Mobile for Good: A How-To Fundraising Guide for Nonprofits

CHAPTER4Email Communications

Nonprofits began adding online donation functionality to their websites in the late 1990s and early 2000s with the hope that the ability to accept credit card payments online would become an instant and consistent fundraising source. Most nonprofits were very disappointed with the initial results. Many donors were skeptical of the new technology, and simply having a “Donate Now” button on their website was not enough to inspire donors to pull out their credit cards. It was during this era that nonprofits began to pioneer the use of email communications to increase online giving.

Launched in 1998, Constant Contact (constantcontact.com) was the first mass email communication software that enabled nonprofits to tell ...