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The “Google-Age” Fundraiser: Nonprofit New Media Success Stories |
Mike Johnston of HJC New Media presented to a room full of eager fundraisers today at DMANF on “New Media – Me Myself and I: The Secret of using Cell Phones, Text Messages, YouTube, Personal Pages and Electronic Media to Raise Money in the Age of Google.” I have to admit up front that I was hesitant to attend the session and wasn’t sure if I’d learn anything new. Boy was I wrong.
Johnston completely blew the room away with his presentation. Instead of rambling off a list of general best practices or speaking in Web 2.0 buzzword lingo that wouldn't help conference attendees walk away with a realistic place to start for developing a new media marketing strategy, Johnston shared case study, after case study, after case study of truly unique and innovative campaigns nonprofits are running online. And what’s more, the examples he shared not only illustrated ways nonprofits are carving a presence in interactive, social media spaces, but they also showed phenomenal fundraising success. (Seriously, if you are searching for examples of new media fundraising success stories or creative inspiration for your next interactive project, check out his presentation on the DMANF conference Web site).
Here are few examples he shared that struck me as particularly creative and successful:
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada's No Go Gala
This was my favorite example from the entire session. An organization supporting Crohn’s and Colitis decided to hold its annual gala “virtually” online, allowing the event’s organizers to create personal fundraising pages to raise funds for the “event”. The personal fundraising proved to be fun and competitive, and each person with a page competed against the others to raise the greatest amount of funds. The result: the average funds raised per committee member was $11,129.83 and the top 3 committee fundraisers raised $109,252. Over $375,000 was raised in total.
Oxfam's “unwrapped” program
Oxfam’s Unwrapped program allows for donors to give in a unique and unexpected way. Rather than donating a lump sum of money that has no real identity or emotional connection to what the funds signify for the organization, Oxfam donors can choose from a catalog of “gifts” that represent work Oxfam carries out through donations raised. For example, someone could purchase a virtual goat, hygiene kit or boat for the amount the item actually costs, and in turn, the donor has an understanding of how they are personally making a difference by donating. The result: in 2007, 5,753 donors gave an average of $87 each, raising a total of $497,873.
Greenpeace's Great Whale Trail
This was actually started as a contest where the organization’s constituents submitted ideas for the new campaign. Greenpeace partnered with scientists to track whales, through the use of GPS, while they migrated south through dangerous waters where the whales are hunted. Greenpeace supporters were empowered to make a difference themselves by making personal fundraising pages (are you seeing a trend here?) in support of the cause. The result: over 5,000 personal fundraising pages were created raising over $120,000.
Take a look at the rest of the examples Johnston shared in the presentation. And help me keep the list going - share your favorite or most recent new media fundraising success story here.
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URL: http://www.jimmythemantours.com
Maybe you could give us a link here! Would be great. We are a dutch non-profit organisation. And we want to help young people in developing countries to become selfemployed. We do this ny conslutancy and new media. Check it out here: http://www.jimmythemantours.com This is one of our projects. By watching the movies, things will get clear! Greetings, Jaap van 't Kruis The Solotrekkers Foundation Amsterdam, Holland.
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great post. but your link to the presentation has a typo.