Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Online Giving Surges For Haiti

We’re departing from our pre-announced “schedule” today to express our own concern for the people of Haiti … and our gratitude to the millions of people — including, we suspect, our readers — who have responded to this disaster with financial aid. The initial reports we’ve seen indicate that humanitarian organizations are receiving record amounts […]

Learn More January 15, 2010

2009 Online Fundraising Trends

Blackbaud’s Steve MacLaughlin recently published this slide show reporting the 2009 online fundraising figures for 2,335 nonprofits (all transactions processed by Blackbaud). The report also provides year-over-year comparisons based upon returns for 1,703 organizations. It’s a "must view" presentation. Some highlights: 65% of nonprofits enjoyed year-over-year (YOY) growth in online revenue comparing 2009 to 2008; […]

Learn More January 14, 2010

“Copy & Paste” Toward Oblivion

Yesterday, in light of Target Analytics’ report on the continuing decline in both donor acquisition and donor giving, I asked “Why do so many organizations persist in doing the same old, same old year after year hoping that results will suddenly improve?” At a time when every fundraiser knows the world has changed demographically, psychographically […]

Learn More January 13, 2010

Going Downhill – A Bit Faster

The direct mail slump continues. In fact, Target Analytics’ 2009 Index of National Fundraising Performance for the Third Quarter indicates the decline is speeding up. What strikes me as most worrisome is that now both donor acquisition and donor development (house file activity) are in trouble. For nearly five years we’ve watched the numbers of […]

Learn More January 12, 2010

More Agitating For Fundraisers

Today’s post is #1001 from The Agitator. With one thousand down, we’re eager to publish one thousand more and hope you’re equally eager to read them! When we started The Agitator in 2006, fundraising was enjoying a bull market. Just about everything worked. Just about everyone comfortably met their fundraising targets. As we begin 2010, […]

Learn More January 11, 2010

But Don’t Forget Seniors

Yesterday we talked about Boomers as the centerpiece demographic of today’s marketing (and fundraising). But don’t forget Seniors. Still the mainstay of direct mail fundraising for most nonprofits, new data from Nielsen reinforces that Seniors (ages 65+) should also be included in your online fundraising plans. This group represents about 13% of the total population, […]

Learn More January 8, 2010