Convio’s Vinay Bhagat Named 2006 Fundraising Professional of the Year by FundRaising Success Magazine

Internet Visionary Recognized for Dedication to Nonprofit Sector and Helping Organizations Leverage Online Channel

Austin, Texas (February 23, 2006) —

Internet visionary and nonprofit sector thought leader Vinay Bhagat, founder and chief strategy officer of Convio, Inc., has been named 2006 Fundraising Professional of the Year by FundRaising Success magazine.

Bhagat received top honors in the publication's "agency" category which recognizes consultants and professionals who work for agencies or other companies that provide products and services to nonprofit organizations. Staff members at FundRaising Success selected winners based primarily on how much an individual's work embodies values or trends that enrich the nonprofit sector as a whole.

"Vinay's deep commitment to nonprofits and his genuine desire to make a difference is helping to change the face of philanthropy in our country," said Margaret Battistelli, Editor-in-Chief, FundRaising Success. "His grasp of the importance of integrating technology into the many aspects of traditional fundraising makes Vinay a formidable partner for nonprofits all sizes and missions."

Bhagat has been a driving force behind the nonprofit sector's increasing adoption of the Internet as a key channel for fundraising and other mission-critical activities. Convio, which Bhagat founded in 1999, is the leading provider of on-demand software and services to help nonprofits use the Internet for building strong constituent relationships that drive fundraising, awareness and enduring support. Convio now serves more than 500 organizations, including many of the nation's largest multi-affiliate charitable groups.

Bhagat came up with the idea for Convio after volunteering at a public television pledge drive and realizing an opportunity to apply for-profit Internet principles to nonprofit organizations. At the time, he was director of ecommerce at a leading Austin-based software company where he was helping Fortune 500 companies develop their Internet strategies.

"It is truly an honor to receive this award, and even more gratifying to know that the vision I embarked upon in founding Convio seven years ago has enabled nonprofits to raise the bar on their fundraising programs and become more effective," said Bhagat. "It has been thrilling to witness the evolution of the nonprofit sector. Several years ago, very few nonprofits were doing anything meaningful online, but today it has become such an important fundraising and marketing medium for so many organizations."

The FundRaising Success award is the latest in a series that Bhagat has received since starting Convio. He also: received the Austin Business Journal's "Rising Star" award, which honors people shaping the future of technology in Central Texas; was nominated as a finalist by PoliticsOnline as one of the world's 25 most influential people in online politics; and won an annual Corporate Leadership Award from the Autism Society of America, a Convio client.

More on Bhagat

Bhagat is a widely published author on ePhilanthropy and other topics pertaining to nonprofits' strategic use of the Internet. He has written chapters for two of today's most popular books for fundraising professionals — The Nonprofit Handbook: Fundraising Third Edition 2002 Supplement and Nonprofit Internet Strategies: Best Practices for Marketing, Communications and FundRaising Success. Bhagat also is a frequent speaker at nonprofit industry conferences including events hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Federation (DMANF) and Nonprofit Technology Enterprise Network (N-TEN).

Bhagat recently was appointed as the first Internet expert to serve on DMANF's Advisory Council, the organization's governing body, and also is chairman of DMANF's Member Recruitment Committee. In addition, Bhagat is a member of the Board of Trustees of the ePhilanthropy Foundation, the leading organization devoted to fostering the secure, private and ethical use of the Internet for philanthropic purposes.

About Convio

Convio is the leading provider of on-demand 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.

Convio has been named 2005 "Private Company of the Year" by the Austin Business Journal. The company's clients include American Red Cross, American Diabetes Association, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, AVON Foundation, Easter Seals, Farm Aid, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 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