Working the Numbers: The latest benchmark study

The 2008 eNonprofit Benchmarks Study-- a newly-released update from the original 2006 study released by M+R and NTEN. I've spent a week reading and re-reading, looking at the sites of the organizations who participated in the study, and trying to see how these apply to the entire sector. A few CEOs and development officers have asked me for a brief about it... one asked me for a five-second breakdown of the study. Wow, five seconds. OK, here goes (each bullet is one second):

• eMail open rates and click-through rates are down


• Online gifts increased and $1,000 gifts are more frequent online


• Monthly giving is up


• Nonprofits send an average of four e-mails per month


• Go download a copy and soak up the numbers yourself

The recent wave of benchmark studies should keep your organization busy reading for awhile. These studies confirm that online fundraising numbers continue to rise, even as e-mail rates drop. Segmenting and communicating through social networks and specific channels can keep your organization on the rise. And, these kinds of studies will help you make your case to invest in your online future. So, go read it, memorize it, and hopefully you can make your five-second pitch to expand your online efforts.