eTapestry offers discounts to Arc's 830 chapters

Indianapolis - The Arc of the United States has partnered with eTapestry, a Web-based fundraising application, to track its members throughout the nation and provide its chapters access to an easy-to-learn fundraising tool that will grow with them.

The agreement marks the first time that The Arc, the nation's leading advocacy association for people with mental retardation and related development disabilities and their families, has partnered with a Web-based fundraising application.

Unlike traditional software installed on individual computers or servers, eTapestry is accessed via an Internet connection and Web browser. Up-to-date donor records and fundraising reports in eTapestry can be viewed remotely and changed anywhere and anytime an Internet connection and Web browser are available.

eTapestry will offer great value to the organization's chapters-many of which are just beginning traditional fundraising, said David Donahue, assistant executive director of resource development for The Arc. eTapestry's ability to seamlessly track members for the national office through the chapters will also be a tremendous asset.

"It will dramatically reduce the time and effort it currently takes to develop consolidated information about our members," Donahue said.

eTapestry has partnered with The Arc of the United States to offer a 10 percent discount on recurring monthly fees to its 830 chapters nationwide.

"Good relationship building brings fundraising success," said Chip Muston, national account manager for eTapestry. "The Arc and its chapters understand that eTapestry goes beyond simple data management."

Several chapters of The Arc already use eTapestry.

Barbara Lindsay, development director for the Blackstone Valley Chapter, Rhode Island Arc, looked for new fundraising software for several years before finding eTapestry.

In eTapestry, she found a program that met all her fundraising needs, yet was easy-to-use, with accessible and friendly customer support.

"I also like eTapestry because it is Web-based," Lindsay said. "I can access it anywhere and more than one person can work on it at one time."

About eTapestry
Founded in 1999, Indianapolis-based eTapestry is the first Web-based donor database and communications management system that rents its software to customers who access it over the Internet. Nonprofit organizations of all types and sizes using eTapestry do not pay the large upfront purchasing costs or the ongoing maintenance and support contracts typically paid in the purchase of more traditional software. For more information, go to www.eTapestry.com.

About The Arc of the United States
The Arc is the national organization of and for people with mental retardation and related development disabilities and their families. It is devoted to promoting and improving support and services for people with mental retardation and their families. The association also fosters research and education on the prevention of mental retardation in infants and young children. The Arc is a grassroots organization with 120,000 members affiliated through more than 800 state and local chapters throughout the nation. For more information, go to www.thearc.org.