Independent Fundraising Events Bring Big Returns for Nonprofits

Charleston, S.C. (January 22, 2010) – In a time when overall fundraising is on the decline, independent fundraising events are raising more money and growing in participation and donors, according to a recent Blackbaud, Inc., (Nasdaq: BLKB) and Event 360, Inc. study. Independent fundraising events (IFE) are activities designed and run by volunteers to raise money on behalf of a specific nonprofit organization.

Blackbaud partnered with Event 360 on a research project to better understand the common denominators of a successful programmatic approach to third-party fundraising. The research team analyzed data from nearly 30,000 donors and 4,000 individual fundraisers who organized or participated in independent fundraising events on behalf of leading nonprofits including Alzheimer’s Association, Autism Speaks, Canadian Cancer Society’s BC and Yukon Division, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Lance Armstrong Foundation, and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.

The analysis showed that online registrations, donations and fundraising per participant are increasing, and that IFEs represent a growing revenue source, especially online, for many organizations. Based on a Blackbaud assessment, there was an estimated $300 million raised in 2008 in the United States from these types of events, indicating that organizations should find better ways to cultivate these fundraisers and provide the solutions they need to succeed.

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