Nonprofit organizations' use of the internet: A content analysis of communication trends on the internet sites of the philanthropy 400

Abstract To evaluate the current status of communication and fundraising strategies on the Internet, a stratified random sample of the Chronicle of Philanthropy's Philanthropy 400 was content‐analyzed in mid‐January 2005. Web sites were coded on variables identified in practitioner and scholarly literature on issues of accountability, fundraising practices, and interactive communication strategies. Chi‐square analysis found that the top nonprofit organizations included copies of their annual reports, organizational goals, and mission statements, while second‐tier organizations were more likely to use a sales approach by using e‐commerce technology and terminology to process online donations.