The Donor Mindset: Charity Dynamics and NTEN Release Nonprofit Donor Engagement Benchmark Study

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Charity Dynamics and NTEN today delivered key findings from the organizations' Nonprofit Donor Engagement Benchmark Study, a first-of-its-kind survey and report designed to help better understand individuals' giving behavior, engagement preferences and motivations that drive their support for charitable organizations and causes.

The joint Charity Dynamics/NTEN donor-focused study gathered feedback from consumers spanning a wide range of giving levels ($25 – $5,000) who donated to a nonprofit in the past 12 months. Survey questions sought to understand how individuals preferred to donate, volunteer, support and interact with nonprofits using traditional and digital media. Among the high-level findings:

• Nonprofits that establish themselves as a donor's top charity—the organization to which an individual feels most connected—are more likely to receive greater support from them in terms of cash contributions, volunteering, event participation and issue advocacy.
• Nearly half of the survey respondents (47%) indicated that they give a majority of their annual total donation amount to their top charity.
• Age has a significant impact on the amount donors give, the way in which they are willing to engage, and how they prefer to seek and consume information from their top charity.
• A majority of donors (65%) reported supporting their top charity because they believe in the organization's cause. Connected donors also do more for their top charity, with 54% saying they would be willing to talk to friends and family about the organization.

The full Nonprofit Donor Engagement Benchmark Study is available for download at www.nonprofitdonorengagement.com.  Additional commentary and analysis of the study's results from the recent Charity Dynamics/NTEN joint webinar also is available via recording at http://charitydynamics.com/webinar/engagement.

"Among the key takeaways from our benchmark data is that nonprofits need to look beyond just gaining supporters and increase their focus on what engagement strategies and tactics they're going to employ to become the top charity in their supporters' eyes," said Donna Wilkins, founder and president of Charity Dynamics. "Nonprofits that make donor engagement part of a long-term strategy that's integrated into all of their constituent outreach activities definitely stand to benefit most in terms of giving, participation and overall support."

"Our benchmark study reveals several key patterns related to donor behavior that have immediate implications for nonprofits that want to develop long-term relationships with supporters," said Annaliese Hoehling, Publications Director, NTEN. "Using data and associated recommendations from this study, nonprofit leaders will have a better understanding for how, when and where they should engage donors, and will be better equipped to implement effective fundraising and engagement strategies."

Release of the Charity Dynamics/NTEN donor engagement study coincides with today's launch of another donor-focused report commissioned by Blackbaud. Data from the company's "Donor Perspectives: An Investigation into What Drives Your Donors to Give" shows that age and cultural differences play a role in the way donors give to nonprofits. Blackbaud's full study is available at www.blackbaud.com/donor-perspectives.

About the Nonprofit Technology Network
NTEN is the membership organization of nonprofit professionals who put technology to use for their causes. We enable our members to do their jobs better and help their organizations strategically use technology so that they, in turn, make the world a better, just, and more equitable place. www.nten.org

About Charity Dynamics
Charity Dynamics provides comprehensive online marketing and fundraising solutions for nonprofit organizations. The company's expert consulting services enable nonprofits to create and implement results-driven fundraising strategies through online programs, live and virtual events, social media and mobile solutions. Organizations using Charity Dynamics' innovative Boundless Fundraising® solution have raised more than $150 million directly through the suite of applications since it launched in late 2008. Charity Dynamics' clients include The ALS Association, American Cancer Society, National Multiple Sclerosis Society and The Salvation Army. For more information, please visit www.charitydynamics.com.

SOURCE Charity Dynamics