ICFM Convention delegates debate Internet fundraising

Howard Lake | 26 July 2000 | News

ThirdSector magazine reports on an amusing debate on Internet fundraising at the ICFM Convention. Former director of communications at RNID Joe Saxton pointed out that “jumble sales raise more money for charities than the Internet.” He added that “Internet fundraising is about as welcome as a pineapple at Wimbledon.” He argued that “Fundraising is not the best way of using the Internet. Like teenagers on a first date, we haven’t got past the basic French kiss of Internet fundraising.”

ThirdSector magazine reports on an amusing debate on Internet fundraising at the ICFM Convention. Former director of communications at RNID Joe Saxton pointed out that “jumble sales raise more money for charities than the Internet.” He added that “Internet fundraising is about as welcome as a pineapple at Wimbledon.” He argued that “Fundraising is not the best way of using the Internet. Like teenagers on a first date, we haven’t got past the basic French kiss of Internet fundraising.”

He argued the Internet was over-hyped. “This is an appeal against faddism, an appeal against seeing the Internet as the great white hope and solution to all our fundraising problems. Even in five years’ time, charities won’t raise more than five per cent of their income over the Net.”

Greenpeace International fundraising director Daryl Upsall disagreed. He said that 40% of Greenpeace Argentina’s income already comes from the Internet.

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.