Convio Unveils Study Results On How Nonprofits Structure and Staff for Online Success.With nonprofit resources scarce, report provides insight into the most efficient and effective organizational structures and the skill sets needed to support online success AUSTIN, Texas -- 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 according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. 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. Organizational structure matters - The structure of an organization, or how the staff and other resources are aligned, determines which department(s), are responsible for making decisions about the organization's online strategy, website content, and online objectives and impacts success. According to the survey results, 20 percent of nonprofit organizations currently are organized in a Centralized cen·tral·ize v. cen·tral·ized, cen·tral·iz·ing, cen·tral·iz·es v.tr. 1. To draw into or toward a center; consolidate. 2. model. Nearly double that, or 39 percent are organized in a Decentralized de·cen·tral·ize v. de·cen·tral·ized, de·cen·tral·iz·ing, de·cen·tral·iz·es v.tr. 1. To distribute the administrative functions or powers of (a central authority) among several local authorities. model, and 41 percent have a Hybrid of the two. To understand the impact structure has on organizational performance Organizational performance comprises the actual output or results of an organization as measured against its intended outputs (or goals and objectives). Specialists in many fields are concerned with organizational performance including strategic planners, operations, , the study looked at each structure from a planning and goal setting, internal communication, decision making, and accountability standpoint. The centralized model proved to be most successful, followed by a hybrid structure. Planning is imperative - According to the survey, 26 percent of nonprofits do not have any sort of Internet marketing See Internet advertising. plan for their organization. Including those that do not know if they have a plan or who only review their plan once every few years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time number increases to 44 percent. Centralized groups have the best planning record with 100 percent of the respondents having a plan, and reviewing it frequently. Conversely, less than half of Decentralized groups have a plan and review it frequently. Taking the time to develop an online plan that includes goal setting and clearly defines ownership and accountability for each metric will help create success. Structure impacts performance - The results of having a plan, communicating effectively, and holding staff accountable can be seen in a Centralized organization's ability to succeed in key areas of online success such as building an email file or increasing the amount of revenue received online. As an organizations overall structure evolves (which is common in tough economic times), organizations must re-evaluate the online team's structure and look for ways to concentrate online staff into more of a centralized or hybrid structure to achieve the best results. With the current economic situation many organizations are making strategic decisions on how they staff and the structure of their organization to weather the recession, while maintaining the foundation for future success. "We hope this report will help nonprofit leaders make the best staffing and structural decisions possible to ensure current and future success," explained Hauf. The report is immediately available at: www.convio.com/structureguide2. About Convio Convio is the leading provider of on-demand constituent relationship management (CRM (Customer Relationship Management) An integrated information system that is used to plan, schedule and control the presales and postsales activities in an organization. ) software and services that give nonprofit organizations a better way to inspire and mobilize people to support their organization. The company's online marketing suite offers integrated software Separate software components or applications that have been combined into one package. See integrated software package. for fundraising, advocacy, events, email marketing and web content management, and its innovative database system, Convio Common Ground[TM] CRM, helps organizations efficiently track and manage all interactions with supporters. All Convio products are delivered through the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model and are backed by a portfolio of best-in-class consulting and support services support services Psychology Non-health care-related ancillary services–eg, transportation, financial aid, support groups, homemaker services, respite services, and other services and a network of partners who provide value-added services and applications focused on the unique needs of nonprofit organizations. Convio clients include nonprofit organizations, Institutions of Higher Education higher education Study beyond the level of secondary education. Institutions of higher education include not only colleges and universities but also professional schools in such fields as law, theology, medicine, business, music, and art. , Associations and Faith-based organizations around the world such as American Red Cross American Red Cross: see Red Cross. , American Diabetes Association The American Diabetes Association, or the ADA, is an American health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy. Founded in 1940, the American Diabetes Association conducts programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, reaching hundreds of , American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (A.S.P.C.A.), chartered in 1866 in New York by Henry Bergh to shelter homeless animals, to assist farmers in caring for their livestock, and to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in the prosecution of , Humane Society of the United States The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is a Washington, D.C-based animal welfare advocacy group. It is the largest animal welfare organization in the world, with nearly 10 million members and a 2006 budget of US$103 million. , Easter Seals Easter Seals is an international charitable organization devoted to providing opportunities for children with physical disabilities. See
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