By Cynthia J. Armour, CFRE
April 27, 2009
The question:
What is Web 2.0 and how can it help me fundraise?
Cynthia's Response:
Six months ago I would have told you I have too much grey hair to effectively answer your question. However, I consider myself a lifelong learner so I am a bit more informed, but by no means an expert! This column will provide an introduction to the topic and an invitation to anyone who would like to expand on the ideas presented.
Thanks to Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) web conferencing and online research, this is what I've learned...
Web 2.0 is definitely a way to engage youth in your nonprofit organizations. In fact, it is a tool for anyone you see who is enthusiastically typing messages on their miniscule mobile phones or Blackberries, which seem nowadays to be an appendage to many individuals.
Some key descriptors, and why Web 2.0 is so appealing, are engaging, responsive, and social, whereas the World Wide Web's first incarnation was purely a source of information. This second generation has introduced the concept of web-as-participation.
Anyone who has ordered books from Amazon.ca, or any similar bookseller, has experienced the ability to browse a collection, read reviews, learn about what other books you'd enjoy, and even "be published" by voicing your own opinion about a particular text.
Social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and others are providing opportunities for individuals and businesses, including charities, to post their profiles and communicate with other like-minded people. Five years ago, YouTube didn't exist. Today people share their videos with anyone who is interested in watching...on every conceivable topic imaginable (that doesn't abuse their "terms of service").
The expression "going viral" is gaining recognition as certain messages or short video clips pick up momentum and gain worldwide attention. Check out an awesome five-minute rock guitar rendition of Pachelbel's Canon on YouTube by 23-year old Jeong-Hyun Lim! One version has been viewed 58,442,684 times and another (same clip) 127,010...now that's viral!
How can Web 2.0 help my charity?
To witness the pinnacle of how the Internet transcended all previous efforts for community-building and an unprecedented fundraising and volunteer call to action, one only needs to examine Barack Obama's campaign. He became the Emperor of Engagement...the Epiphany of Empowerment!
On MyBO (my being the operative word), the entire site reflects engagement of the people, by the people, and for the people. Voters could create their personal fundraising page, set their own goal and then email (or text message) their friends and families to contribute. Roughly half of the $605 million that Obama raised came from small donations and nearly all donors gave on the Internet. This campaign took Americans (and the world) to new heights. In one month (September 2008), Barack Obama raised a record $3.1 million and expanded his base of support by 632,000 individuals.
Traditional volunteering is going through a metamorphosis that's concerning to any organization that relies on unpaid help to deliver its mission. In the 1990s the phrase "vigilante volunteer" was coined. It portrayed a task-oriented, job-satisfaction approach to giving of one's time and was the antithesis of the lifelong, dedicated helpers that charities relied upon. Voluntarism today is being threatened because the majority of us no longer fit the profile of single-income families where one spouse needed to occupy his or her days making a meaningful contribution.
One solution that is growing in popularity is online recruitment. In Canada, check out the Framework Foundation, which is promoting voluntarism among individuals in their 20s and 30s. They are best known for their "Timeraiser" program, which helps people find meaningful volunteer opportunities while connecting skilled individuals to the nonprofit sector. In the States, Ben Rigby (who could afford to polish his public speaking skills in the following clip but is a genius in his own right) speaks on YouTube about his idea of on-the-spot volunteering. He has also been instrumental in developing on-demand volunteering using mobile phone to send text messages and match-make potential volunteers with worthy causes.
How to proceed
At Ben Rigby's recent AFP web conference, he spoke of the trends leading to success:
- Understand how your constituency is using technology.
- Dedicate resources - it takes a lot of work and there is no magic answer. It helps to have a knowledgeable staff person to manage and track analytics to monitor and ensure your return on investment.
- Get people to meet face-to-face. Weave both off and online communications.
- Embrace Web 2.0 ethos - that means being willing to listen and accept feedback regardless of its nature (Web 2.0 is interactive not one-sided). Be transparent...talk with your stakeholders, not at them.
Where does the rubber hit the road?
It's important to note that the rubber will hit the road in different places for each organization. I'm writing this article to all interested charities with varying levels of resources and expertise. As a rural-dweller, I totally understand that not everyone has high speed...much to the surprise of our urban counterparts!
You need to consider how Web 2.0 can benefit your efforts and whether you have the resources (financial and human) to proceed. Perhaps one of the most important elements for your board to consider is that this form of interaction will only continue to evolve...just like the crank telephone! I realized that burying my head in the sand wasn't working anymore and now I recognize the importance of understanding this new technology.
Currently Web 2.0 works best at capturing the attention of tech-savvy individuals. It's up to you to identify whether they are within your target audiences or not. Although my (almost 89-year-old) uncle is on the Internet daily, and a Twitter profile would not be outside his realm, capitalizing on such interactive methods may be less of a priority to organizations serving today's seniors. What we can't overlook are the Beamer-driving baby boomers zooming toward their Canada Pension with high expectations of instant and interactive communication. Obviously, this also includes Gen X (1965-1977) and Gen Y (1978-1994) audiences too.
Considering we Canadians have nothing comparable to Barack Obama's campaign, it behoves us to investigate his techniques and determine what we can learn from his experience. In the spirit of never reinventing the wheel, we can still benefit from what advancements have been made that aid in cornering the road (or a particular target market).
For more information see:
Best Practices for Nonprofits Using Web 2.0
Everything You Need to Know About Web 2.0
Web 2.0 in Nonprofits
Web 2.0 Nonprofit Success Stories
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Cynthia Armour is a freelance specialist in fundraising and governance. A Certified FundRaising Executive (CFRE) since 1995, she volunteers as a subject matter expert with CFRE International. She works with boards and senior staff to ensure that strong leadership will enhance organizational capacity to govern and fundraise effectively. Contact Cynthia directly at 705-799-0636, e-mail answers@elderstone.ca, or visit www.elderstone.ca for more information about her services.
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