By Jeni Lyttle

Whether it's war in Kosovo, student shootings in Colorado or twisters in Oklahoma, nonprofits that deliver services in an emergency increasingly are generating assistance online.

"With Hurricane Mitch, and now to a much larger degree, the situation in Kosovo, people are becoming more aware that they can contribute online, and that their contributions will be available immediately to the people who need them," says Jeff Hallett, director of independent sector solutions for NMP/AppNet, a Web consulting firm.

Disasters like the ones that have struck throughout the world in recent months create a flood of unexpected challenges. Relief efforts for communities in crisis are often managed by nonprofit organizations. And regardless of the scope of the emergency or the size of the nonprofit, effective communication is crucial for effective crisis management.

We hear it all the time: It's a small world. And it's getting smaller.

Mass media -- television, radio, newspapers and the Internet -- can focus global attention on small-town news, especially in times of crisis. Because communities are not confined by geographic boundaries like they used to be, interest and offers to help can come from down the street or abroad.

Growing numbers of nonprofits are using the Internet as a communication and fundraising tool. The Internet not only makes news accessible to people throughout the world, it also makes it easy for anyone with a computer, a modem and a credit card to make a donation and transfer funds immediately.

Many fundraising sites let donors choose how their contributions are used, and some even give them the option to receive e-mail updates on fund allocation.

Hallett of NMP/AppNet has seen the success of Internet fundraising grow in just the past year.

Here are some ways nonprofit groups are using Internet outreach to raise money and gain support:

Tornadoes

Communities in Oklahoma and nearby states, now unrecognizable as a result of tornadoes in early May, are getting help from near and far as they struggle to rebuild their lives. Many smaller nonprofits have been organized under the umbrella of the American Red Cross.

"The American Red Cross has effectively partnered with a whole range of intermediary agencies, particularly domestic ones," says Hallett. "Its name recognition has the capacity to get people to donate to the Red Cross and its affiliates."

Because a number of nonprofits involved in this collaborative effort are outside damaged areas, relief to areas without phone and power service is not hindered.

School shootings

In the wake of the April 20 Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colo., the Mile High United Way and the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation teamed up to establish The Healing Fund.

Created to provide individuals, organizations and businesses a way to support victims and their families, the fund also will be used to finance preventive measures and programs.

Donors have at least two online sites on which to contribute to The Healing Fund.

As of May 17, the United Way reports, donations to this fund alone totaled more than $2.3 million. Web visitors also can find news updates, opportunities to volunteer and links to related sites.

War in Balkans

The conflict in Kosovo has led to human suffering that has touched people around the globe, and Doctors Without Borders is one of countless nonprofits providing relief efforts.

The world's largest independent international medical relief agency, Doctors is made up of more than 2,000 volunteers who work in some 80 countries each year to aid victims of conflict, epidemics and disasters, and those without health care.

Like the Internet, this organization is not confined by geographic boundaries. Currently faced with thousands of displaced Kosovar refugees in need of medical care, Doctors Without Borders uses its Web site to provide news updates and raise the money needed to continue its efforts. Visitors to the site can learn about the group's latest initiatives and contribute funds instantly.

Going online

Hallett of NMP/AppNet, which advises nonprofit organizations on using the Web to raise money and cultivate support, is encouraged to see online initiatives receiving more widespread exposure in the media.

"The news media are beginning to easily include the names of Web sites in their reports," he says.

That gives people information they need to investigate further and become involved after the news report has ended. And because sites can be linked, people visiting one site can learn about and connect to another instantly. That's why it's called the World Wide Web, and that's why it gives all nonprofits, no matter how small, a worldwide presence.

Nonprofit groups are discovering that using a high-tech approach enables them to do their jobs with greater organization and efficiency than ever before. Whether the goal is to mobilize volunteers, provide information or raise money, the Internet has become a powerful communication and fundraising tool.

Jeni Lyttle can be reached at
this e-mail address.