Blackbaud in the News: These gift cards are for charitable giving
Excerpt from the article that ran in Los Angeles Times by Jessica Guynn, November 7, 2010:
Internet fundraising has generated strong interest in the nonprofit world over the last decade but still lags behind direct mail, events and other more traditional ways of soliciting donations. Of the $263 billion that Americans give to charity each year, 5.7% is given online, according to Blackbaud Inc.'s index of online giving, which tracks fundraising. Of that, less than 1% comes from social media, estimated Steve MacLaughlin, director of Internet solutions at Blackbaud.Social media has disappointed many who had hoped it would offer an instant panacea to fundraising woes in a tough economy. It has been more effective at "friend-raising," as in gaining supporters and engaging them in dialogue about a cause, than actual fundraising. Proponents say the medium is still new and experimental, with potential to become a much more important means to solicit donations.That effort could get a boost if Causes gift cards catch on with shoppers this holiday season, MacLaughlin said. The timing is good, he said: 46% of online giving takes place in the last three months of the year, with 30% in December alone.
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