Convio contracted with JupiterResearch, a Forrester Research company, to add questions about on-line support for nonprofit organizations to the researcher's annual U.S. On-line Retail Consumer Survey. The study was conducted September 17-24, 2008, and thus reflects some of the economic challenges that donors and nonprofits are currently facing.
The survey found that:
- More than 50 percent of on-line consumers—more than 89 million people—will give in November and December 2008.
- Nearly 70 percent of these donors plan to give the same amount as, or more than, they have in the past. Another 33 percent expect to give less because of the economy.
The survey also identified the types of organizations on-line donors intend to support and which consumers are most likely to give during the holidays:
- The greatest proportion of donors (41 percent) plans to support human and social services organizations, such as food banks and homeless shelters. Next come faith-based organizations (34 percent); disease and health service organizations (33 percent); animal welfare organizations (24 percent); and disaster and international relief organizations (22 percent).
- More women (54 percent) than men (48 percent) expect to give; 45 percent of women plan to give to a human or social service organization, compared to 35 percent of men.
- Some 55 percent of donors aged 45 to 54 plans to give.
- A majority (64 percent) of individuals with incomes of $100,000 or greater intends to donate.
- Some 15 percent of African-Americans and Asians, the highest proportion of all ethnic groups, plan to give more this year than in the past.
- Charity Web sites (27 percent)
- E-mails from family and friends (15 percent)
- Charity information and evaluation sites (10 percent)
See more information
Suzanne E. Coffman, November 2008
© 2008, GuideStar USA, Inc.
Suzanne Coffman is GuideStar's director of communications and editor of the Newsletter.