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"The wise thing is to invite people to become long-term partners with you, set up something for once a year for donation. There's an enormous amount of people who want to give." Mary Ellen Jackson, executive director of the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits.

Nonprofits can develop long-term relationships with supporters by communicating attractive, user-friendly information over the Web, according to the executive director of the New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits.

Margie Wachtel, communications director of Families First. Jackie Ricciardi photo

A Web site should easily give people a sense of what the nonprofit does and how it does it, said Mary Ellen Jackson, executive director of the center.

"If the Web site is inviting and provides a clear overview, and gives an easy way on how to donate," she said, "that's an excellent use of the Web site."

"You have to have a Web site. People expect it," said Margie Wachtel, communications director for Families First. "Ours, at this point, is mainly a brochure Web site. We do a good job of laying out what we have, how can people can volunteer and contact information. Having so much information on the site is great from an efficiency standpoint, both for our staff and the people using the site.

"Even something as simple as printable directions saves people on both ends a lot of time. We have a lot of documents on there that people would otherwise need to call and request ... a printable donation form, a volunteer application, and registration forms. When you are a nonprofit trying to manage resources wisely, every little bit saved on time, postage and paper counts."

More and more, nonprofits are using the Web for online giving, Jackson said.

"If they have their own Web site, they can encourage giving right over the Web," she said. "The wise thing is to invite people to become long-term partners with you, set up something for a once a year for donation. There's an enormous amount of people who want to give."

Families First is in the process of setting up an online giving program, said Wachtel. The nonprofit agency at the Community Campus in Portsmouth was fortunate in having a computer savvy Web designer on its board of directors.

Other nonprofits, which may not have the resources to develop their own sites, can use the resources of the online Network for Good to set up a Web presence, said Jackson.

"Network for Good, they have a lot of New Hampshire nonprofits already on their Web site," she said. "It's an avenue for online giving."

Make it easy and give people the information they need to make informed decisions, is the advice gleaned from Jackson.

Technology also makes it possible to give supporters immediate feedback.

"Savvy nonprofits," Jackson said, "if they have an event, the next day send out an immediate thank you. Whether it's a $25 donation or $25,000. They can say, this is what your gift meant to us."

A lot of people appreciate getting news sent to them via e-mail, Jackson said, as long as it doesn't overwhelm their "in" box.

The New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits sends out a weekly newsletter across the state, that's one to two pages maximum.

"No one wants to get a ton of stuff, a quick one-page read," she said. "We have people tell us it's the most useful thing they've gotten all week. We're always mindful of not swamping people."

Families First has two newsletters. One has a big e-mailing list, said Wachtel.

"We just recently started sending an e-mail with a link to the Web site," she said, "so it doesn't clutter up people's mailboxes."

Two areas where Famlies First has seen a lot of impact from the Web site, said Wachtel, are staff and volunteer recruitment.

"Both our current physician and one of our dentists found us through our Web site when they were looking to relocate to this area," she said. "We get a lot of interest from volunteers who have found us on the Web."

The New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits is holding a technology day in Concord in March. The nearly 500-member organization offers resources such as training, board development and ways to build funding, at www.nhnonprofits.org. In January, the organization held a forum on the proposed taxation of buildings owned by nonprofit agencies.

Nonprofits must start with being involved in the community, said Jackson.

Direct mail letters, whether by post or the Web, further acquaint people with the organization. The goal is developing long-lasting relationships that keep people involved, and so build the nonprofit's mission.

"As time goes on," Jackson said, "it's relationship that keeps you invited."