Introduction
In today's age of cyber techno creativity one is often challenged with how to best reach a constituency in a timely and cost efficient manner when conducting a feasibility study. This was just the case when a client wanted to reach its entire constituency without phone calls, a mail survey, or contracting for additional interviews considering their limited budget. After meeting with the steering committee, I suggested that since the congregation was quite used to email communications that we develop an e survey. I agreed to research options and to present them to the board. After looking at the various options, we agreed to use www.surveymonkey.com as the venue for the survey.

The Process
Utilizing the facilities of www.surveymonkey.com we adapted the feasibility study interview form and created an on line survey. We reduced the number of questions asked and determined what were the key questions that we wanted answered. It is important to note that this is a small congregation with only 135 households constituting the membership and many of the members are techno-savvy. The congregation expects to be fully engaged in whatever projects are being undertaken and the congregation is extremely process oriented. Thus, it was very important that all members have the opportunity to participate in the study in some form. We also felt that by utilizing the e-survey we would demystify the feasibility study process as the congregation was not very sophisticated from a development perspective. The Congregation was emailed an announcement of the survey, including a URL that provided access to the survey.

Results
The congregation responded positively to the e-survey. The feasibility study interview was limited to 13 households and when measuring the capacity of the congregation to give it was clear that 10% of the membership was not a large enough sample on which to make an assessment of the capacity of the congregation. Therefore the results of the e-survey would be central to the decision making process.

The survey was set up so that only one response per computer was allowed, ensuring that we were not getting conflicting information from a household. If a household had more than one computer, the household was requested to fill out the survey jointly. The goal of the e-survey was to replicate the key results of an in-person interview and be able to assess the financial capacity and support for a possible capital campaign. It was also an opportunity to obtain some attitudinal data as well.

More than 50% of the households responded to the e-survey, and of the respondents, all but a small number provided the committee with an indication of their likelihood to support a campaign and the level they would be prepared to consider a commitment. It should be pointed out that respondents were asked to identify two types of commitments, a commitment to a campaign, and a "stretch commitment" to a specific campaign if the opportunity to acquire a certain site were to come to fruition. While not everyone responded to this request, there was sufficient response to make a determination as to whether or not to move forward with a campaign.

What was learned?
Clearly, in today's fast-paced Internet inspired world the opportunity to communicate with constituents, congregants and donors or members is of paramount importance. Our standards and methods of communication have clearly changed as evidenced by how often we say to someone, "can you email that to me?" How often do we also ask, "Can I get that information online?" or, "Do you have a website?" As we have come to learn, our websites and our use of technology are as defining of our activities as are our personal styles and skills.

While there is no substitute for personal contact and prospect and donor cultivation, it is imperative that fundraisers take full advantage of technology and the tools available. As the song goes, "the times, they are a changing," and we need to change with them.


Editors Note: Our thanks Hillel Korin, of Korin Development Associates for his contribution to the E-Philanthropy Review. More information about Mr. Korin can be found at: http://charitychannel.com/resources/Detailed/591.html