A stagnant annual-giving program prompted changes to how City of Hope approaches donor cultivation and acquisition that, in many ways, defy conventional fundraising wisdom.

By Abny Santicola

Merkle proposed three more appeals a year and a quarterly, donor-focused newsletter that would give City of Hope the opportunity to talk about the facilities, research and programs that were getting overlooked in the regular appeal mailings. More mailings also would achieve another of City of Hope’s goals — to cultivate more long-term-value donors.