How does it work?
Success is built on a knowledge base of what worked -
and what didn't.
Case Studies: Fundraising
Blood Platelet Drive
Fundraising requires a specific response from the target audience: namely, opening up one's wallet and making a donation. That's a tall order considering that there are more than 800,000 not-for-profit organizations in the United States alone - and that's excluding foundations and religious congregations.*
Client
Most people are familiar with the American Red Cross' blood drive program, but few know that the organization also collects blood platelets. Blood platelets are needed to help cancer and leukemia patients as well as patients suffering from a number of other diseases for which blood platelet transfusions are a necessary treatment.
Challenge
In addition to making people aware of the need for blood platelet donations, the Red Cross also had to educate the public with regard to the differences between blood and platelet donation - one of those differences being that while blood donation takes about a half hour, platelet donation requires a one- to two-hour commitment from the donor.
Solution
As part of its fundraising and platelet donation initiative, the Red Cross needed a multi-purpose brochure. The designer and I created a barrel-fold brochure that would fit into a business-size envelope. The inside of the brochure included photos and dramatic stories of people who've been helped, even cured, by platelet donations. The text moved along quickly and made it easy and inviting for the reader to read about blood platelet donations.
Result
The prominent use of patient stories and photos helped the Red Cross make a strong, personal connection with readers and delivered two of the most important objectives of any fundraising initiative: first, it demonstrated a tremendous need; second, it showed the prospective donor how much good his/her contribution could do.
* Source: National Council of Nonprofit Associations