Tony Elischer – Web site no longer important but vital

Howard Lake | 14 July 1999 | News

Fundraising consultant Tony Elischer thinks that Web sites are now an essential element of fundraising.

“Developing your Internet site is no longer an important element of a fundraising strategy: it’s vital.” Writing in Professional Fundraising magazine, fundraising consultant Tony Elischer argues that the Web and e-mail are essential tools for fundraisers, not mere add-ons.

In his article “E-asy does it” he admits that he was “probably very late into the [Internet] scene,” but now thinks that charities can not do with the Net.

He quotes figures raised online by American non-profits in response to the Kosovo crisis campaign. Note the proportion of income being generated online.

• Medecins Sans Frontieres – $209,000
  
  
• Oxfam America – $500,000
  
  
• World Vision – $115,000
  
  
• UNICEF USA – $43,000 (14% of all income)
  
  
• Save the Children – $40,000 (32% of all income)
  
  
• American Red Cross – $545,000 (8.9% of all income)
  
  

The emphasis on the Web has gone on too long, he argues. “E-mail now has to be an obvious route to our middle donors.” Yet charities still have much to do. “Collecting e-mail addresses is a priority for recruiting donors, but few charities are investing in how to capitalise on this data.”

• Jewish Philanthropy discussions (14 July 1999)
  
• Online training courses for US grant-seekers (16 July 1999)
  
• US lesbian donor report published (18 July 1999)
  

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.