Growth in Online Political Activity Benefits All NonProfits

There has been exponential growth in the internet activities of political candidates, and also of their supporters (and detractors). This will create some short-term distractions for other non-profits but will greatly benefit from this increased online activity after the election. At least, some of them will benefit.

According to an article in the Washington Post, more than twice as many people have already contributed to President Bush’s reelection campaign as had contributed during the 2000 election – 833,000 to date! 400,000 had contributed to the Kerry campaign and hundreds of thousands to the other Democratic candidates. According to Terence McAuliffe, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, 70 percent of the people who gave money to the DNC in the past three years were first-time contributors. Local races have not been so well tracked or reported on but may be even more dependent on the internet, due to their small budgets and smaller share of the limelight.

Veteran political fundraiser Richard Viguerie, speaking at the Direct Marketing Association of Washington last month, said that “this year, something upwards of five million people will contribute to a political campaign.” He didn’t give an estimate of the percentage that will give online, but he did indicate that the internet has played a large role in the “democratization” of political fundraising.

In the very short term, between now and Novermber 2, this means that many of your donors will be besieged with direct mail, internet, telephone and broadcast messages that will distract them from your message. In fact, in the same presentation, Mr. Vigurie also suggested that nonprofits mail their house file frequently during the summer and fall, partially from a defensive standpoint, but cut back dramatically on prospecting, since response rates will probably drop off.

In the longer run, all of this political activity, especially the online activity, will do well for nonprofits of all types. Online activists are also online shoppers and online activists. Since many of your donors are also politically active, their increased enthusiasm for internet politics will translate into an interest in the web sites and email lists of other causes they favor.

There are three hurdles to getting people to give online: first, they have to be made comfortable giving online. The political races are making them comfortable. The second hurdle is getting them excited about giving to you. Your donors are already excited about your cause.
The third hurdle is to make it easy and rewarding to give to your cause online. That’s the work you should be doing now, while the campaigns are hot. Make your site easy to use. Make your emails compelling. Increase your email list size. If you need help with this hurdle, contact NPAdvisors.com for a consultation.

July 2004

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