Case Study: American Red Cross achieves unprecedented online fundraising and donor growth with Bonterra Network for Good

American Red Cross - Customer Case Study

The case study profiles the American Red Cross and its rapid shift into ePhilanthropy during a time of intense public scrutiny following September 11, 2001. Faced with a changing fundraising landscape and heightened expectations for transparency and donor follow-up, the Red Cross needed to scale online giving, cultivate new donors, and demonstrate the impact of donations while navigating intense competition and potential donor fatigue.

The Red Cross responded by expanding web initiatives and partnering with major portals (Amazon, AOL, Yahoo!) and by prioritizing donor stewardship and clear impact messaging rather than constant asks. The results were unprecedented: more than $67 million raised online, a jump in the online supporter database from about 30,000 to over 700,000 in four months, and new best-practice lessons for nonprofits about accountability, multichannel donor options, and the importance of showing how gifts make a difference.

American Red Cross