Convio and The Data Center Announce Nonprofit Sector's First Live Real-Time Data Integration to Support Membership

Business Wire, August 7, 2006

AUSTIN, Texas -- Convio:

--New Functionality Enables One of Nation's Largest Senior Membership Organizations to Enhance Online Experience, Develop Next Generation of Members

Convio, Inc. and The Data Center -- leading providers of online fundraising and database management solutions for nonprofits -- today announced the nonprofit sector's first known live, real-time data integration which provides a better online experience for constituents and supports membership acquisition and retention.

The two companies collaborated on developing new integration functionality for their mutual client, the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare (NCPSSM), one of the nation's largest senior membership organizations with more than four million members and supporters.

Real-time data integration allows an organization's offline and online systems to efficiently communicate and share information so a group can always have access to the most updated constituent data, even if it is only seconds old. Integration between Convio's online database, Constituent360(TM), and TDC's Masterlink database leverages proven, trusted Internet standards including SOAP (Simplified Object Access Protocol) and XML to enable efficient and secure communication between the two systems. Real-time integration -- already used by for-profit organizations, but new to the charitable sector -- gives nonprofits an immediate, more complete view of their members' and supporters' online and offline interactions (e.g., their giving history, involvement in membership programs, advocacy efforts, etc.). Such functionality is key to conducting highly effective integrated marketing and fundraising campaigns, which helps nonprofits drive increased giving and enduring support.

"Real-time integration is increasingly important to many organizations within the nonprofit sector, and our work with The Data Center has made this a reality for the first time," said Gene Austin, CEO, Convio. "This is our latest effort to help nonprofits quickly and seamlessly exchange data between their online and offline systems, which in turn makes it possible for organizations to be more strategic in their marketing and fundraising efforts and drive stronger results."

Convio is widely recognized throughout the nonprofit sector as the innovation leader in online fundraising and donor database integration. In addition to real-time integration with The Data Center's Masterlink database, Convio integrates its solution with more than 50 different database systems, including Blackbaud's Raiser's Edge(R), Target Software's Team Approach and MPower Systems' MPX. Convio's strength in integrating with such a large and diverse range of database products often is a key consideration for organizations that select the company as their online fundraising partner.

Because the Convio/Data Center real-time integration for NCPSSM enables immediate access to online and offline constituent data in a single view, the organization now can provide a more unique Web experience for its members with personalized communications. For example, a member visiting the NCPSSM Web site can see acknowledgement of his or her recent donations, even one made within the past minute. An individual also can see online information indicating the NCPSSM programs in which he or she participates. More relevant and personalized online communications help engage members and supporters, increase loyalty and foster giving and other ongoing support.

"Because we now have information flow from two separate marketing channels integrated into a single information environment, the most updated online and offline constituent information is available to us on a moment's notice," said David Krear, Executive Director, Marketing, National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare. "This is important because we now can conduct more targeted, effective integrated advocacy and fundraising campaigns and more fully leverage the Internet to cultivate relationships with a younger, more tech-savvy audience -- our nation's next generation of social security and Medicare recipients."

With real-time data integration, NCPSSM now can:

--Provide better online service by instantly recognizing donors and members based on information stored in the organization's Masterlink offline database, then create a unique Web experience with personalized content;

--Drive higher levels of engagement through more targeted and personalized campaigns that leverage data shared between the online and offline systems; and

--Streamline administrative tasks and costs related to managing integration processes, allowing staff members to focus more on the organization's most critical needs.

"Real-time integration is a necessity for organizations like the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare that want to achieve new levels of success when it comes to membership and fundraising," said Jim Burton, President, The Data Center. "We partnered with Convio on this project because the company provides the strongest integration capabilities in the nonprofit marketplace, and we're pleased to have provided them the tools to bring this real-time integration functionality to life."