OK, it’s over. Time in the US for fundraisers to get back to work. With the election over, ‘all’ you need to compete with now is disaster aftermath and (if you’re an online fundraiser) the unrelenting torrent of retail e-marketing (already underway) that marks the Christmas season and grows each year.

But before moving on, a few interesting fundraising facts from the presidential campaign, courtesy of Pew Research …

Among the 13% of adults who have donated to one of the presidential candidates in this year’s election:

• 67% donated in person, over the telephone, or through the mail.
• 50% donated online or via email.
• 10% donated by sending a text message from their cell phone or using a cell phone app.

This was the first time the Federal Election Commission allowed campaign contributions by text messaging.

Turns out that while equal percentages of Dems and Republicans have contributed, their choice of channels differs significantly …

• 87% of Republican campaign donors have contributed in person, by telephone, or via the mail; 57% of Democratic donors have contributed in this way.
• 57% of Democratic campaign donors have contributed online or via email, compared with 34% of Republican donors.
• 15% of Democratic campaign donors have contributed via text message or cell phone app, compared with 6% of Republican donors.

Might be worth noting if donors to your cause/nonprofit tend to come from one part of the political spectrum versus another.

In another report, Pew finds that online videos have hugely penetrated the political audience. According to Pew:

“Some 66% of registered voters who use the internet—55% of all registered voters—have gone online this election season to watch videos related to the election campaign or political issues. Specifically, they have done at least one of the following activities involving online political videos:

• 48% of internet-using registered voters watch video news reports online about the election or politics
• 40% watch previously recorded videos online of candidate speeches, press conferences, or debates
• 39% watch informational videos online that explain a political issue
• 37% watch humorous or parody videos online dealing with political issues
• 36% watch political advertisements online
• 28% watch live videos online of candidate speeches, press conferences, or debates.”

That’s impressive. And so is the fact that nearly one-in-four internet-using registered voters have encouraged others to watch online videos related to political issues. Pew notes that much of this referral occurs via social networking sites and email and text messages.

Do your nonprofit have an online video message worth passing along?

Back to work now.

Tom