Yesterday I reminisced about the “old days” when a small handful of “big brand” media delivered the news that fueled the fire in the belly of donors to many causes. Through their coverage, those same media — NY Times, PBS, CNN, NPR — also provided the credibility that helped build many of the biggest “cause” […]

Learn More July 9, 2010

Fundraisers Once Followed The News

My nonprofit fundraising and communications experience has been grounded primarily in the world of advocacy organizations, as opposed to mainstream charities focused on health research, education and the like. And more narrowly still, advocacy of the center-liberal persuasion. For groups like that, prospecting for donors historically meant tracking the news coverage (for controversy) and targeting […]

Learn More July 8, 2010

The World Cup Of Fundraising

Having just watched The Netherlands eliminate Uruguay (justice being served IMHO), I moved on to reading fundraiser Mal Warwick’s latest newsletter. In particular, an article by Tom Ahern titled We don’t care what our donors think of us caught my eye. Tom talks about a recent fundraising conference where 150 attendees were asked if they […]

Learn More July 7, 2010