November 22, 2004 -- AIT, Inc. is offering free hosting to non-profit organizations (http://www.ait.com/nonprofit.php), providing them with basic business tools that include a variety of tools for creating and mailing newsletters, managing mailing lists and donor rolls, and accepting contributions online.
“The biggest issues non-profits face are communicating with volunteers and fund-raising,” said Clarence Briggs, AIT’s Chief Executive Officer. “The Internet allows both of those functions to be conducted in a very efficient and cost-effective manner.”
Among the agencies already taking advantage of the offer is the Salvation Army office in AIT’s hometown of Fayetteville, North Carolina. The site, http://tsanow.org, covers the Salvation Army’s activities, includes links on how interested people can participate, and is a convenient outreach mechanism. “Having our site, as opposed to being a link off the national site, makes it so much easier to interact with volunteers and to recruit new ones,” said Captain Juan Guadalupe, commander of the Fayetteville office. “We can focus on the information that is relevant to this community and also give them an overview of what is happening nationally.”
Having an Internet presence has become a necessary component of remaining viable for many non-profit groups, as they battle for a portion of the public’s time and disposable income. According to The Non Profit Times, agencies have realized that technology is a necessary part of improving operations. For Guadalupe, the benefit has been the ability to emphasize local activities and engage local participation. On a broader scale, the goal is improving operations. “Having an online presence makes workflow management much easier,” according to AIT’s Chief Operating Officer Kirk deViere. “Whatever upfront cost is involved in technology is repaid through greater efficiency, the elimination of duplicate efforts, and the impact of reaching donors and volunteers in a more personal way.”
Founded in 1996 in North Carolina, AIT, Inc. provides web hosting and e-commerce services to more than 190,000 domains in 107 countries. AIT is the only hosting company listed on both the Inc 500 and Deloitte & Touche Fast 500. AIT also offers data storage, software development, IP telephony, security services, application hosting, and a technical education center. The company has a 25,000 square foot data center and provides live, 24/7 toll-free technical and billing support.
Alex Lekas
910-321-1247
