Nj Center For Non Profits 2008 Conference Presention

Using Technology and Innovation to:

Increase Funding

Engage New Constituents

Promote Your Organizations Mission

Presentation by: Victoria Halfpenny [email_address] December 10, 2008 Center for Non-Profits 25 th Anniversary Conference

Important Terminology to Know: These are Just a few Technology Terms Currently Being Used to Raise Awareness and Money in the Non-Profit Sector CRM (Constituent relationship management) Texting Podcast Open Source Tagging Second Life Blogs Widgets Wikkis E-Newsletters RSS Feeds E-Alerts WEB 2.0 Social Networking Social Bookmarking E-Philanthropy

Non-Profit Technology Usage 400 Social Change Organizations Surveyed reported:

47% do not have online donations from their websites

Over 50% have inadequate data management – slips of paper, Excel spreadsheets, personal address books.

More funding is not the most important factor in tech satisfaction; staff is.

What does this show us? That many Non-profits are missing out on an easy inexpensive way to get their message out and in the process raise money.

There are numerous Online Fundraising Tools such as: Charity Portals Donate Buttons Mobile Fundraising Social Networking Video Games Charitable Malls Virtual Worlds

For this presentation I will focus on 4 of these Tools Social Networking Mobile Fundraising Video Games Virtual Worlds

Social Networking: What is it?

Basic Definition is: An association of people drawn together by family, work or hobby. (Coined in the 1950s)

Social networking site is: the 21 st century term for “virtual community,” a group of people who use the Internet to communicate with each other about anything and everything.

Who uses Social Networking This shows that a variety of individuals of all different ages are using social networking sites.

Impact of Social Networking Case Study:

SAVE DARFUR

Facebook Applications Causes

SAVE DARFUR

Causes is capable of leveraging the Facebook community into donating to charity.

Facebook Application Changing the Present Each gift you buy with this application will send a donation to its associated non-profit. There are more than 1,000 gifts to chose from ranging from $1 to $5,000

Other organizations that have signed up:

Amnesty International

College Summit

First Read

Mobile Fundraising General Stats: 76% of the US population uses a cell phone. 18.7 billion text messages were sent in 2006. http://www.guidestar.org/DisplayArticle.do?articleId=1182 Who uses mobile fundraising:

Mobile Fundraising Successful mobile fundraising Appeals At a 2008 Alicia Keys concert 8,000 fans (6-12% of the audience) donated over $40,000 to the Keep A Child Alive organization During the 2008 Superbowl viewers were asked in a 10-second commercial to text a $5 donation, which would later appear on their phone bill, to United Way. The charity said the promotion raised about $10,000. The Red Cross raised $190,000 since September to help the victims of disasters like Hurricane Gustav and Ike through its text messaging program. http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/wireless-subscribers-pledge-more-than,643288.shtml

What does this show us?

That Non-Profits of all different sizes are using this technology to help improve their bottom line.

Using Video Games to Raise Funds & Awareness Games for Change: Provides support, visibility and shared resources to individuals and organizations using digital games for social change. Is focused on using games to help forge links between the electronic game industry and projects involving the use of games in education, training, health and public policy to help improve the public sector.

Specific Games Wolf Quest is game where individuals learn about wolf ecology by living the life of a wild wolf in Yellowstone National Park. Individuals must ensure the survival of their pack by finding a mate, hunt and raise pups. From the Minnesota Zoo and eduweb under a grant from the National Science Foundation. “ Darfur is Dying is a viral video game for change where players must keep their refugee camp functioning in the face of possible attack by Janjaweed militias.

Using Virtual Communities to Raise Funds & Awareness What is Second Life? A virtual reality community in which you create an identity, Meet people, buy land and build your own objects. The American Cancer Society has Conducted Virtual Relay for Life events for the last four years.

Ultimate Questions

Does it ultimately make sense to invest in online marketing and fundraising?

Does Social Networking result in more money?

Do individuals transfer online engagement into real life engagement?

Answer: Yes

AFP online giving experienced an 88% increase in raising money in 2006.

In 2007 the American Cancer Society raised more than $115,000 using Second Life.

Facebook Causes application raised $571,686 for 750 organizations.

Online donors tend to join at higher giving levels, give larger gifts, and have higher lifetime give than offline donors.

Online donors median gift is $57 Offline median gift is $33

What about major donors? (Those donors who have given an average of $10,896 a year with a minimum gift of 1,000)

80% made donations both online and offline.

72% said donating online is more efficient and helps charities reduce administrative costs.

51% prefer giving online.

46% said that five years from now they will be making a greater portion of their charitable gifts online.

74% of those surveyed said it was appropriate for the charity to send an email reminding them to renew an annual gift.

65% said they always open and glance at emails from causes they support.

“ The Wired Wealthy”, Survey conducted by: Convio, Sea Change Strategies, and Edge research. March 24, 2008.

Barriers to Implementing a Technology Plan

Fear of spending $ on non-programmatic items.

Donors like giving money to programs.

Foundations like giving money to programs.

Technology is not warm and fuzzy

Lack of Staff (as mentioned earlier)

Fear of Technology

In Luck there are Solutions Lots of Free & Low Cost Equipment and Training Is Available: NTEN, NPower, TechSoup, CompuMentor,Idealware, SourceForge, CompassPoint,ePhilanthropy Foundation, Governance Matters,Idealist, BoardnetUSA New Jersey Center for Non-Profits YNPN – Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of NY Flip – Future Leaders in Philanthropy Support Center for Nonprofit Management The Council of Community Services of New York State, Inc. (CCSNYS) Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York Helpful Blogs about Non-Profit Technology Wild Apricot - http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/default.aspx Zen and the Art of Nonprofit Technology - http://www.zenofnptech.org/ Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media – http:// beth.typepad.com /

Steps to Take Objectives: What do you want to achieve? Note: Just because second Life Fundraising Exists, or Podcasting looks interesting do you need it to achieve your goals? Talk to stakeholders about what their needs are. This includes, board members, administrative staff, fundraisers and ______ Do Research: Join list-serves, attend a networking event or take a class. Don’t limit your options

Thank You