Find out which fundraising efforts the judges chose as best of show in our 2006 Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

The white tape measure with house-shaped metal buckles at each end is folded and laid against a 3.5-inch-by-8-inch piece of white cardboard, sandwiched between the Habitat logo and copy reading, “With a measure of compassion we can save children in need from poverty housing.”

The reply device also is tied into the measure theme, with a basic image of ruler lines stretching down the left margin and the headline, “With a measure of compassion, we can save needy children from poverty housing,” at the top. And, as if the inclusion of the symbolic tape measure isn’t enough to make recipients feel that the organization’s mission is in their hands, the ask string specifies what tools each dollar amount will purchase, e.g., $20 to buy a 50-pound box of nails.