July 8, 2003
(TORONTO, ONTARIO) – Some $35 million in electronic-generated funds
flowed into United Way annual campaign coffers through Andar/360
e-Pledge this past year, the most ever according to just-released
figures from Helix Data Processing Consultants LTD, developers of the
software. Fifteen United Ways across America generated the record totals
using the Toronto-based firm’s fundraising management system.
Cincinnati led the way with an estimated $18 million in electronic funds
raised (a number which, notably, tops all United Way offices listed in a
recent survey by the Chronicle of Philanthropy about online fundraising
trends). Meanwhile, United Ways located in Philadelphia, San Jose,
Wilmington (Delaware) and Toledo posted strong numbers as well. Helix
back-office software processes in excess of $1.4 billion annually for
the United Way, representing over 35% of the total annual campaign
nationwide.
Both United Way and Helix executives are delighted with the e-Pledge
outcome, which more than doubled the amount of money raised through the
electronic channel last year. The Internet-based solution, part of the
comprehensive Andar/360 For Fundraisers software package, helped five
United Way offices generate nearly $13 million during its inaugural year.
Wayne Meadows, a technology executive with United Way in Wilmington
said, “This fundraising tool produced a benefit beyond simply raising
money. It allowed us to concentrate on what we do best, which is
building communities.” Winston Faircloth, CEO of the United Way
Processing and Information Center (UwPIC), said, “We selected Andar/360
not only for its use as e-pledge tool, but as a individual platform for
year-round donor involvement,” said Faircloth. “With the upcoming
introduction of the e-Community and e-Volunteer modules, participants in
the United Way campaign will soon be able to learn more about human
service needs and volunteer opportunities in their own community. This
ability to bring information, tailored to the needs and interests of
individual donors, sets the Andar/360 e-pledge tool apart from other
applications.”
Several factors contributed to the campaign’s success. First, employees
are growing increasingly comfortable with electronic, workplace-based
giving – in part because of their familiarity and regular interface with
technology. Second, Andar/360’s real time tracking feature solves a
major problem for time-pressed managers. It enables executives at the
charity as well as employee campaign coordinators to instantly access
data. Because the Andar/360 e-Pledge database is fully integrated with
the larger back-office campaign database, data transfer – an often
thorny issue with outside companies who offer electronic pledge services
– was immediate and free of compatibility problems that can occur.
Many United Way supporters at the corporate level also embraced the
customization capabilities available with the Helix product. The
interface of Andar/360 e-Pledge can be designed to meet corporate
communication standards at both United Way as well as participating
companies. Additionally, managers can customize the software to provide
any number of different views for various donor classifications.
Philadelphia’s United Way became the first location to use Andar/360’s
latest e-Pledge enhancement, a national processing module designed
exclusively for corporations with multiple offices scattered across the
country. With the new feature, campaign managers and executives can not
only track their own performance, but also see how the data relates to
campaigns underway at other corporate offices. The increased
functionality and success in Philadelphia has prompted several United
Ways to install the enhanced version of e-Pledge in preparation for the
fall 2003 campaign.
“Whether it’s developing a national processing capability or new
reporting formats, we’re continually challenging ourselves to develop
innovative solutions to stimulate and manage online giving,” said Réal
Bédard, Helix Vice President. “The strong results we’ve generated with
United Way has sparked interest from several other large nonprofit
organizations, as well as corporations wanting to more effectively
manage their charitable giving activities. We will pursue these
opportunities as part of our larger goal of converting the promise of
online fundraising into reality.”
