Case Study: A Donor Engagement Strategy That Actually Delivered

If you’re sending appeals on the fly, writing social posts at midnight, and reinventing your donor comms every month... you’re not alone.

This is how so many nonprofits operate—especially those with small-but-mighty teams and big missions. I’ve been there. And I can help you build something better.

The Before

When I stepped in to support a mid-sized human services nonprofit, individual giving was stuck at just under $1 million. The org had a great mission and strong brand recognition—but the donor experience was a mess.

• Appeals were copy-heavy and inconsistent

• Messaging didn’t align across channels

• Stories were gathered at the last minute

• And there was no real strategy for engaging supporters beyond the next ask

Basically, donors weren’t being shown just how essential they were to the work.

What I Built

We shifted from reactive to intentional, creating a streamlined strategy that made outreach easier and more impactful:

💌 A refreshed welcome series to bring new donors in the loop

🗞 A bite-sized, feel-good digital newsletter

🔁 A revitalized monthly giving program with stronger messaging & follow-up

📅 A multi-channel calendar that kept everything in sync

And here’s the key: we automated what we could using existing tools or lightweight upgrades—so the team could keep up without burning out.

The Results

Giving more than doubled in three years—from under $1M to $2.5M annually. Donor retention rose from 41% to 56% with returning donors giving more and more annually. They also saw a significant rise in their donor-recognition events, as trust grew.

But even more importantly:

✨ The team had a plan

✨ Donor comms felt personal, not generic

✨ There was consistency, clarity, and a whole lot less chaos

📄 Want to peek behind the curtain? Download the full case study and see what this transformation looked like in practice.

Case Study - From Disjointed Appeals to a Donor Engagement Strategy That Delivered.pdf

Download PDF • 899KB

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I'm Liz. I help nonprofits raise more money with less stress—so you can stay focused on the work that matters. You don’t have to figure out fundraising alone. Let’s talk.