NEWS: Are Online Donors Really One-Shot Wonders?

Target Anaytics, a unit of Blackbaud, released a study on Internet giving on March 18. The New York Times account focused on one finding - that online donors are less likely to give again online. But the findings were far more interesting than that, and painted quite a different picture. To sum it up:

• Online giving still represents a small portion of donors and revenue for most organizations, but it is growing rapidly and becoming significant as a source of new donors.
• Online donors are younger and wealthier than traditional direct mail donors, and they give larger gifts.
• Meanwhile, direct mail response rates continue to spiral downward. Combined with the aging of the list, this is not looking like a strong bet for the future.
• The really smart approach integrates online, direct mail, and other fundraising approaches into a seamless whole.

You can read the full report or excellent summaries here and here.