This JPost.com headline caught my attention this morning:
“JGooders seeks Jewish philanthropy revolution.”
JGooders is a new “on-line philanthropic arena that’s relevant to this global generation.” The biggest [Jewish] organizations understand that this is the future of philanthropy,” said Eli Shua, the startup’s chief operating officer.
IMHO: The future of philanthropy will be much more dependant on the state of the economy rather than the newest available method of giving!
In my experience, donating online won’t replace traditional means of donating through direct mail or other fundraising structures in the immediate future. I can see email marketing as a primary means of securing donations in another 15-20 years from now, but certainly not now.
My best advice for Jewish organizations looking to incorporate online giving into their fundraising repertoire:
1. Use the web to broaden your organizations donor pool, but please, don’t put all of your fundraising dollars into just online marketing campaigns either!
2. Your current base of donors is the bread and butter of your organization, especially in tough financial times. Reach out to them, cultivate relationships with them and tell them your story in the medium they prefer.
3. Don’t expect huge returns, or even typical direct mail results, on email fundraising campaigns that you send out any time soon.
4. If you haven’t already, start to build an email “house file”. An email list of donors, members and volunteers is and will be a valuable fundraising tool.
5. It’s Ok to be skeptical about any new fundraising medium. Get all the facts you can before spending any of your hard earned money on new fundraising mediums.
Yoav