Impact Online Press Release - 12/4/95 For more Information, Contact:
Cindy Shove (415.327.1389)
Cindy@impactonline.org

"We have always believed that the Internet can enable public service; these survey results prove that wired consumers are willing to make a difference in their community via new, electronic programs", says Cindy Shove, co-founder and co-Executive Director of IOL.

Some of the key findings from the survey are:

• Over 75% of those surveyed said that online programs would increase their level of community involvement.
• Over half of the respondents said that they would donate to an organization that offered information online.
• Half said they would buy a product from a nonprofit organization online.
• Issues that were of most interest to consumers were Education, the Environment, Human Rights and Poverty/Homelessness.
• 42% of those completing the survey were women - a significantly higher proportion of women than in the general Internet population.
• 80% of those completing the survey were over the age of 25 - confirming that IOL is reaching the right demographic for nonprofits.

Virtual volunteering is a unique, new program developed by IOL, to allow people to donate time to a nonprofit from their desk. "Virtual volunteering adds to the universe of volunteering - by creating new opportunities. For some, it is a stepping stone, for others, it is a unique way of performing community service.", says Susan Ellis, President of Energize, Inc. a leading authority on volunteering.

When asked what would encourage them to return to an Internet-based service, such as IOL, at least once a month, consumers were most interested in: 1. extensive directories of nonprofits on the Web 2. guest columnists and writers and 3. news about events.

"This feedback confirms our approach to provide consumers with accessible and interesting information about the issues and the nonprofits - and then to provide ways to make a difference", says Shove. "We will continue to add directories, links to other sites and news so that we are the first stop on the Internet for consumers to find their favorite nonprofit". In fact IOL has already become the "coolest" stop on the Internet for nonprofit information, in part due to recognition as one of the Top 5% of Internet Sites from Point Communications, listings in Netscape's What's Cool List and in America Online's Cool Site of the Week. IOL's Web site is now the most visited nonprofit site on the Internet.

The survey also confirmed the widespread concern that consumers currently have with the Internet - almost 74% said that security was a concern when donating online. IOL is convinced however, that as consumers develop greater confidence in Internet security over the next 18 months, online giving will become commonplace.

The survey provides a picture of a typical visitor to the IOL site: 58% women, 78% professional (22% student) and 80% over the age of 25. They seem to be active in helping nonprofits: 67% volunteer between 1 and 10 hours per month and 71% of those surveyed said that they had donated from $50 to over $500 in the past 12 months - via non-electronic means.

"It is clear now that nonprofits should embrace this new medium as a cost-effective way to reach consumers and encourage even more support for their programs", says Glikbarg.

Based on securing additional funding, IOL intends to complete additional research in 1996 on how to develop and tailor volunteer programs for the online world.

About Impact Online:
Impact Online is a new nonprofit that is pioneering the use of new interactive networks to enable greater community involvement and public service.

Organizations and foundations interested in learning more about Impact Online can call Cindy Shove at 415-327-1389, or visit the web site at http://www.impactonline.org.

What Others Say About Impact Online:

"I have been looking for you all my life! I've been in computers about 28 years, spending the last 18 or so with HP. But I have always wanted to do something more meaningful to the world and community than write computer programs for an electronics company.

"I am currently the owner of a Web site here at HP and am newly familiar with HTML. I would love to gain more experience and do something worthwhile at the same time."

Mary Dryden, Hewlett Packard, mary@zeppelin.pa.itc.hp.com

"I visited with considerable interest your web site. What a splendid, and "21C" idea, i.e., 21st Century idea - to be helping nonprofits do their work, more efficiently and more effectively. Really impressive!"

Professor Morad Eghbal The Riess Institute 202.966.6501 eghbal@westlake.com

"(Impact's web site is) on the frontier of the new age."

Zachary Taylor, zach@pixi.com, Pearl Harbor, HI

"I've recently been looking for materials about homelessness and organizations doing something about it."

"Since I am one of those Internet addicts who can (and do) waste hours and hours of sleeping time to devote themselves to surfin' the net, I started looking for resources they could use. I surfed the Internet about six months ago and found very little material that they could use."

I am pleasantly surprised that today I found something which could be the start of something wonderful -- I found your site! "

Butch Landingin, brland@crl.com

"I had just found your page while I was surfing the net and think that it is great. I have found the information you provide very useful as well as important for nonprofits."

Derek Pasnick, Policy Research Action Group, (312) 508-3468, dpasnic@luc.edu