2008 Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence: And the Winners Are …

By Melissa Busch and Margaret Battistelli

Grand Control of the Year

When you see a mailing over and over, it clearly is a success and, therefore, worth studying.

To date, the Who’s Mailing What! Archive has designated almost 250 fundraising efforts as “Grand Controls” — mailings that have been going for three years or more. This acquisition mailing by Oxfam America, in the mail since 2003, stands apart from the pack because of its plain, straightforward approach. Mailed in two versions — a No. 10 envelope with the Oxfam logo and one without it — the mailing includes a three-page letter, a reply form and a BRE. The only significant use of color is on the six-panel, folded brochure.