Eventbrite launched a new service today for non-profits. Eventbrite for Causes is open to all US-based non-profits with 501(c)(3) status. It will charge non-profits 2% of the event ticket price plus 99 cents per ticket sold (the normal rate is 2.5% of the ticket price plus 99 cents per ticket sold).
Eventbrite's new service lets attendees to an event share their attendance plans and make donations via social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, which Eventbrite hopes will increase sales by word-of-mouth. It allows nonprofits to collect donations online, using a credit card, Paypal or Google Checkout, leveraging Paypal and Google Checkout's reduced nonprofit rates. And it also allows for real-time tracking and reporting of an event's progress.
A community-at-large resource portal is something unique to Eventbrite for Causes. Eventbrite hopes to build a resource for nonprofits, which will contain a nonprofit spotlight section as well as best practices and tips and tricks, according to Tamara Mendelsohn, Community and Marketing Manager for Eventbrite. Eventbrite plans to create a knowledge base of expert advice, dedicated newsletters, instruction on the use of technology, and tips intended to help non-profits take full advantage of Eventbrite to make their events more successful. “Given the difficult fundraising climate, managing and hosting successful events is becoming more important to non-profits’ development efforts. However, they often lack the internal resources, technical know-how, or use of the web for promotion and fundraising efforts to achieve these goals,” said CEO Kevin Hartz.
Eventbrite for Causes is already being used by a number of handpicked organizations that were previously using Eventbrite, including the Craigslist Foundation, the Full Circle Fund, and a number of Haiti earthquake relief efforts. Eventbrite says it will continue to improve on the product with future upgrades, based on input from nonprofits that sign up for Eventbrite for Causes.
Competitors include My Community Tickets, which does not charge a fee to the non-profit but instead charges the ticket buyer, Front Gate Tickets, which adds a service fee to the ticket price and also allows for paper tickets, and Blackbaud, which allows for reserved seating in addition to general admission (Eventbrite only does general admission ticketing).
EventBrite was founded in July 2006 by Hartz, an early investor in PayPal and founder of Xoom, a money transfer company. The company has raised $9.55M from a number of sources including Sequoia Capital and the European Founders' Fund.