Pitfalls of Online Fundraising

As more and more people become regular Internet users, an increasing number of web-savvy charities and Not-For-Profit organisations in Australia realise the potential of using the Internet to raise money for their particular cause. As the number of websites that raise funds online increase, an exponentially growing number of Internet users are donating through the websites of charities and Not-For-Profit organisations and through online fundraising websites. To give an example, donations through the online Australian fundraising website, GiveNow.com.au, have increased from less than $600,000 in 2005 to 2006 to $2.85 million in 2008 to 2009. In the United States of America the amount given online has risen from $US300,000 in 1997 to $US10.4 billion in 2007.