The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) -- the largest conservation organization dedicated solely to saving the Chesapeake Bay watershed -- has won a 2004 Standard of Excellence WebAward for its Convio-powered website.

The Standard of Excellence Award, sponsored by the Web Marketing Association, recognizes "the standard of excellence for which all corporate web sites should strive."

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation was entered in the nonprofit category.

Convio provides market-leading software and services that help nonprofits use the Internet for developing strong constituent relationships to drive fundraising, marketing, advocacy and other forms of support. CBF works to heighten sensitivity, increase knowledge and empower citizens to take positive action to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay. Goals include reducing pollution, improving fisheries, and protecting and restoring the bay's natural resources.

CBF's Convio-powered Web site and email system have helped the organization advance its mission by communicating more frequently with and mobilizing a larger constituency. Using Convio's online tools, in 21 months, CBF's email address file grew 116 percent. In less than two years, CBF generated 8,493 responses to online surveys and prompted activists to send 9,757 messages to decision-makers in response to online action alerts. In 2003, online donations grew 315 percent compared with 2002; the average online gift increased from $54 in 2002 to $85 in 2003.

9/24/2004