Everyclick changes '50 per cent to charity' rule 3

Fundraising | Becky Slack | 17 Sep 2008

Everyclick has altered its Memorandum of Association so that it is no longer required to give 50 per cent of all its revenue to charity.

The change was made to allow the company to launch new services in a way that will enable it to remain competitive and attractive to investors.

Polly Gowers, everyclick’s founder, told Charity News Alert: “When we launched everyclick we thought that all we’d ever be would be a search engine that raised money for charity.

“This has worked well but we now want to launch new services – services where we charge people a fee. This is a very competitive environment and we couldn’t be competitive under the previous objects [of the Company].”

Gowers confirmed that although 100 per cent of income from new revenue sources would be retained by the company, it would uphold its commitment to give 50 per cent of all search and advertising revenue to charity. Since its launch in 2005, it has donated over £491,000 to good causes.

Virtual collection tin

The change was made in a special resolution at last month’s annual general meeting in preparation for the launch of its latest offering to charities – a ‘virtual collection tin’.

The online giving platform, which launched on 28 July, offers every UK-registered charity the technology needed to collect online donations. This includes a system that enables people to give and receive eVouchers that can be redeemed against any charity – in essence allowing any organisation to run a virtual gift service – and a facility for people running sponsored appeals, who will be able to create their own fundraising pages, set targets, email friends and collect widgets to use on their blogs and social network pages.

“Our aim is to power a ‘virtual collection tin’ on as many websites, blogs and social network pages as possible and to see online giving become as popular as online shopping,” said Gowers.

The fundraising tool can be integrated into any third-party website using the everyclick widget. It is hoped this service will be particularly useful to the 41 per cent of charities with turnover of less than £1m that don’t currently have online donation facilities.

The launch of the virtual collection tin follows a separate online donation facility that was made available in May of this year that enables users of the search engine to make a donation to charity via the everyclick website.

Positive about the future

The development of new services has been made possible as a result of a cash injection associated with the private equity firm, the Fleming Family. This funding has been critical to the organisation’s survival, which in 2007 made a loss of £2.1m. However, Gowers is positive about the future.

“We are performing to plan. We have a very very big vision to deliver on,” she told Charity News Alert. “If it was that easy to do every charity would have already done it. We’ve taken on a significant challenge and are investing in the technology to do it.”

Place a comment

John Howden
28 Aug 2008

I find it amazing that a charity dare announce that they are giving only 50% to the cause! So, please tell us all where the other 50% goes and dont say administration costs for Gods sake!!
Charities have now become big business in my view.There are those that receive salaries and I would mention excellent ones,off the back of giving people.Some who can hardly afford to donate,but feel that they are doing a little bit of good in this world.
A charity used to be an accumulation of individuals who gave up some of their time FREE,to collect in money and help countries/people in difficulties.This is not the case now and I believe that the actual amount which reaches these causes directly would probably be 10-20 pence in every Â£ given.This is disgusting.
There should be a body of people overseeing charities and making sure that donations reach the cause without huge lumps being taken out first.This borders on theft in my opinion.
I would much rather give money to a beggar in the street,at least I know who has received it and I have a personal choice in the matter.The sooner charities are more tightly governed,the better.

[Reply]

Darren Brook
company sec
none
28 Aug 2008

50% of large turn over is better than 100% of tiny turn over , charities use pro fundraisers because they work ! Motivated go getters command high pay rates or they take talents elsewhere , take politicians for example not generally thought of as talented or even hardworking however they say they are value for money and compare themselves to captains of industry , would politicians really be paid in the real world salaries and expenses equal to city high flyers ? Dont think so !! Back to charities it is a pressure cooker world out there , quality people working full time for charities also have to pay their mortgages , not many people can afford to do free unpaid charity work these days ! Stop living in a by gone age , wake up and smell the coffee ..

[Reply]

Anon
6 Aug 2008

I find it fascinating that Ms Gowers is "positive about the future" and claims that her business is "performing to plan" given that it made a Â£2.1m loss last year.

It begs the questions did she plan to lose Â£2.1m did she tell her investors that? What is she planning to lose this year? and next?fantastic spin...

[Reply]

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