2014 Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence Email (Less Than $10 Million) Winners

Email (less than $10 million)
October Belo Cipriani Appeal
Guide Dogs for the Blind
(Submitted by Chapman Cubine Adams + Hussey)

The Numbers
Recipients: 62,952
Response rate: 0.17 percent
Total cost: $500
Income generated: $25,732
Average gift: $238.26
Cost to raise a dollar: $0.019

The first thing our judges liked about this year-end email campaign was the compelling and heartfelt story presented by guide-dog recipient Belo Cipriani. The message was crafted to tell the story of Belo and his guide dog, Madge, but it highlighted the donor as the true hero for making the pairing of guide-dog teams possible.

The second email in the two-email series kept the Belo connection. But rather than repeat his story, the second email featured Belo educating recipients about the importance of their year-end gifts and why it was so critical that they gave to Guide Dogs for the Blind specifically at that time.

But our judges really took notice when it came to the results — specifically a 99 percent larger average gift over the previous year.

“The uptick in revenue performance from last year’s year-end email efforts was eye-popping,” writes Lon Chapman, executive vice president at Chapman Cubine Adams + Hussey. “The combine messages brought in $25,732, which was $10,502 and 68.96 percent higher than the prior year.

“Not only did this appeal out-gross those before it, but donors also gave at unprecedented levels,” he adds.

Additional Email (less than $10 million) Winners
SILVER: NARAL — Stand With Wendy Davis eAppeals (Submitted by CCAH)

The Numbers
Recipients: 2,876,866
Response rate: .079 percent
Total cost: $900
Income generated: $104,613.84
Average gift: $45.90
Cost to raise a dollar: $0.008

There’s nothing like email to allow a nonprofit to ride the coattails of a mission-related national new story. That’s what NARAL did in June 2013, when Texas State Rep. Wendy Davis was propelled into the national spotlight with a 13-hour filibuster stand against proposed anti-abortion legislation. NARAL immediately launched this email series in reaction to generate a public groundswell of awareness and motivate NARAL’s supporter base.

The emails offered a free bumper sticker featuring Davis’ famous pink sneakers and the words “I Stand with Wendy,” followed by a post-action landing page with donation option. NARAL and CCAH came out swinging, developing a “Stand Up” campaign encompassing national and state-level messaging targeting anti-choice legislation in key states and highlighting state legislators who were sneaking anti-abortion language into unrelated state bills. Using email allowed the organization to respond quickly and take advantage of a national news story.

This award-winning campaign was NARAL’s most successful campaign of 2013. Many of the eight emails focused on state-specific issues, but supporters responded to the “Stand Up” message, contributing 2,279 gifts for a total of more than $104,000, with an average gift of $45.90. The minimal $900 investment enabled more money to go directly to NARAL.

BRONZE: People for the American Way — Repeal Citizens United Campaign (Submitted by CCAH)

The Numbers
Recipients: 4,958,816
Response rate: 0.08 percent
Total cost: $8,163
Income generated: %156,189.49
Average gift: $38.99
Cost to raise a dollar: $0.05

This four-month campaign was a stellar exercise in testing that also brought in a significant amount of money. The audience for the campaign was People for the American Way’s entire list, including recent donors, lapsed donors, reinstate donors and non-donors. In addition to raising money, the goal for the campaign was to test PFAW’s Repeal Citizens United messaging against other possible topics to gauge supporters’ interest. Was the long-standing Citizens United messaging wearing thin?

Over the course of nine tests in the four-month period, the Citizens United messaging continually beat other issues (with the exception of one). In the end, the campaign generated 3,787 gifts worth $145,352.36. And while the money is vital, the campaign also ensured that PFAW was engaging its supporters on the best possible messaging and thus not leaving anything — opens, clicks, gifts or dollars — on the table.