America’s Second Harvest’s new direct-marketing approach yields ‘remarkable results’ and proves that donors are hungry for more intimate relationships with nonprofits.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

A shift in focus
By late 2003, Delany says, A2H’s direct marketing had pulled in $12.5 million, or 44 percent of contributed income. To get those results, A2H “elevated the quality of the entire program.”

The bulk of the energy — and money — went into acquiring new donors. Before enhancing its acquisition program, A2H was attracting 27,000 new donors each year. At last count, that number was up to about 70,000.