How the Reeve Foundation revitalized their fundraising communications
Doubling ROI with fewer appeals and more targeted outreach.
OVERVIEW.
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation partnered with amplifi to develop a refreshed approach to their individual giving strategy that would match the boldness of the founder’s legacies while enhancing their impact storytelling.
Within 15 months, the Foundation increased the program’s fundraising revenue by 51 percent, raised the average donation by 130 percent, and reduced mail volume by a third.
“amplifi helped us build on our existing strengths and take our fundraising to the next level without increasing our budget,” said Liz Trout, the Foundation’s Director of Annual Giving. “Their approach brought new energy, a fresh look and design, and a smarter data-driven and digital-first strategy. We’re thrilled with the results.”
The Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by advancing innovative research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis. And they sought to extend their impact through their partnership with amplifi.
Plotting a new course.
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation has a powerful mission and a vibrant digital presence. They wanted their direct mail program to evolve and better align with their broader communications. However, the messaging relied on legacy more than impact, and the Foundation was leaving fundraising dollars on the table.
The disconnect between the Foundation’s vision and the materials reaching donors resulted in missed revenue. The first step in resolving this issue involved working hand-in-hand with the Foundation to identify the key challenges that were limiting their growth.
We analyzed their database and discovered duplicate mailing records and unresponsive donors, which contributed to increased printing and postage costs. Our findings highlighted the need to prioritize their mailing list and introduce new strategies to achieve better results.
The organization has made substantial progress toward its mission since the days of its Founders. However, the messaging within their direct mailers left something to be desired. The Foundation has evolved over time, but their appeals didn’t show how Christopher’s legacy was making a difference for people today. This was a missed opportunity to connect emotionally with their audience.
Finally, the organization needed support with stewardship, which is key to cultivating meaningful connections with donors. Their donor welcome series required more touchpoints that didn’t include an ask. Creating strong stewardship communication is the key to building long-term relationships.
Together, we revitalized their direct mail strategy by:
- Realigning appeals with the Foundation’s bold vision and voice.
- Modernizing campaigns for a younger generation who may not be as familiar with the Foundation’s origin story.
- Creating a strong new donor welcome series with a clear appeal for support.
- Cleaning, prioritizing, and reducing the organization’s direct mail list.
- Introducing A/B testing.
Birthday Tribute Appeal
Click to Zoom
These new approaches helped the Foundation reassess where their budget was being spent and reallocate their fundraising dollars to focus on new initiatives.
“Reducing mailing costs enabled us to free up funding for critical components like a new donor welcome kit and research-focused stewardship newsletters that improved engagement without increasing budget,” said the Foundation’s Liz Trout.
The result was a more focused, compelling program that not only looked good on paper but also produced better results, including a 57 percent increase in gifts compared to the prior year’s appeals.
putting strategy into action.
Here’s a look at the strategy we built with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation:
Cutting costs with a smarter mailing strategy.
We began by cleaning and refining the Foundation’s donor database. We removed duplicate records and low-response segments. Then we assigned priority ratings to other records for future mailings.
As a result, we reduced the total mail volume by 34 percent, mailing 48,000 fewer pieces than in the year before our partnership. Reducing volume led to immediate savings in printing and postage, which allowed us to redirect funds for more critical initiatives.
Elevating design and shifting the message.
The copy was rewritten to be more direct and emotionally engaging by focusing on how donors make a real impact on someone’s life. We also applied new visuals and a strategic design that matched the Foundation’s strong digital identity.
Testing to refine what works.
Introducing A/B testing into the program allowed us to make smarter decisions based on real results and gave the Foundation a better understanding of their donors’ preferences.
After testing several key aspects of the Reeve Foundation’s direct mail program, we determined:
- Which envelope format performed best for their audience.
- Whether a separate or attached appeal letter and reply card resulted in more responses.
- If adding a lift note increased response rate.
- How to apply targeted ask strategies for different audiences to maximize giving.
These discoveries helped steer the strategy for future campaigns, continually optimizing the program for the best results.
REINVESTING IN STEWARDSHIP.
The Foundation didn’t just want better appeals. They wanted to build stronger relationships with their audience.
Once the New Donor Welcome Kit was introduced in print and as an automated email series, our focus turned to repeat donors. Specifically, active donors without an email address on file. Organizations often focus their stewardship efforts on digital to reduce expenses, causing this group of active donors to be overlooked.
New Donor Welcome Kit
After recognizing a loyal cohort of donors couldn’t receive the Foundation’s research-focused eNewsletter, we built a plan to share it with them directly. To keep expenses low, we repurposed key articles from their multi-page eNewsletter into a one-page summary. We then printed and mailed it with a thank you note for making a difference in paralysis research. QR codes were also added to the summary for those who wanted to view the full digital version online.
Pivoting for maximum impact.
When opportunity knocks, open the door! When the Warner Bros. Discovery documentary “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” premiered in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of Christopher’s passing, the Foundation saw an opportunity to incorporate this into their September Appeal, which was scheduled at the time of release, to capitalize on the cultural moment.
Riding the waves of a movie marketing budget, we expanded the appeal’s audience, restructured the ask to come from the Reeve family, and incorporated key moments from the film with an insert highlighting how the Foundation carries on the work Christopher and Dana began. The ask was simple: invite donors to continue Christopher’s legacy by donating to the Reeve Foundation.
These adjustments and the willingness to adapt on the fly helped the appeal raise $3.71 for every $1 spent, while 30 percent of respondents gave more than their average gift in the prior year.
Results
In just 15 months, the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation transformed their individual giving program into a data-driven fundraising machine. Through better data targeting and prioritization, refreshing their message and look, and reallocating resources to donor stewardship efforts, amplifi helped the Foundation achieve significant improvements without increasing overall costs.
Year-over-year program performance:
51 percent increase in annual fundraising revenue
130 percent increase in average gift
34 percent reduction in total mail volume
More than doubled ROI, with fewer appeals and more targeted outreachThe partnership between the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and amplifi revitalized the Foundation’s individual giving program through more compelling and cost-effective campaigns. Our work together is setting a solid foundation for the program to continue growing for years to come.
About the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation is dedicated to curing spinal cord injury by advancing innovative research and improving the quality of life for individuals and families impacted by paralysis. “Today’s Care. Tomorrow’s Cure.” reflects the dual purpose set forth by Christopher and Dana to provide a continuum of hope for individuals living with paralysis worldwide.
services utilized
Project Deliverables:
Integrated campaigns (direct mail + email)
New donor welcome series
Digital version of existing print newsletter
Data analysis and donor prioritization
Reenvisioned direct mail appeals
Like what you see and having FOMO?
Give us a shout and we can talk about how to make this work for you.