Cultivating strong relationships = big dollar

May 2010
Going into the 2009 year-end fundraising season, no one knew quite what to expect. Would donors cut back in the face of a still-floundering economy? Would they give less, or just not give at all?

As it turns out, most nonprofits did encounter a decline in overall revenue, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s annual survey. But many saw a distant light at the end of the economic tunnel in the form of online fundraising, with overall online revenue up 14% from 2008 according to Convio’s 2010 Online Nonprofit Benchmark Study.

Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) , a long-time client of Big Duck’s, saw the story of the sector overall reflected in the returns from their integrated annual campaign—slight overall decline; big jump in online revenue. But their results tell another story, too, about the importance building strong relationships with your donors year-round, not just at year end. (More)
campaigns, capacity-building, fundraising

Running Away From Home Page

March 15, 2010
Microsites must be unique but tied to your mission. In this article, Farra Trompeter, discusses the importance of defining the strategy behind the microsite before diving in. This article also features two microsites created by Big Duck: Duchenne Connect for Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy and Totally Baldacious for the Luekemia Lymphona Society. (More)
campaigns, capacity-building, online

Fundraising 2009 – was it good for you?

February 2010

2009 ended on a high note for many nonprofits whose year-end appeals raised more money online than in 2008.

  • According to Network for Good, online giving in December 2009 grew 25% compared to 2008.
  • According to Blackbaud, it grew 32%.
  • The average online gift in December 2009 remained relatively the same as it was in December 2008. The average gift processed via Network for Good was $153 (a 4% drop), and the average gift processed via Blackbaud was $244.17 (a 2% drop).

Because most nonprofits raise nearly 50% of their online donations during the October-December time period, we follow year-end campaigns closely. (We even created a few year-end campaigns for our clients, but more about that in a future Duck Pond issue.)

(More)
campaigns, capacity-building, fundraising, messaging