Network for Good and Groundspring to Merge

Leading Nonprofit Providers of Internet Tools Consolidate into Valuable Resource for Nonprofit Sector

Washington, D.C. and San Francisco, Calif. -- September 20, 2005 -- Network for Good and Groundspring, the two largest nonprofit providers of Internet-based fundraising and donor management tools, today announced that they have agreed to merge. Under the agreement, the combined organization will operate using the Network for Good name.

The merger of Network for Good and Groundspring creates one effective resource for small- to medium-sized nonprofits seeking affordable, easy-to-use, web-based tools for raising funds, communicating online and managing donors.

"The complementary team of Network for Good and Groundspring will increase the efficiency of nonprofit organizations and the sector as a whole by ensuring charities fully capitalize on the advantages of the Internet," said Bill Strathmann, Chief Executive Officer of Network for Good. "The power of our popular website, www.networkforgood.org, and our far-reaching media partnerships with AOL and Yahoo!, matched with Groundspring's nonprofit tools and training, put us in an excellent position to expand our services to a growing number of nonprofits."

Network for Good currently serves more than 4,000 nonprofits with its low-cost Donate Now service, an easy way for nonprofits to receive donations on their own websites. Network for Good also enables individuals to donate to more than one million nonprofits through its website and has delivered more than $70 million to more than 15,000 nonprofits since its inception in November, 2001. Groundspring, founded by Tides Foundation in 1999, serves more than 2,000 nonprofit organizations and has helped raise more than $15.4 million for nonprofits through its DonateNow service since it was founded in 1999.

"Customers are looking to increase their funding and impact, and reduce the complexity and cost of managing their technology services," said Joseph Mouzon, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Groundspring.org. "With our first-hand understanding of the issues that nonprofits face, we are uniquely positioned to help customers balance their need for cost-effective Internet solutions and their desire to purchase services from an organization that is truly committed to the nonprofit sector. This union reflects the essence of social entrepreneurship -- delivering comprehensive yet affordable services that customers have requested."

"Today's marketplace requires nonprofits to compete for attention and resources at unprecedented levels. That is why the tools provided by Network for Good and Groundspring are so important. They enable even the smallest organizations to attain the technological and fundraising capacity they need to reach people and get results," said Vincent Stehle, Program Officer of the Surdna Foundation, which supports Network for Good.

Both Network for Good and Groundspring will continue to offer their low-cost online donation solutions as an easy way for nonprofits to receive donations on their own websites. Groundspring's customers will continue to use and receive support for Groundspring's products, including DonateNow and EmailNow, and Groundspring will continue to offer its training services. The two organizations will also work to integrate their offerings and to develop an expanded suite of tools for small- and medium-sized nonprofits.

Joseph Mouzon, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Groundspring, will serve as Executive Director of Nonprofit Services for the combined organization, strengthening Network for Good's existing management team of Bill Strathmann, Chief Executive Officer; Ken Weber, President; and Katya Andresen, Vice President, Marketing. Drummond Pike, President of Tides, and three additional Tides representatives will join Network for Good's Board of Directors.

About Network for Good

Network for Good (www.networkforgood.org) is the Internet's leading charitable resource, an easy-to-use, secure website that includes detailed listings of more than one million U.S. charities and a searchable database of more than 34,000 volunteer opportunities. Network for Good works directly with nonprofits to help them leverage the Internet as a tool for fundraising and volunteer recruitment. Founded in 2001 by AOL, Cisco Systems and Yahoo!, Network for Good is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

About Groundspring.org

Groundspring.org is a nonprofit, technology service provider working to improve the effectiveness of the nonprofit sector by providing Internet solutions that facilitate and enhance fundraising, communication, and engagement between nonprofit organizations and their stakeholders. Groundspring.org serves over 2,000 nonprofit organizations and has processed $15.4 million in online donations since it was founded in 1999. Groundspring.org is funded by Tides Foundation, Ford Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Skoll Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Carnegie Corporation, and others.

Groundspring.org is a part of the Tides Network, a group of nonprofits that share a common vision for a healthy society-a society based on principles of social justice, broadly shared economic opportunity, a robust democratic process and sustainable environmental practices. Tides Network also includes Tides Foundation, Tides Center, Tides, Inc., Thoreau Center for Sustainability and Community Clinics Initiative. For more information, go to www.groundspring.org.

Press Contacts

Carrie Howard
Groundspring.org
415-561-7837

Katya Andresen
Network for Good
202-577-1932