Spokane moved up markedly in the third annual ranking of Most Generous Online Cities, outpacing similar-sized cities in the Northwest in the 2010 survey conducted by Austin, Texas-based Convio Inc.
With about $4,900 in donations per 1,000 people in 2010, Spokane ranked 64th on the list, up 35 spots from its 99th ranking the previous year. At its 2010 ranking, Spokane trailed Seattle (fourth) and Portland (36th), but it outranked Tacoma (81st) and Boise (94th).
The report by Convio ranks the 273 cities with total population of more than 100,000 based on per-capita online giving and total amount donated online through Convio's online marketing and fundraising system. The average gift size increased from $62 in 2009 to $65 in 2010, as more than $389 million was donated by people who reside in the 273 major cities. The donors in the most generous cities increased their total online contributions by more than 27 percent compared with 2009 totals.
The 2010 rankings are based on the more than $1.3 billion in online donations generated through the Convio online marketing and fundraising system, which powers the online efforts of thousands of the nation's leading nonprofit organizations. The current rankings come from donations processed during the 2010 calendar year.
Alexandria, Va; Cambridge, Mass.; and Arlington, Va., topped the list for the second year in a row as the nation's most generous large cities, based on online giving in 2010. The biggest movers in the top ten were San Francisco, moving up five places to number seven; Minneapolis, falling five places to number ten; and Seattle, moving up two places to number four. The other most generous cities in the top 10 were Washington, D.C.; Berkeley, Calif.; and St. Louis, Mo.; in fifth, sixth, and seventh places, and Ann Arbor, Mich., in ninth place.
"The integration of the Internet in traditional fundraising programs continues to play a vital role in the fundraising success of nonprofits," says Gene Austin, CEO of Convio. "Donors, volunteers, advocates, and other constituents of all generations are using the Internet, social, mobile, and digital technologies in their daily lives."
Austin says, "That is reflected in the dramatic increase in the amount of dollars raised onlinefrom an estimated $1 billion across the entire sector five years ago to Convio's more than 1,300 clients alone raising more than $1.3 billion online this past year. Using the Internet as part of a comprehensive constituent engagement and fundraising program is helping nonprofits generate more meaningful relationships, raise more money, and maximize the lifetime value of each relationship."
While traditional direct mail remains the primary channel for donations, online giving has become important to donors and the nonprofits that hope to reach them. Two recent reports by Convio showcase the value of online giving, particularly with younger donors and during the holidays. Research shows that donors 45 and younger account for nearly $40 billion in donations each yearan amount that is expected to increase as the generation ages and builds their careers and nonprofit affiliations. By and large, these donors are turning to online, social media, and other channels to donate dollars. Of the estimated $53 billion that was donated to charities by U.S. adults this past holiday season, $6 billionor nearly 12 percentwas estimated to have been donated online.
To view the complete rankings of large cities, visit www.convio.com/onlinecities.
As nonprofits look ahead to 2011, nonprofit professionals can download a free fundraising guide at www.convio.com/fundraising. The guide has tips, best practices, fundraising ideas, and success stories for how to use software and services to better engage constituents and raise money.