Internet helps non-profit groups
compete for contributions

February 23, 2004

By Cindy Bussanmas
Iowa's Internet

DES MOINES, Iowa — In a post 9/11 environment and during an economic downturn, many non-profit organizations are in a constant struggle to survive. The Internet is providing one possible resource.

If you talk to non-profit organizations in Des Moines, you realize the competition for corporate dollars and individual donations is intense. Non-profit organizations have become more strategic and more organized to meet their objectives and continue to offer services.

Charitable giving changed after 9/11. A shift took place from local giving to national giving. This trend has not totally reversed. In addition, corporations and individuals are giving less to non-profit organizations because of the economic collapse.

In this climate, "The Internet is helping non-profit organizations in their struggle for survival," said Jim Houser, a consultant for Rebuilding Together and treasurer for Des Moines Area Religious Council. "It is becoming a necessity to have a Web site in order to compete in the donated income environment."

The Religious Council is a faith-based organization responsible for a number of activities. Its major activity is the management of a food pantry that includes a monthly food drive.

Houser said the ability to use electronic media to send last-minute reminders to churches and organizations before their scheduled donation day has increased food donations by as much as 50 percent. It has also allowed the Council's staff to target requests when they have a shortage in one area. They are able to quickly request items to fill voids at the food pantry.

Houser said the Internet has helped organizations he works with get their messages out more effectively. "Out-of-date donor lists are less of an issue with Internet-based communications," Houser said. He explained that the Internet makes communication with donors easier and that donors rely on information about the non-profit organizations from the Internet.

Rebuilding Together is a non-profit organization that helps families rebuild homes to make them safer and more comfortable for those who can't afford to make improvements themselves.

The Iowa organization is part of a national organization that holds one annual workday to improve housing. It uses the Internet to help manage its operations. With only one paid staff member, it relies heavily on volunteers.

"Rebuilding Together's problem is coordination of volunteers, information flow, and documentation," Houser said. "They are working with a consultant to develop a customized interactive Web site to facilitate the flow of information and enable project management."

Houser said the Web site initiative will provide document-sharing, communication regarding the project status, materials inventory and distribution, and coordination of volunteers.

The Iowa Youth Chorus is another non-profit organization whose Web site serves as a primary vehicle to communicate. Its Web site informs families of their programs, the choir schedule, and to advertise volunteer needs.

In a related way, non-profit organizations are finding more useful information on corporate Web sites to help them acquire corporate donations. The Principal's Web site is an excellent example of guiding an organization through its giving process. It provides the company's giving philosophy, grant writing and procedures for making charitable requests.

"This makes fundraising activities effective because we know how to prepare materials in the way that best suits their guidelines, and more efficient since we can better select companies where we have the best chance of success," said Gary Mathems, a consultant working for Iowa Youth Chorus.

Mathems said the downside is that there is more competition. "It's easier to find grant writers through the Internet, so more people are going after the same pool of community investment dollars," Mathems said.

One of the difficulties non-profit organizations face in transferring to Internet technology is that they have to change the way they are doing things. Organizations no longer need to develop fancy newsletters, conduct expensive mailings or provide costly print advertising.

Most non-profit organizations can't afford a new resource to maintain their Web presence so they need to stop investing in old technology and approaches.

"You have to challenge yourself to stop communicating in the old ways and start relying on the new," Houser said. "You learn that it's like any other competitive environment, you have to do it well and keep doing it well and this takes resources."