10.03.2006 - 02:23pm ET

(CSRwire) CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 3, 2006--cMarket, the leading provider of full-service, on-demand, online auctions solely to support nonprofit causes, today announced that it has furthered its commitment to helping nonprofits raise money by sponsoring local fundraiser Meetups through Meetup.com. As part of the partnership, cMarket will not only offer its community of fundraisers a free membership to Meetup, but it also will encourage them to start local Meetup groups and connect with their peers to share ideas on fundraising.

Meetup, the company that uses the Internet to help people get off the Internet and into their local communities, first came into prominence in 2004 as the cornerstone of Howard Dean's grassroots campaign, when thousands of Dean supporters organized "Meetups" in their towns and broke fundraising records in the process. Since, more than 2.5 million people have signed up for Meetups on thousands of interests, ranging from politics to pets. As sponsor of fundraising Meetups(http://fundraisers.meetup.com), cMarket will be hosting, sponsoring and branding the first Meetups dedicated to educating individuals about online fundraising and, specifically online auctions.

"This partnership with Meetup represents our continuing effort as a socially responsible company to help nonprofits and fundraisers by working to advance nonprofits' use of the Internet as a tool for community engagement," said cMarket Chairman and CEO Jon Carson. "We hope this will inspire and aid in their efforts to reach out to and learn from other members who are interested in fundraising and doing good."

Based on cMarket's experience of hosting more than 1,700 online auctions, the company will provide Meetup members with expert fundraising tips, topic suggestions and best practices data.

"We're thrilled to partner with cMarket and excited about the power and value it will bring to Meetup members and organizers," said Scott Heiferman, Meetup co-founder and CEO. "Revolutionary partnerships with organizations like cMarket enable, activate and support local offline community. They are an obvious next step in how Meetups will influence communities and causes everywhere."

About cMarket

cMarket is the leading on-demand, online auction platform solely for organizations engaged in fundraising for non-profit causes. With more than 1,500 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.

About Meetup

Meetup.com was founded in 2002 with the mission of revitalizing local community in America. Meetup first gained national attention during Howard Dean's brief Presidential candidacy during the 2004 elections when thousands of his supporters held "Meetups" in their towns and broke fund-raising records in the process. Since, over 2.5 million people have signed up for Meetups on more than 4,500 interests. There are Meetups for everyone: Stay at Home Moms, Pug lovers, Italian speakers, Entrepreneurs, Scrapbookers and more. If you can name an interest, chances are high there's a local Meetup for it nearby. Meetups meet regularly in cafes, restaurants, living rooms or anywhere else, in 55 countries around the world. In 2004, Meetup was honored with MIT's Technology Review "Innovation of the Year" Award and Wired Magazine's Rave Award for "Political Force." Based in New York City with a staff of 24, Meetup.com is non-partisan, privately held, and backed by investors eBay, Omidyar Network, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Esther Dyson, Allen & Company, and Senator Bill Bradley. Visit http://www.meetup.com.



Copyright Business Wire 2006

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