9.20.2006 - 10:25am ET

(CSRwire) CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 20, 2006--Non-profit organizations throughout New England have a new, high-profile outlet for reaching donors and raising funds, as a result of a recent partnership of Cambridge, Mass.-based cMarket, the leading provider of on-demand online auctions to support non-profit causes, and Boston's WCVB-TV Channel 5 and its website TheBostonChannel.com. The # 1 TV website in New England is committed to "giving back" through its nationally recognized e-philanthropy initiative CommonWealth 5 generously underwritten by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

The first local Boston media outlet to partner with cMarket, WCVB will now offer non-profits in its viewing audience--from small grassroots organizations to New England chapters of large charities--the service and instruction to run their own online auctions, powered by cMarket's versatile service. Using the easy, step-by-step auction service found on WCVB's Commonwealth 5 web page, non-profits can create an auction web page, build a catalog of goods and services, solicit sponsors, promote the auction, and manage bidding.

TheBostonChannel.com will help drive web traffic and potential bidders from its audience of one million monthly visitors to local auctions with the Auction Room, a consumer facing shopping portal for cause-conscious auction lovers that allows users to search for items and services to bid on as well as for the organizations and communities they wish to support. Auction Room is powered by BiddingForGood, a service of cMarket, Inc. Visitors access the searchable database of all live auctions for New England non-profits from the Charity Auction link in the Marketplace section at TheBostonChannel.com. With Auction Room, local auctions will reach a broader universe of bidders and donors interested in their cause, giving the organization the opportunity to expand its reach and attract new supporters.

"WCVB's Commonwealth 5 is all about connecting local non-profits with communities of supporters. By working with cMarket to offer online auctions, we help raise money for worthwhile causes in our community while giving our audience an opportunity to bid on great products and services--and to feel good about doing it," said Karen Holmes Ward, Director of Public Affairs and Community Services at WCVB.

"Donors don't give to institutions," said Julie Nations, Executive Director of The Ellie Fund. "They invest in ideas and people in whom they believe. The Ellie Fund and I believe in cMarket. They not only have a great service, they also have a team of employees that believes in the act of giving. Having folks who understand your mission and goals is critical to fundraising success."

Online charity auctions are increasingly popular because they remove the time and space constraints of traditional fundraising programs, reaching new audiences and enabling greater participation. They require significantly less time and money to plan and execute than live auction galas. A versatile and affordable fundraising solution, online auctions can be held in conjunction with gala events, independently, as last-minute fundraisers, with single items, or continuously throughout the year. Offering the most auction experience in the non-profit sector, cMarket helped its clients to raise tens of millions of dollars for charitable causes last year.

"cMarket is a not-for-profit organization's dream come true. It's a sophisticated marketing tool that has grassroots appeal. It's easy to use, fun and affordable. It's like having a world-class fundraising and marketing partner one phone call away, " said Linda Plazonja, Chief Executive Officer of National Kidney Foundation in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Vermont.

"The flexible cMarket format is fun, and it offers something for everybody," Ward said. "It engages the broadest range of donors including younger generations who might not be interested in traditional fundraising events, and also helps to bring together geographically dispersed communities."

WCVB and cMarket will co-host a series of free seminars designed to educate non-profits about online fundraising and offer tips to maximize fundraising potential using online auctions. The series has been well received--more than 60 non-profits signed up for the first seminar. Additional local seminars will be held at WCVB in Needham, Mass. on Oct. 17 and 19. Details on how to register for a seminar can be found at http://www.cmarket.com/events/sem_channel5.htm.

"Based upon our experience, we will be sharing all the 'inside information' we've learned through thousands of cMarket online auctions," said Kathleen Goodwin, cMarket Senior Vice President of Marketing. "We hope that local NPOs will find the seminar experience useful when planning their own online event or live event."

"It's more fun to bid for something you believe in," said Allison Flaherty, cMarket Program Manager of Strategic Partners. "Bidders benefit, too. They enjoy a convenient, fun and entertaining way to purchase great products and services, while lending support to a cause they really care about."

The addition of online auctions to TheBostonChannel provides a unique opportunity for advertisers to expand their philanthropic activities as well as their visibility in the online arena. By sponsoring an online auction, companies help support a local charity. Their sponsor logo will be seen every time someone visits the auction site, and cMarket provides non-profits with reports of all page views and click-throughs. Local merchants and businesses can contact Jim Knipper, Business Development New Media at jknipper@hearst.com, to learn how they can sponsor a local charitable online auction.

About WCVB-TV 5

WCVB-TV Channel 5 is New England's top-rated news station. Founded by community leaders in 1972, the station has remained committed to its mission to serve the region with quality local programming. Chronicle, WCVB's award-winning newsmagazine, airs weeknights at 7:30PM. The unrivaled programming also includes CityLine, a weekly urban affairs show, telethons, public service announcements and thirty-four local specials that aired in 2005, ranging from New England Town Meetings to holiday productions to sports specials.

WCVB has been honored with numerous prestigious broadcasting honors, most recently as the national Television Station of the Year by the Gabriel Awards in 2006. Additionally, the station has been recognized multiple times by the regional Emmy's, Associated Press Awards, Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Political Journalism, duPont Awards and Edward R. Murrow Awards.

About cMarket

cMarket is the leading on-demand, online auction platform solely for organizations engaged in fundraising for non-profit causes. With more than 1,700 customers, online auctions powered by cMarket.com have generated funding successes by allowing organizations, both large and small, to identify new sources of income and, at the same time, build mission awareness and heightened caring for the cause. cMarket services national non-profit organizations such as United Way, JCC, Junior Achievement, Catholic Charities, The PTA, and the American Red Cross. cMarket also works with companies including Ford, Deloitte & Touche, Kimberly-Clark and General Electric to raise funds for their nonprofit causes. cMarket, which was founded in 2003, has headquarters in Cambridge, Mass. For more information, visit www.cmarket.com or call 866-621-0330.



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