When we joined with Orbit Media Studios and Flanigan Communications three years ago to launch Chicago Cause, we knew we were filling an important void in the city’s nonprofit community.

This week, new research shows that bridging the gap between nonprofits and a powerful digital presence is even more important than we thought.

The Chronicle of Philanthropy published a brief rundown on findings from a Millward Brown Digital study examining online giving preferences that was commissioned by Google. The survey revealed some startling new information about the importance of digital and mobile interfaces for giving.

While the full results have not been made public, the highlights alone show that there is an astounding opportunity for nonprofits to do more good by optimizing digital tools.

Donating Through Digital

Source:  The Chronicle of Philanthropy 

75%

of donors begin their donation research online

40%

conduct their charity research on their mobile devices

25%

make their donations via smartphones and tablets

28%

of donors who donated through mobile devices did so via text message

57%

said they made a donation after watching a charity’s online video

30%

Percent increase in donation-related searches in September over August

But Nonprofit Leaders Aren’t Ready

Meanwhile, nonprofit directors continue to place their emphasis on old-school outreach tactics, with many dismissing digital altogether. A report from Infogroup Nonprofit Solutions shows the widening gap between nonprofits and their donor’s giving preferences.

60%

of executives at nonprofits don’t consider data and analytics important

87%

identified direct mail as a top fundraising priority

63%

identified “using data and analytics to drive strategy” as the least important fundraising priority

62%

prefer direct mail for donor engagement

Image by Stuart Miles courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net.