# Blogs question Convio's choice of client

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/06/25/blogs-question-convio039s-choice-client/
- Published: 2005-06-25T23:00:00+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Online fundraising and campaigning software provider Convio Inc has been the subject
of heated discussions on a range of blogs concerning its client the Alliance for
Marriage.
Convio rose to prominence after it helped Democrat Howard Dean raise millions
of dollars online and recruit and marshall a large number of volunteer activists.
It’s acceptance of Alliance for Marriage as a client has therefore been questioned
by some bloggers, given the AFM’s proposed constitutional amendment that would define
marriage as between a man and a woman, outlawing same-sex marriage.

Kate Kaye at Personal Democracy Forum lists the Eschaton, Americablog and Daily 
Kos blogs as featuring criticisms of Convio’s willingness to work with AFM. Some
called for a boycott of Convio.

Kaye quotes Convio’s CEO Gene Austin as admitting that “in markets that are emerging
like ours these are the types of issues that are going to pop-up. It’s a grey area
for our market right now.”

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However, Austin stood by the company’s “Right To Be Heard Policy” which explains
that “we believe that all nonprofits conducting their business in a legal manner
have a right to be heard.”

The ‘blogstorm’ was generated after the issue was covered in the [Washington Post](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/01/AR2005060101852.html?sub=AR).

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