Reprinted by permission from multichannelmerchant.com website:

Creative Revenue Sources for Fundraisers:
Second in a Series
Feb 13, 2006 10:22 AM , By Kevin J. Price and Diane Mensinger

Mix a demographically desirable online panel with ardent supporters of a nonprofit organization, and what's the result? A new revenue stream for nonprofit organizations.

True, nonprofits notoriously guard their online donors, but those with an openness to cultivate the online relationship in a secure and controlled environment have much to gain. As Peter P. Schoewe, direct mail director for Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, emphasizes, "In this day and age, one needs to be open to all new approaches for revenue generation."

Partnering with an online research firm is one such approach. Typically the research group will seek out a nonprofit group, which will then contact its members with details of the program and asks the members if they are willing to participate in a survey.

Potential research volunteers are directed to a Website where they can sign up to receive e-mail surveys from the research company. The research firm pays the nonprofit for access to its donors and will typically make a donation to the organization on behalf of each survey participant. There is no list-rental involved.

The donation by the research group goes directly to the nonprofit group that facilitated the member sign-up rather than to the panel member. This is a way for a loyal supporter to further help his favorite organization and for a nonprofit to gain a new revenue stream with very low development costs.

Additionally, since the research partner is donating to the charity rather than the donor, the donor continues at his same gift giving level through his normal channels.

Companies no longer have the luxury of a long research process; the need for quicker answers is paramount, and online research has become a significant part of their marketing and product development. In fact, about $190 million is spent annually for online research, with about 35% of that spent on incentives. So the potential for nonprofits is great.

This approach is a winner for all parties: Participants have one more vehicle to help out the nonprofit, a nonprofit generates a new revenue stream, and the company sponsoring research taps into a demographically desirable audience.

Kevin J. Price is director of fundraising at Hackensack, NJ-based Mokrynskidirect. Diane Mensinger is vice president of marketing at Bartlesville, OK-based market research company Partners in Giving, a division of On-Line Communications.

Click here to read Part 1 of the series, "How Nonprofits Can Boost List Revenue."

On-Line Communications Employees get Certified!

Peggy O'Connor, President, Lisa Joseph, VP Client Services, Bobbie Kirkland, Director Internet Operations and Ed Sugar, VP Sales have all obtained the Professional Researcher Certification through the Marketing Research Association.

Elyse Gammer, Operations Officer, MRA:
"MRA congratulates the professionals at On-Line Communications on their achievement of becoming PRC's. By committing to this program they have demonstrated their dedication to professional excellence for themselves and for the profession."

What is PRC?
The PRC is a certification program for professional researchers that demonstrates an individual's efforts to maintain professional skills.

The Professional Researcher Certification was developed as a powerful professional tool for researchers of all levels of work experience and education. It is the goal of MRA to encourage high standards within the profession in order to raise competency, establish an objective measure of an individual's knowledge and proficiency and to encourage continued professional development. Additionally, it is the hope of MRA that these certification standards will increase consumer understanding of research and foster premiere professional standards in the industry.

To achieve Certification, applicants must satisfy all education and experience requirements designated by the Certification Workgroup and must demonstrate an acceptable understanding and knowledge related to their area of Certification. In addition, those who have been granted this MRA credential must demonstrate ongoing professional commitment to the field by accruing education Contact Hours in their specific discipline. Certifications are renewed every two years.

This Program is available to researchers who successfully meet rigorous criteria developed by the Certification Workgroup. This Workgroup has developed basic standards for the three main research segments: Data Collection, End-Users, Research Companies and the newly released Related Services track. There are levels of positions within these segments reflecting entry-level or new professional positions all the way to owner positions. For each of these levels, there are expectations that reflect work experience, education and related coursework required for the applicant. Reviews and updates to these standards will be addressed as needed to maintain currency within the profession.

All four certifications are of the EXPERT level as these individuals have a combined experience of over 90 years in the market research industry.

Peggy O'Connor, President:
"I must admit I was skeptical at first, but I really believe this certification will make a difference to clients when searching for a research partner. It lets them know we take our profession seriously and that we are experienced, dedicated researchers."

Our Newest Non-Profit Partnerships

On-Line Communications and the Partners In Giving program is happy to welcome our newest non-profit partners, the Lymphoma Research Foundation, Clean Water Fund, Quail Unlimited, and Childrens Miracle Network. All organizations have received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, based upon their fiscally-responsible use of donated funds.

The Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) is the nations largest lymphoma-focused voluntary health organization devoted exclusively to funding lymphoma research and providing patients and healthcare professionals with critical information on the disease. Lymphoma is the most common blood cancer and the third most common cancer of childhood and LRF's mission is to eradicate the disease and serve those touched by it.

To date, LRF has funded more than $24 million in lymphoma research. Over 85 cents of every dollar raised goes to research and education programming. LRF is headed by a 22 member volunteer board comprised of business leaders, medical professionals, and lymphoma survivors from across the country. With offices in New York City and Los Angeles, LRF has Chapters, led by local lymphoma volunteers, in 20 cities throughout the country.

A Scientific Advisory Board, comprised of 37 of the nations leading researchers and lymphoma oncologists, oversees LRF's research program. The research program fills a critical gap in the national lymphoma research infrastructure. You can learn more about the work they do at www.lymphoma.org.

Clean Water Fund (CWF), based in Washington, DC, is a national nonprofit research and educational organization, with locally staffed environmental and health protection programs serving communities in over 20 states. CWF's mission is to develop strong grassroots environmental leadership and to bring together diverse constituencies to work cooperatively for changes that improve their lives, focused on health, consumer, environmental and community problems.

Since 1978, CWF has helped people campaign successfully for cleaner and safer water, cleaner air, and protection from toxic pollution in homes, neighborhoods and workplaces. Organizations and coalitions formed and assisted by CWF have worked together to improve environmental conditions, prevent or clean up health-threatening pollution in hundreds of communities and to strengthen policies locally and nationally.

Clean Water Fund is committed to continuing their integrated, innovative strategy for assuring:
•	safe, affordable drinking water;
•	control of community and workplace toxic hazards;
•	protection and conservation of wetlands, surface waters, coastal areas, groundwater and other critical natural resources;
•	safe waste management practices; and
•	protection of public health and environmental safety for all citizens.

To learn more about CWF, visit their Website at www.cleanwaterfund.org.

Quail Unlimited (QU) was founded in 1981 to battle the problem of dwindling quail populations and declining wildlife habitat and is the oldest national, nonprofit conservation organization dedicated to the wise management of America's wild quail. Known as "America's Leader In Quail ConservationSM", their overall vision is to restore America's quail populations for future generations.

Quail Unlimited is a membership-based organization that consists of members-at-large as well as members affiliated with local chapters. Local chapters conduct annual fundraisers to have funds available for local projects. Since population declines are directly related to landscape changes that have occurred over the past decades and since habitat loss is the major contributing factor, most local projects are designed to improve habitat conditions. Chapter members and volunteers are actively involved in hands-on, on-the-ground projects on private and public lands. They also work with farmers and landowners to encourage them to use wildlife-friendly practices and frequently provide monetary incentives as part of their local program.

To learn more about this organization, visit www.qu.org.

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On-Line Communication Team Members Honored

MRA Distinguished Service Award goes to Nancy Hayslett; Bobbie Kirkland receives MRA Southwestern Chapter Service Award.

Two members of On-Line Communications, an Oklahoma based marketing research services company, were honored at the Marketing Research Association's 2006 Annual Conference and Research Industry Forum.

Nancy Hayslett, director Market Research Sales, was the recipient of the MRA's Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes the extensive and distinguished service of an individual to both MRA and the opinion and marketing research profession. The MRA cited Hayslett's 25 years of service as a volunteer, founding member of the MRA's Southwest Chapter and National President 1989-1990. She was saluted for her contributions that have been instrumental in many events that have had a profound influence on the organization and the profession it represents.

Bobbie Kirkland, director of Internet Operations, was the recipient of the MRA's Southwestern Chapter's Chapter Service Award. The award acknowledged Kirkland's accomplishments as a chapter volunteer for the last ten years, serving as Chapter President, Membership Chair, and newsletter editor.