Convio Unveils Study Results On How Nonprofits Structure and Staff for Online Success
May 20, 2009
|
AUSTIN, Texas, May 20, 2009 — Convio, Inc., — the leading provider of on-demand constituent relationship management software and services to nonprofit organizations — today announced the results of a study designed to learn more about how leading nonprofit organizations structure and staff to drive results in their online marketing, fundraising and advocacy campaigns. The study identified consistent themes and practices that lead to success regardless of the size of the organization. The study provides seven steps nonprofits can take to address resource constraints and evaluate the best structure, staff size and skill sets to generate online results.
“Regardless of the organization, there are simply not enough resources to satisfy all the needs and desires to the fullest,” said Brian Hauf, vice president, client success services for Convio. “Each day organizations make trade-offs based on the way they allocate their scarce resources, yet neglect to step back and address broader structural considerations that can significantly impact the effectiveness of their resources.”
The study focused on key areas related to online success, including:
* Barriers to success
* Size of the organization
* Size of the team
* Skill set mix
* Organizational structure
* Components of effectiveness, including accountability, decision making, internal communication and planning
Nonprofit organizations have decades of experience in aligning their limited resources around traditional fundraising, direct mail and advocacy programs. As online marketing, fundraising and advocacy become a critical part of their communications mix many nonprofits are asking how they align resources to deliver the optimal success.
As a result, many nonprofit organizations have questions regarding:
* How big should my online marketing staff be?
* What is the mix of interactive marketing skills my staff should have?
* How should my online marketing staff fit into my organizational structure?
“Nonprofit organizations often look at technology, creative concepts or new program ideas that they believe will help them fulfill their mission, only to see them fail because they were not able to bring the right resources together to ensure success,” added Hauf. "This study and the collaborative nature of nonprofit professionals will help us as a sector be more thoughtful about identifying and developing the appropriate balance of skills required."
Key findings of the study include:
Truism – no matter the size of the organization there are never enough resources – According to the survey, no matter the size of the organization, the most common response to what their organization’s top barrier to success was insufficient staff. In fact, 90 percent of organizations cited insufficient staff, budget constraints (64 percent), and lack of online expertise (29 percent), both of which are also resource constraints. According to the study organizations with less than $20 million in annual revenue have between one and three staff members dedicated to online programs. The largest organizations, those with more than $100 million in annual revenue, averaged seven full-time staff working on online initiatives each week.
“Regardless of the organization, there are simply not enough resources to satisfy all the needs and desires to the fullest,” said Brian Hauf, vice president, client success services for Convio. “Each day organizations make trade-offs based on the way they allocate their scarce resources, yet neglect to step back and address broader structural considerations that can significantly impact the effectiveness of their resources.”
The study focused on key areas related to online success, including:
* Barriers to success
* Size of the organization
* Size of the team
* Skill set mix
* Organizational structure
* Components of effectiveness, including accountability, decision making, internal communication and planning
Nonprofit organizations have decades of experience in aligning their limited resources around traditional fundraising, direct mail and advocacy programs. As online marketing, fundraising and advocacy become a critical part of their communications mix many nonprofits are asking how they align resources to deliver the optimal success.
As a result, many nonprofit organizations have questions regarding:
* How big should my online marketing staff be?
* What is the mix of interactive marketing skills my staff should have?
* How should my online marketing staff fit into my organizational structure?
“Nonprofit organizations often look at technology, creative concepts or new program ideas that they believe will help them fulfill their mission, only to see them fail because they were not able to bring the right resources together to ensure success,” added Hauf. "This study and the collaborative nature of nonprofit professionals will help us as a sector be more thoughtful about identifying and developing the appropriate balance of skills required."
Key findings of the study include:
Truism – no matter the size of the organization there are never enough resources – According to the survey, no matter the size of the organization, the most common response to what their organization’s top barrier to success was insufficient staff. In fact, 90 percent of organizations cited insufficient staff, budget constraints (64 percent), and lack of online expertise (29 percent), both of which are also resource constraints. According to the study organizations with less than $20 million in annual revenue have between one and three staff members dedicated to online programs. The largest organizations, those with more than $100 million in annual revenue, averaged seven full-time staff working on online initiatives each week.
Companies Mentioned:
 |
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|
Hitting the Email Inbox
The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing
The Art & Science of Multichannel Fundraising
PURLs for Profit