Introduction:
Non-profit organizations play a crucial role in driving social change, but their success often hinges on securing the funding necessary to operate effectively. For many, the ability to collect donations consistently can make or break their mission. In the case of a non-profit organization based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Brewster Consulting Group stepped in to help when they struggled to meet their fundraising goals. This case study highlights how Brewster collaborated with the client to enhance their website, implement a payment platform, and develop targeted donor personas, ultimately transforming their donation process and significantly increasing their funds raised.
Client Overview:
From July to September 2022, Brewster Consulting Group worked with a non-profit organization in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that focused on raising and facilitating funding for other like-minded non-profits. The organization faced a major challenge: despite their mission, they were struggling to consistently collect enough donations to fund their operations. This challenge stemmed from key issues with their online presence and donation system, which we addressed through a comprehensive strategic plan.
Challenges:
Upon reviewing the client’s operations, we identified several critical issues hindering their ability to generate consistent donations:
• Lack of an effective website:
The website was not optimized to convert visitors into donors or convey the organization’s mission clearly.
• No online payment platform:
Without a system for online payments, the organization was unable to accept donations through their website, limiting their reach and donor engagement.
• Reliance on check donations:
The organization relied solely on checks for donations, which was both inefficient and a major barrier to increasing donor engagement.
These issues led to an outdated donation process that significantly hindered the organization’s ability to reach its full fundraising potential.
Our Process:
With our expertise in process improvement and project management, Brewster Consulting Group provided an end-to-end solution for the client. We took a structured approach, breaking down our strategy into three key phases:
1. Revamping the Website:
The first step was to update the client’s website to make it more functional for prospective donors. The existing site wasn’t serving its purpose of clearly communicating the organization’s mission and facilitating donations. To address this, we employed Customer Journey Mapping to better understand how users navigated the site. We analyzed the current user experience and developed optimized customer journey maps for a future state that would enhance the donor experience. This insight was crucial in redesigning the website to be more intuitive and user-friendly.
2. Installing a Payment Platform:
The most significant upgrade needed was a functional online payment platform. We understood that relying on checks would no longer be sustainable for the organization. To solve this, we led a project to evaluate potential payment vendors, selecting the best solution based on the client’s needs. This included facilitating stakeholder discussions and working closely with web developers and the payment platform provider. The implementation of the online payment portal allowed donations to be accepted directly through the website, providing convenience for donors and enabling the organization to collect funds anytime, anywhere.
3. Creating Better Customer Personas:
Understanding their donors was key to making future fundraising efforts more effective. We worked with the client to identify their ideal donor personas and how to effectively target them with outreach campaigns. By integrating customer data from manual spreadsheets into the newly implemented payment platform, we created a streamlined data flow. We then used Zapier to automatically export new donation data into Power BI, where we built dashboards to track web traffic, donations, and donor demographics. Using this data, we created detailed customer personas and categorized each donor based on their demographics to ensure the organization could tailor its outreach more effectively.
The Results:
Over the three-month engagement, Brewster Consulting Group helped the non-profit organization achieve impressive results:
• Website Revamp:
We worked with the client’s web developers to rebuild a more intuitive, user-friendly website designed to convert visitors into donors.
• Payment Platform Implementation:
By implementing an online payment system, including subscription models, we not only facilitated one-time donations but also encouraged recurring donations, which provided more stable and predictable funding.
• Customer Personas & Targeted Campaigns:
With the new customer personas in place, the organization was able to execute more effective outreach campaigns, increasing donor engagement.
As a direct result of these changes, the client saw a $125,000
increase in donations compared to the previous 60-day period. These improvements, although implemented in a short time span, will have a lasting impact on the organization’s ability to fund its mission and drive future growth.
Conclusion:
In a world where non-profit success is often tied to fundraising efficiency, Brewster Consulting Group was able to help this Tulsa-based organization modernize its donation process and better engage donors. Through strategic website improvements, the installation of a payment platform, and the development of targeted customer personas, the organization has set itself up for sustained growth in donations. These changes not only boosted their immediate fundraising efforts but also established a foundation for long-term success in a competitive non-profit landscape.