AUSTIN, Texas, June 5, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) -- one of the nation's most prominent cancer centers -- is pedaling even faster now to beat the disease by partnering with Convio for online management of its fundraising events, beginning with the annual "Ride For Roswell," June 29, 2002 (www.ride4roswell.org).
Buffalo, New York-based RPCI is America's first cancer center and one of approximately 40 facilities designated by the National Cancer Institute as a "comprehensive cancer center." This designation means that the center's combined prevention, treatment, research and education programs have undergone extensive peer review, met rigorous national standards and made fundamental contributions to the fight against cancer.
Supporting more than 100 community-initiated fundraising events each year, RPCI is tapping Convio -- the leading Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) company for nonprofits -- to take its major event-driven, fundraising campaigns to the next level. Initially, RPCI is using Convio TeamRaiser(tm) to more effectively leverage volunteers for recruiting participants and soliciting donations for the June "Ride for Roswell," a bicycling event that starts and finishes at the University at Buffalo, North Campus, in Amherst, New York. More than 2,000 participants of all ages are expected. RPCI also plans to use TeamRaiser in other event fundraising capacities.
With TeamRaiser's easy-to-use, online tools, volunteers serving as event team leaders can:
* Build Web pages explaining why they're participating -- no knowledge of HTML is required;
* Use email to drive family and friends to these personal Web pages for quick and simple event registration or at least for making donations; and
* Use email to communicate with participants before and after the event, building loyalty to the organization.
"Although the Ride for Roswell has been on the Internet for many years, each year we work to provide more online conveniences for our riders while also finding more efficient ways of managing the event internally," said Chris Wilkins, co-chair of Ride for Roswell. "Convio's Internet software not only allows people to register on the Internet, but also automatically processes donations online which is very efficient for Ride participants and reduces the administrative burden on the staff."
Progressive nonprofit organizations increasingly are integrating online event management into their overall CRM programs, according to Convio.
"By getting volunteers to use the Internet for recruiting participants, Roswell is becoming as efficient as you can get today, especially vis-a-vis marketing -- this significantly reduces the need for expensive direct mail and advertising campaigns, and also for staff to engage in other costly outreach activities," said Fred Waugh, Vice President of Marketing, Convio. "Plus, by expanding its capability to cost-effectively sustain communications with participants after an event, Roswell will be able to develop relationships with these constituents, converting prospects into contributors and contributors into sustainable lifetime donors."
About Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Founded in 1898, Roswell Park Cancer Institute is America's first cancer research, treatment and education center, a National Cancer Institute-designated "comprehensive cancer center" and a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network. The Buffalo, New York facility is dedicated to: providing total care to the cancer patient; conducting research into the causes, treatment and prevention of cancer; and educating the public and the next generation of those who study and treat cancer. The main campus is a multi-million dollar complex covering 25 acres over six city blocks in downtown Buffalo and consists of 19 buildings, with roughly one million square feet of space. More than 2,000 employees -- approximately 100 physicians, 90 senior scientists and 350 nurses -- serve patients from all over the United States, Canada and other countries.
About Convio
Austin-based Convio is the leading online Constituent Relationship Management, or CRM, company serving the nonprofit sector. Convio's mission is to increase the effectiveness of how nonprofit organizations attract, engage and retain constituents to provide funding and other forms of support. The Convio(tm) software solution consists of five product suites: eFundraising, eMarketing, Advocacy, Content Management and a Constituent Center database. Using Convio, nonprofits can send targeted, personalized email communications; conduct fundraising, membership and advocacy campaigns; publish personalized and fresh Web content; manage registrations, RSVP's, ticket sales and other event logistics; tap volunteers and their personal networks for campaigns; track constituent interactions; connect online systems to off-line donor databases; and more. The Convio platform automatically shares data among all five product suites, giving nonprofits a unified view of each constituent so staff can conduct more personalized and targeted marketing. Convio also provides Internet marketing consulting services to help nonprofits adopt online marketing best practices.
Convio serves national and regional organizations in all segments of the nonprofit sector including disease and disorder, education, healthcare, human services, advocacy, associations, public broadcasting, museums and other visitation facilities, and political campaigns. Convio's clients include Easter Seals, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Devereux Foundation, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, American Lung Association of Texas, National Foundation for Cancer Research and KCET (PBS, Los Angeles). For more information, please visit http://www.convio.com.