A new study involving data from more than 625 nonprofit events, 430,000 participants and 800,000 transactions has found that participants who raise money via the Internet generate exponentially more in both online and offline contributions than those who do not use email to solicit donations.  The study was conducted by Kintera, the leading provider of online solutions and services to nonprofit organizations.

Participants in the Kintera study who used email raised, on average, $327 from 6.99 donors (including themselves).  Those not using the Internet raised, on average, $55 from 1.48 donors (including themselves). 

The study also noted that, on average, the more emails sent to solicit contributions, the more participants raised – both online and offline.  The correlation between emails sent and the average offline amounts raised was due, to some extent, to the fact that online volunteers receive responses to their email solicitations in the form of cash or check contributions in person, as well as credit card transactions online.  The study concluded that email solicitation results in not only additional online donors and donations, but also in more offline donors and donations. 

What does this mean for charities? “By helping to build powerful online communities of supporters and beneficiaries, the Internet is going to play an increasingly important role in marketing and fundraising activities for nonprofit organizations,” said Dr. Ephraim Feig, CTO and CMO of Kintera.  “Online management of all forms of fundraising – not just events – will become the norm.  The nearly six-fold increase in amount raised by Internet users is due to the fact that those participants who are most committed to supporting the various nonprofit organizations are adopting the Internet as an outreach medium.”

Feig added, "Online solicitation indeed works. People who want to solicit are less inhibited online, ask more donors, receive more donations and ultimately raise more money."

There has been an unprecedented rise in the use of online technology by nonprofits for all causes.  With web-based solutions, organizations can share information and promote interactions to build vibrant communities of supporters, beneficiaries and staff to achieve marketing, programming and fundraising goals.  Kintera, the market leader in the nonprofit space, has seen a significant increase in the adoption of the Internet by national organizations including, among others, the Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, American Heart Association, ALS Association, City of Hope, American Lung Association, CaP CURE and MZA Events (the nation’s largest AIDS Walk organizer).