Fundraising Predictions for 2012

New Year is a time for predictions. US fundraising experts and researchers Convio outline what trends they believe will have the biggest impact on the Not for Profit sector in 2012.

Vinay  Bhagat, founder and chief strategy officer for Convio says, “Successful nonprofits must continuously adapt to changes in consumer expectations and opportunities presented by new media and technologies. Respecting donor communication preferences and leveraging low cost channels and outreach strategies to their full potential are critical success factors.”

Here are Convio’s Key Predictions and Trends for the Nonprofit Sector in 2012:

         Online and New Media Channels Will Continue To Extend Their Influence:

• Based on Convio’s 2010 holiday giving survey, online fundraising was up 40 percent from 2009. Online will continue as the fastest growing giving channel.
• Online’s influence outside of transactions is growing as older donors engage in web-based communications and advocacy.
•  Acceleration in new media channels and devices (social and mobile) will have significant increase in material importance for Not For Profits. For example, recently a Convio client found that 15 percent of direct respondents to a specific TV campaign accessed the Not For Profit’s website via a mobile device.

         Peer-to-Peer Engagement Will Play An Expanded Role:

• Direct communications by Not For Profit organisations will have less impact on the giving decisions of donors than in  years past.
• Donors will increasingly rely on referrals and guidance from friends, family and co-workers to make decisions, particularly the younger generations.
• Nonprofits will want to tap their most vocal and loyal supporters to be active promoters.

         Donor Fatigue Will Be More Pronounced:

• Information overload will continue as individuals receive mail, email and other communications from marketers with increasing intensity, making it challenging for nonprofits to have their messages heard.
• Text messages, RSS feeds, tweets and Facebook posts only compound the problem.
• Tailored communications that resonate with donors will be critical.

         Supporters Want To Control Their Experience:

• Not For Profit supporters want to be able to define and customise how they are communicated to (e.g. go paperless, set frequency of emails and filter for content).
• The burden of expectation for Not For Profit is being set by the for-profit sector.

         Integrated Marketing Will Rise To New Heights:

• Multi-channel marketing will have an increasingly significant role in driving integrated marketing tactics as Not For Profit rely more on various channels to deliver their communications.
• Strategic communication efforts that are consciously coordinated, orchestrated, and targeted – based on particular audience segments and their individual preferences – will become more prevalent.

“The macro economy in 2012 will certainly continue to pose challenges for fundraisers, and in the United States the presidential election will likely play a role in the mindshare game. This only increases the need for nonprofits to adapt to changing consumer preferences and to capitalize on new opportunities,” says Bhagat. “Greater emphasis on strategy, organizational alignment and process design will be applicable to all nonprofits, large or small. Essentially, being more sophisticated and savvy when it comes to supporter engagement won’t be just a ‘nice to have’ – it will be a necessity.”