Nonprofit organizations at the crossroads of offline and online fundraising in the digital era: The influence of the volume of target beneficiaries on the success of donation-based crowdfunding through digital platforms

Abstract

The purpose of this research consists of exploring the extent to which the volume of target beneficiaries — explaining the success of offline fundraising campaigns for charitable causes — may influence as well the success of donation-based crowdfunding (DCF) campaigns promoted through digital platforms. First, the literature on the influence of the volume of potential beneficiaries on the success of offline fundraising campaigns for charitable causes is reviewed. Second, hypotheses are proposed linking the determinants identified in the literature to DCF campaigns. Thirdly, their explanatory capacity is measured through quantitative analysis based upon a database of 360 campaigns fostered by nonprofits via Microdonaciones, a donation-based crowdfunding digital platform, for the period 2012–2017. Logistic regression analysis is used to test the hypotheses proposed. Results confirm that donation-based crowdfunding campaigns for charitable causes promoted through digital platforms and resulting successful, tend to be small and limited concerning the volume of potential beneficiaries intended to be assisted.