The problems faced by small charities in an online environment

A new breed of website helps people donate online for free, even if their chosen charity doesn't have an online presence, but why is there such a demand for its services?

In this electronic age surely every charity should have a website accepting online donations?

Part of the reason for the success of fundraising platforms, such as Everyclick.com, is the fact that it is becoming understandably difficult for charities to find the funds to run their own website.

It is a cruel fact of life that some charities have more resources and higher-profile supporters than others. Not all charitable organisations can have celebrity backers like Ian Botham who has just gained much well-deserved press coverage for completing his remarkable trek across Britain in aid of Leukaemia Research.

Charities can feel that they're competing against each other to try and attract attention and donations from consumers who are finding it increasingly hard to meet the rising cost of living.

There are 200,000 charities in the UK, all, in the nicest possible way, trying to stand out from the crowd to make a difference to people's lives.

Only two per cent of the £8 billion that Britons donate to charity each year is given online, according to recent research from NFP synergy.

This makes charities the poor internet relation of sectors such as travel, banking and shopping where a significant proportion of transactions have migrated online.

It is also proof of how many charities are reluctant to invest in websites to accept online donations, considering that it is more cost-effective to pursue other methods such as employing people with clipboards to solicit direct debit contributions from passers-by.

But there is no escaping the fact that online donations are the way forward. Recent research from internet media and market research company Nielsen Online found that Britons are spending four per cent more time online per month than they did a year ago.

The relatively low proportion of online donations could also be explained by consumers' fears that their contributions might not be secure. A reticence about becoming a victim of fraud when you are trying to give cash to an honourable cause is understandable.

Which is why sites such as Everyclick can be a God-send for charities as it has a secure payment system.

While money is one factor deterring charities from setting up a website, another is time. Websites need to be maintained so that they retain their relevance and don't have outdated information or old news stories on them.

Someone could be put off from supporting a charity by seeing an unprofessional website.

The charities which don't have websites are often the smallest ones with the least resources - the very organisations that might need your support the most. So don't be put off if you can't find a website representing a cause close to your heart. Visit a fundraising site which will accept online donations for them.