Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Why Passing the "Collection Plate" Won't Work Online

Growing up in the Lutheran church, every Sunday at 10:30 a.m., I would engage in the weekly ritual of attending church services. After well-rehearsed invocations, mechanical pomp and circumstance, and the quick bit of fellowship, the collection plate would be passed along to members of the congregation, each member one-by-one placing their weekly tithe in the collection plate.

Why give? Some argue it is out of obligation. Others may advance that it boils down to simple sociological principles, perhaps something akin to peer pressure and being part of the norm. Yet, the non-cynical view may be that people feel a connection with the church, with a higher power, and with one another, and they give to the church since they personally feel its impact on their lives. They physically interact with and experience its offerings.

You cannot pass the collection plate online. An NY Times article from today discusses the failure of online donors to return and donate again.

Asking for small dollar donations online can be powerful for a one-time ask. For political associations, it is powerful for the last minute push on legislation or the last few critical weeks in a campaign. For humanitarian organizations, it may be most powerful after a catastrophic event or widespread media coverage of the plight of a particular people. Online donations are often centered around fighting something, winning something, or solving something. They are not centered around principles of fellowship.

If people get pumped up enough about something, they give, but a fundraising structure based solely on online donations will ultimately fail to be sustainable for the same reason that churches do not remotely provide services and then ask their members to the support the church. Online fundraising is like a pastor sending out a letter to members of the congregation without the congregation ever being able to experience the church, the youth group, the fellowship, or other social and spiritual events that members of a congregation share together. It's human nature to want to connect with people, and despite the pervasive nature of technology in our lives, people still like to be with one another. Don't be shocked.

The collection plate theory works in a variety of contexts. Whether it's the bar night hosted by a youth-oriented non-profit organization, the community art show, the Wednesday evening presentation on education policy, or something as simple as a organization's membership meeting, these provide the tangible experiences that people seek. In the moment, in the experience, people are more likely to give.

Direct mail works. Online fundraising works. No one can deny the success of some major charitable and political organizations in utilizing these tactics. But, for a smaller organization, with a limited budget, going back to basics, passing the "collection plate," could prove to be a more profitable strategy.

The collection plate is visceral. Accept no virtual substitutes.

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