Even with the dismal economy, charities continue to see steady increases in online donations, but the rate of growth is slowing as the recession takes its toll, according to The Chronicle's annual survey of online fund raising.

Online gifts to 203 nonprofit organizations that provided data for 2007 and 2008 grew by a median of 28 percent last year, meaning that half of the organizations saw giving grow by more than that amount and half did less well. The increase is far smaller than the 42-percent median growth rate in 2007, or the 45-percent median growth in 2006.

Still, 10 groups in the survey raised $25-million or more online in 2008. And three raised more than $100-million: Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund ($409-million), in Boston; United Way of America ($245-million), in Alexandria, Va.; and American Cancer Society ($101-million), in Atlanta.

Source:  The Chronicle of Philanthropy