Case Studies

& Client Work

End-of-Year Giving Campaign

Fundraising Through Digital Storytelling During the Pandemic

A Portland nonprofit serving individuals with disabilities lost its typical fundraising opportunities in 2020 and replaced them with a fully digital end-of-year giving campaign.

THE PROBLEM

A 15-year-old Portland nonprofit serving individuals with disabilities saw its traditional fundraising calendar wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. With no budget for a virtual event and no existing digital infrastructure to fall back on, the organization needed a new way to reach donors.

THE APPROACH

  1. Email marketing to a warm audience
    Deployed weekly emails to roughly 3,000 existing contacts throughout the campaign — featuring stories, updates, contest announcements, and donor appeals. Each email was crafted to deepen connection and drive action.

  2. Video production & multi-platform content
    Produced six videos for the campaign webpage and adapted them for each social platform. Combined with 2–3 organic posts and 4–5 story posts, polls, and questions per week, the content kept audiences engaged and informed throughout the campaign window.

  3. Storytelling & impact-focused content
    Shared donor letters and impact stories throughout every platform to illustrate the organization's work during a difficult year — giving donors a clear, human reason to give. Weekly door prizes and social media contests added energy and participation.

  4. Media outreach & earned press
    Secured local news coverage and prepared the organization's founder with talking points for interviews that aired on two separate segments, broadening the campaign's reach beyond owned channels.

THE GOAL

Raise $150,000 in a single 30-day campaign while growing the organization's digital presence and donor engagement across email, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn — all through organic strategy and creative storytelling.

THE RESULTS

$162,651

Exceeded the fundraising goal

43%

Average email open rate through the campaign (industry average 15-20% at time of campaign)

25%
Increase in social media engagement throughout the campaign.

THE RESULTS CONTINUED

Instagram engagement up 25.6%

Stories, IG posts, polls, and comment-driven content drove engagement well above the 20% target set at the start of the campaign.

Facebook reach grew by 33.2%

Video posts and engaging content expanded the organization's reach significantly, well beyond the 20% goal, growing both likes and follows by 23% across Facebook and Instagram.

Local news coverage on two broadcast segments

Earned media placements extended the campaign's visibility beyond social channels, reaching community members who weren't already following the organization online.