Online Gifts in 2006 top $1.2 Billion

According to a recent survey conducted by The Chronicle of Philanthropy (subscription required), "Electronic gifts to the 187 organizations that provided figures for 2005 and 2006 grew by 37%, from $880.7 million to $1.2 billion. Online gifts grew by more than 50% at 85 organizations. Of those, 34 saw Internet gifts more than double." The American Red Cross and the United Way of America raised online $496.2 and $240 million, respectively.

Significant gains aside, online donations still account for a very small percentage of overall giving. "Online giving represented less than 1% of total contributions for 103 of the 147 organizations that reported both the amount of money they raised online and their total contributions in 2006."

While nonprofits are still feeling their way online, a greater emphasis should be placed on incorporating the Internet into traditional fundraising vehicles. As Mark Graham, director of electronic media at the American Friends Service Committee reminds us—"all of your postal appeals, email newsletters, online solicitations and publications need to tell the same story." And today's tools make it easier to do just that with targeted email campaigns and customized content that reflects donor's interests.

Tom Emmons, Compassion International's Internet marketing programs manager, puts it best "online fundraising is most effective when it's reinforced by another medium."