AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 16, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Dean For America (www.deanforamerica.com) -- the presidential campaign organization for former Vermont Governor Howard Dean -- raised $7.4 million online in the third quarter of 2003, Convio, Inc. announced today. That is more than double the amount that the organization generated online in the previous quarter and half of its $14.8 million fundraising total for Q3 2003.
Convio is the leading provider of software and services that help nonprofits and individual-supported organizations use the Internet to reach out to, attract and build strong relationships with constituents to drive support. Since going live with Convio in early April and through the end of September -- less than 180 days, Dean for America has raised $11 million online.
Dean for America has used Convio to:
* Develop and update Web pages with engaging content to encourage repeat visits;
* Register more than 450,000 people to receive online communications;
* Send 6.5 million emails to supporters to keep them involved and solicit contributions;
* Arm thousands of volunteers with easy-to-use Internet tools for running their own campaigns to recruit others and solicit contributions; and
* Automatically and securely process online credit card donations.
Small and repeat contributions account for a large percentage of the $7.4 million that the Dean campaign raised over the Internet last quarter. The campaign reports that it received 110,786 online contributions from 84,713 supporters, and that the average amount was $61.14.
"The Dean campaign captured the nation's attention at the end of Q2 by announcing it had raised a very impressive $3.6 million online in only 90 days," said Gene Austin, CEO of Convio. "By raising $7.4 million online in the third quarter, the organization has demonstrated that it's possible to not just sustain but significantly surpass this level of constituent support and participation over the Internet. Any group that wants to optimize its fundraising, marketing and constituent communications should be watching what Dean for America is doing online."
Dean for America is using a variety of Convio software products and services including Convio TeamRaiser(tm), which enables volunteer fundraising and, in the third quarter of 2003, generated almost $625,000. Through its Web site, the campaign provides volunteers with TeamRaiser Internet tools to create their own Web pages and solicit friends and relatives via email to contribute and get involved. Volunteers also are using these tools to organize house party fundraisers including Dean Halloween in late October, the Oct. 26 Generation Dean debate-watching party to attract younger supporters and Governor Dean's Birthday Bash on November 17. The campaign used TeamRaiser for Dr. Dean's House Call, the Sept. 29 conference call between Dean and 10,000-plus people on nearly 3,560 phones at more than 1,440 house parties across the country.
Political pundits and news media alike have hailed Dean for ushering in a new era for campaigns and the political process. Politics Online -- one of the premiere companies providing Internet products and services for politics -- recently named Dean for America to its list of 25 who are changing the world of the Internet and politics (www.convio.com/politicsonline). Also, Nonprofit Times -- one of the top trade publications serving the nonprofit sector -- has named the Dean For America Web site to its exclusive list of "hot" Web sites. Although Nonprofit Times considered more than 200 Web sites, only six made the final list (www.convio.com/nptimes).
About Convio
Convio is the leading online Constituent Relationship Management (eCRM) company serving the nonprofit sector. Convio's offering of Internet software and services helps organizations attract, motivate and retain constituents for fundraising, marketing and advocacy as well as other forms of support and participation. Convio's product suite includes modules for Web content management, email marketing, general fundraising and membership, advocacy, special events, volunteer fundraising and also online directories and surveys. The Convio platform automatically shares data among all product modules and with offline databases, giving nonprofits a unified and more complete view of each constituent so staff can conduct personalized and targeted marketing. Convio also offers consulting services to help nonprofits adopt online marketing best practices.
In addition to Dean For America, Convio's clients include Easter Seals, American Diabetes Association, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, AVON Foundation, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, KCET Community Television of Southern California, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, National Trust For Historic Preservation, Georgetown University and the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. For more information, please visit www.convio.com.
The Convio logo is available at: http://media.primezone.com/prs/single/?pkgid=340