Fundraising
Anniversary Campaign
Anniversary Campaign
For 30 years, GEDCO has assisted the Govans community’s most vulnerable neighbors by fighting against poverty, homelessness, food and housing insecurity, unemployment, social isolation, mental illness, and disinvestment.
GEDCO engaged us to provide fundraising and PR support for its 30th anniversary celebration. With just a small team that consisted of one full-time director, a part-time assistant and an intern, we were able to help them build capacity to develop fundraising strategies, plan the anniversary gala, and secure media coverage.
We developed a monthly giving campaign, 30/30, to reconnect with lapsed donors and engage with new, younger donors, with a monthly gift of $30 for 30 months, as well as a plan for donor communications, a spring appeal, #GivingTuesday and end of year giving.
This was promoted through events, social media, and outreach to partner and community groups. We trained and supported the board to secure gala sponsorships and ticket sales, and supported the production of a 30th anniversary video that premiered at the event.
Our PR efforts resulted in more than a dozen articles, radio and tv appearances including WJZ, WMAR, WBAL, MPT, Sun, Afro, BBJ and I95 Magazine.
Business Development and Public Affairs
Business Development and Public Affairs
The Herbert J. Hoelter Vocational Training Center was founded in Baltimore in 2017. The VTC opened a center in Charlotte, NC in January 2020 and will open centers in Raleigh, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. in 2021.
To date it has served more than 1200 homeless veterans, returning citizens and opportunity youth, providing 15 weeks of vocational training, and 12 months of 1:1 case management assisting with barrier removal to ensure job placement.
Despite incredible accomplishments and sustainable impact, the VTC did not have strong brand awareness or positioning to support additional public and private funding.
We created a business development and public affairs strategy to help the VTC’s Director build relationships with business leaders, government agencies and referral partners.
The strategy has resulted in dozens of meetings, appointments to committees focused on returning citizens, invitations to join several influential boards, funding opportunities equaling more than $500,000 and collaborative programs with new referral partners.
Leveraging the Board
Leveraging the Board
Like many non-profits, especially small organizations, The Tender Bridge struggled to develop diversified funding strategies that could help build capacity to grow. With a fairly new – and young – board, and no paid staff, the organization did not have any expertise to develop a fundraising strategy.
We facilitated several training sessions for the board to learn how to leverage their personal network to build awareness for the organization and identify opportunities for support through grants, sponsorships and individual donations.
We provided the board with a growth strategy that included a step-by-step guide and a timeline along with materials to be shared such as an informational one-pager and a sponsorship sell sheet. Initial meetings resulted in introductions to several potential donors, foundations and invitations to apply for funding.
Online Giving
Online Giving
Using #GivingTuesday as a model, our founder created the Give S’more Challenge to leverage the annual National S’mores Day – Girl Scouts created the s’more in the early 1900s.
The initial challenge included an online giving campaign, social media promotion, and a s’mores-making competition among top cookie sellers and camp counselors. It evolved over three years to include a larger peer-to-peer fundraising campaign and corporate team building day at one of GSCM’s camp sites.
The campaign raised $3,500 in its first year, $8,500 in its second year, and $15,000 in its third year.
Fundraising During COVID-19
Fundraising During COVID-19
When Maryland joined other states and countries in a stay-at-home order and social distancing requirements due to the global pandemic COVID-19, the Zaching Against Cancer Foundation, like non-profit organizations throughout the state and around the world, had to quickly pivot and develop new approaches to fundraising.
Event fundraisers like their annual Living the Dream Gala represent 80% of their annual revenue. In addition to a significant decrease in revenue, ZACF experienced an increase in request for support from cancer patients and caregivers.
Unlike most healthy Americans, their immune-compromised clients struggle to do even CDC-approved tasks like go to the grocery store, but the economic impact is even greater because without work or benefits, many of our clients will struggle even more to pay bills, or access critical care or much-needed wrap-around support.
We created a virtual campaign that included emailed appeals to previous donors and promotions on social media as well as matching dollars from long-time supporter Petit Cellars – the campaign raised more than $7,000 in critical funds.
Non-Profit Case Studies
CHEP: Succession Planning and Reimagined Governance
Leading Jewelers Guild: A New Strategic Vision for Organizational Growth
Truvelop: Content Marketing for Industry Brand Positioning
CHEP: Succession Planning and Reimagined Governance
NREUV: Elevating the Brand Profile and Positioning to Drive Growth
Nemphos Braue: Professional Services, Outsourced CMO
Leading Jewelers Guild: A New Strategic Vision for Organizational Growth
Truvelop: Content Marketing for Industry Brand Positioning
CHEP: Succession Planning and Reimagined Governance
NREUV: Elevating the Brand Profile and Positioning to Drive Growth
