Healthy Fundraising

Objectives

The goals of the One Birth campaign were to raise $20,000 — $5,000 more than the year before; reach new donors through media outlets; and garner positive feedback from the theme, design and clarity of message compared to years past.

To do that, HealthConnect One laid out a strategy to integrate all aspects of the campaign with the same language, images and themes to represent the One Birth 
campaign.

Another objective was to get more board involvement. With a lean staff of 11 full-time employees, the development and communications departments worked closely together but needed a boost from the board of directors and associate board. So at board meetings in November and December, Ogrin provided board members cards, letters and anything else they'd need to write personal notes to people in their circles asking for support. She gave them packets of information and made it easier for the board to get involved in the hopes that members would take ownership of their own personal fundraising goals.

With more board involvement, the goal was to hit several target audiences in one fell swoop: current donors, lapsed donors who hadn't given the in past two years, partner organizations and board members' personal contacts. It's a "mixed bag of donors," says Ogrin, with people giving anywhere from $5 to $3,000 annually.

Creative

Each year, the direct-mail component is HealthConnect One's annual report mailed with a personal letter from Executive Director Rachel Abramson. The one-page letter in 2011 described the vital work HealthConnect One provides for newborns and young parents, and stressed: "Your financial help allows us to refine our training models, build trust, share knowledge, spark program pilots …

"… How will you respond? One birth at a time, HC One changes families, communities and agencies. Right now a baby is being born. Partner with us this year, in our 25th year, to start more babies on the road to a healthy life. Start with us at the beginning. Where it counts."