How have not for profit organisations used the internet to reach new audiences?

Abstract

The aim of this research is to establish if the internet has had any effect on the activities of not for profit organisations operating within the Republic of Ireland. The activities that it could have effected were taken from the literature review were Recruitment, Donating I fundraising, communication and relationship building. An exploratory survey was carried out on not for profit organisations with an address registered in Dublin one or two. From the literature review, a questionnaire was devised and sent to each of the seventy one organisations. This quantitative research was followed up by six semi-structured in-depth interviews with managers of the organisations that completed and returned the questionnaires. The findings showed that the internet did have an effect on not for profit organisations in Ireland. Donations on line are a lucrative new revenue stream, while the internet and more specifically the organisations website has become a valuable resource in the recruitment of volunteers and staff. The findings also showed that the internet was considered either the most important communication tool for the organisation or on the verge of becoming it. While it was also established that the internet can be utilised to help build relationships with individuals Of groups who could not have been reached before. In conclusion, the evidence supported the hypotheses and the primary question of if the internet has had an effect on the activities of not for profit organisations in the Republic of Ireland.