Convio Ranks Most Generous Online Cities for 2008 and Reports Current Standings for 2009

AUSTIN, Texas--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--When it comes to online giving to charity, Alexandria, VA, Cambridge, MA and Minneapolis, MN topped the list as the nation’s most generous cities based on per capita giving in 2008. The three cities are also leading the way in online giving for 2009. When it comes to cities of less than 100,000 people, Paramus, NJ so far tops the list of dollars given in 2009 followed by Princeton, NJ and Georgetown, TX. A new report by Convio ranks 273 cities (with total population of more than 100,000) based on actual per capita online giving and more than 1,700 cities of less than 100,000 people based on the amount donated online. The 2008 rankings are based on the more than $777 million in online donations processed by Convio on behalf of thousands of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations during the calendar year. The current rankings come from donations processed between January 1 and August 31, 2009.

“Organizations in these communities need to make sure they are integrating online giving opportunities with their traditional fundraising channels to help ensure success.”

The most generous large cities (greater than 100,000) in 2008 based on per capita giving:

The most generous small cities (less than 100,000) in 2008 based on total dollars given:

Princeton, NJ
Carlsbad, CA
Wilmington, DE
Alpharetta, GA
Bethesda, MD
Marietta, GA
Silver Spring, MD
Boca Raton, FL
Rockville, MD
Fairfax, VA

"As the Internet pervades all aspects of our life it continues to become a growth engine for nonprofit fundraising,” said Gene Austin, chief executive officer for Convio. “Many of the nation’s nonprofits understand that their donors, volunteers and other supporters use the Internet and digital technology to shop, buy, communicate, entertain themselves and access information — they also use technology to help manage personal relationships.”

Added Holly Ross, Executive Director of NTEN, an organization of nonprofit professionals who put technology to use for their causes, “Nonprofits are adopting technology that allows them to leverage the Internet to more efficiently and effectively engage the passion and commitment of consumers in support of their mission. The growth of online giving, particularly in the nation’s most generous cities shows that donors will increasingly turn to the Internet to build and manage relationships with charities and in turn use technology to help the nonprofit reach and inspire more people.”

Online Fundraising Growing in 2009 — Which City Will Top List at Year End?

Through the first half of 2009, the nonprofit organizations using Convio online fundraising software had processed more than $422 million in online donations; a double digit increase over the same period in 2008. For some nonprofit organizations, 45 percent or more of their funding comes through giving in the last quarter of the year, making the end of 2009 critical to their success. So which cities are leading the 2009 giving charge? Once again, Alexandria, Cambridge and Minneapolis are leading the online charge for cities of more than 100,000. Austin, TX at number 7 and Pittsburgh, PA at number 10 have jumped into the top 10 for 2009 after finishing 14th and 12th respectively in 2008. In the small city category, Paramus, NJ jumped from 364^th to the number one spot giving more than $9 million, while Georgetown, TX moved from 273 up to number three donating more than $1 million. Three cities in the Houston area, Katy, Spring and The Woodlands also moved into the top ten for cities of less than 100,000 in 2009.

The most generous large cities through August 2009 based on per capita giving:

Alexandria, VA
Cambridge, MA
Minneapolis, MN
Arlington, VA
Seattle, WA
St. Louis, MO
Austin, TX
Bellevue, WA
Washington, DC
Pittsburgh, PA

The most generous small cities through August 2009 in actual dollars given:

Paramus, NJ
Princeton, NJ
Georgetown, TX
Katy, TX
Bethesda, MD
Silver Spring, MD
Spring, TX
Marietta, GA
The Woodlands, TX
Fairfax, VA

“For many nonprofit organizations this holiday giving season is going to be critical when it comes to raising the funds to provide core services and programs,” said Ross. “Organizations in these communities need to make sure they are integrating online giving opportunities with their traditional fundraising channels to help ensure success.”

To view the complete rankings, visit www.convio.com/onlinecities.

Convio is passionate about helping nonprofit organizations use software and services to fulfill their missions. The company is the leading provider of online marketing, fundraising, advocacy and constituent relationship management software and services to nonprofit organizations. The company’s online marketing suite offers integrated software for fundraising, advocacy, events, email marketing and web content management, and its database system, Convio Common Ground™ CRM, helps organizations efficiently track and manage all interactions with supporters. All products are delivered through the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model and are backed by a portfolio of best-in-class consulting and support services and a network of partners who provide value-added services and applications focused on the unique needs of nonprofit organizations.

Nonprofit organizations used Convio to process $777 million in online donations during 2008 — a 72 percent increase over 2007. Convio clients sent more than 3.1 billion emails to constituents during that period with an industry leading deliverability rate in excess of 95 percent. Charities of all types used Convio to power more than 3,500 web domains as well as complete 44 million advocacy calls to action.

For more information, please visit www.convio.com.

For more information on the most generous online cities, please visit www.convio.com/onlinecities.