New Online Services Department Makes Online Giving Easy

Chris Fane

International Teams Canada's new Online Services Department is an exciting step forward for ITCA's head office infrastructure, one that Neil Ostrander, CEO, believes will provide increased opportunities for genuine engagement with ITCA's people and programs.

ITCA's total revenue has more than doubled in the past three years, an increase that he says was driven in large part by programs, people, projects, and teams leveraging online services as more donors choose the convenience, reliability, and security of donating online. "We created the Online Services Department this summer and gave it a focused mandate to grow our donor support and partnerships by simplifying the online donation process and empowering leaders and teams to tell their stories. We believe that the new tools we have access to can help engage our supporters and get them truly excited about giving."

The new team operates under the leadership of Chris Fane, previously a sub-contractor for ITCA who brings a wealth of real-world web, graphics, and branding experience to the role, as well as a unique perspective on user experience and usability.

Chris says that his primary focus in the new role is on making sure the stories of ITCA's missionaries, staff, and indigenous leaders are being told. He believes that leveraging online tools is a great way to supplement the various offline ways those stories are currently being shared. "This role helps both donors and fundraisers from beginning to end by streamlining our process. We can help people who are raising funds by giving them the resources they need to communicate their vision for the project, as well as the tools they need to come back to the donors after the experience and communicate that story effectively. We're also making better use of donor dollars and scaling back the number and frequency of print materials by giving our supporters the opportunity to receive updates via email, Facebook, and our website."

Chris believes the best barometer for the success of the new department is the comfort level of ITCA's donors with the new technology. "We'll know we've done our job when everybody has a great experience using the online tools, because we've made it accessible and easy to use for everyone, regardless of their familiarity with online giving. Everything is a work in progress, so we're always looking for feedback. We want our donors to tell us what works for them!"

Stay tuned to our website for further enhancements to the online donation system. To share feedback, please email Chris directly.