Convio's Updated Fundraising Guide Helps Nonprofits Leverage Constituents to Strengthen Online Fundraising Programs

Free, Downloadable Booklet Includes New Section with Strategies for Using Internet to Mobilize and Motivate Volunteer Fundraisers

Austin, Texas (December 14, 2005) —

Convio, Inc. — the leading provider of software and services to help nonprofits use the Internet for driving fundraising and other forms of support — today announced the availability of its updated guide to help nonprofit organizations energize their online fundraising programs and effectively leverage constituents as volunteer fundraisers.

The updated guide, "Using the Internet to Raise Funds and Build Donor Relationships," is the most popular in Convio's series of free, downloadable publications providing best practices and practical advice to nonprofits on how to optimize their use of the Internet for fundraising, marketing, advocacy, event participation and more. The fundraising guide is a valuable, data-packed resource containing new tips and proven techniques on building effective constituent-led fundraising programs. One of the newest approaches detailed in the guide is giving volunteers online tools to create tribute Web sites. A tribute campaign enables constituents to create personalized Web sites in honor or memory of a loved one to help raise funds on behalf of an organization, recruit new supporters and put a personal face on a nonprofit's mission. To download the guide, please visit http://www.convio.com/fundraising_guide2.

"As nonprofits increasingly invest in advanced online tools, it is essential that they also understand the best practices and strategies associated with using these tools in order to generate the best results possible," said Gene Austin, CEO, Convio. "In addition to covering the fundamentals of online fundraising and building strong constituent relationships, our updated guide explains how nonprofits can accelerate giving and support by engaging their organizations' most important assets — their constituents."

Convio's fundraising guide explains how to:

• Use the Internet to recruit and motivate constituents to serve as volunteer fundraisers;
• Enable constituents to build and update personalized fundraising Web sites for recruiting friends and relatives to donate to an organization and get involved in other ways;
• Build an email address file for fostering stronger e-relationships with constituents;
• Segment email lists to better target constituents with relevant communications based on their interests; 
• Efficiently cross-market online to volunteers, donors and other supporters to encourage increased participation; and
• Measure the success of online fundraising campaigns using several key metrics. 

The updated publication also includes online success stories from a number of Convio customers, including Jewish National Fund (JNF) and Y-ME Breast Cancer Organization. JNF has raised more money online than any other Jewish organization for the past three consecutive years. Y-ME recently received a 2005 International ePhilanthropy Award for the organization's strategic use of the Internet to increase giving and participation for its annual RACE Against Breast Cancer.

Convio's updated fundraising guide follows the recent release of Convio Tributes (http://www.convio.com/tributes), the latest in the company's family of constituent-led fundraising solutions. Convio Tributes enables nonprofits to provide constituents with online tools to quickly and easily create personalized Web sites for fundraising in honor or memory of a friend or relative. Although many nonprofits provide such tools for people participating in walk/run type events, Convio Tributes allows supporters to raise money, generate awareness and recruit other constituents on an ongoing basis, independent of a special event.

About Convio

Convio is the leading provider of software and services to help nonprofits use the Internet strategically to build strong relationships with constituents for driving fundraising, advocacy and other forms of support. Convio has online solutions for fundraising, advocacy, Web content management, event fundraising, ecommerce and email communications. All solutions include the Constituent360™ platform, a sophisticated, online marketing database that centralizes constituent data and integrates with offline databases.

In addition to Jewish National Fund and Y-ME Breast Cancer Organization, Convio's clients include American Red Cross, American Diabetes Association, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, AVON Foundation, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Easter Seals, Farm Aid, KCET Community Television of Southern California, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, National Trust For Historic Preservation, Ronald McDonald House Charities, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and Thirteen/WNET New York. For more information, please visit www.convio.com.

Press Contact:
Karoline McLaughlin
Director, Corporate Communications
Convio, Inc.
kmclaughlin@convio.com
512-652-7865