Faith-based NonProfit Seeks Higher ROI

from Donor Outreach Efforts

 

KANSAS CITY , MO - In a move that's enhancing the effectiveness of its outreach programs to Christians nationwide, the Concerned Women for America (www.cwfa.org) has instituted a database marketing program that has improved donor response, revenue and the net lifetime value of donors.  

 

         Central to the success of the initiative, according to the faith-based ministry, is a new integrated "Constituent Relationship Management" (CRM) technology developed by StrategicOne, a Kansas City-based firm that helps non-profits build stronger, more valuable relationships with donors. The new technology is based on StrategicOne's 36One™ solution, which draws its name from its ability to look at donors from multiple perspectives - which enables a better understanding of donor needs, motivations and preferences.

 

            "The intent of this initiative was to help us become much more targeted and efficient in our donor outreach, and that's exactly what's happening," said Robert Stuber, CWA's Director of Development. "We've been running with this new technology model for the past 14 months, and it's paying off. Gifts are up, efficiency is increased and we know the net lifetime value of donors is rising."

 

         Under prior strategies, once a gift was secured through an initial mailing, CWA initiated a cultivation process - usually via direct mail. However, StrategicOne's CRM-based modeling showed that if a donor did not give during the first three months, they typically would not, regardless of how many subsequent mailings they received.

 

         While CWA would previously have repeatedly mailed those unresponsive prospects, hoping to break through, StrategicOne's CRM program recommended immediately -- and automatically - to move this set of unresponsive donors into the telemarketing channel once that 90-day window expired. Although calling is more expensive on a unit basis, the overall savings generated by avoiding wasted mailings has more than offset the cost - and the charity's net has improved.

 

         This approach, to give one example, drew a second gift from 29,000 donors (from over 47,000 initially mailed).

 

         "More significantly, when you look at the net lifetime value of these donors, we're looking at some big numbers," said Stuber. "We have some 13,000 donors giving seven or more times a year. And waste is being cut -- dramatically."

 

         Mike Rogers, President of StrategicOne, said the idea is not to abandon mailing, but to do it smarter and with less waste.

 

         "More focus means greater efficiency and more yield," said Rogers. "We knew CWA would experience some dramatic gains with this integrated CRM model, and the results have validated that belief."

 

 

 

About Concerned Women for America

 

CWA is the nation's largest Christian-based public policy women's organization. Founded in 1979, its mission is to protect and promote Biblical values among all citizens, thereby reversing the decline in moral values across America.

 

About StrategicOne

 

StrategicOne, founded in 1997, is a 30-person firm committed to building stronger, more valuable relationships by discovering, analyzing and implementing information -- in ways that have not been previously demonstrated in the industry.