Winners of the 2014 Gold Awards for Fundraising Excellence

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

“The uptick in revenue performance from last year’s year-end email efforts was eye-popping,” writes Lon Chapman, executive vice president at Chapman Cubine Adams + Hussey. “The combine messages brought in $25,732, which was $10,502 and 68.96 percent higher than the prior year.

“Not only did this appeal out-gross those before it, but donors also gave at unprecedented levels,” he adds.

Additional Email (less than $10 million) Winners
SILVER: NARAL — Stand With Wendy Davis eAppeals (Submitted by CCAH)

The Numbers
Recipients: 2,876,866
Response rate: .079 percent
Total cost: $900
Income generated: $104,613.84
Average gift: $45.90
Cost to raise a dollar: $0.008

There’s nothing like email to allow a nonprofit to ride the coattails of a mission-related national new story. That’s what NARAL did in June 2013, when Texas State Rep. Wendy Davis was propelled into the national spotlight with a 13-hour filibuster stand against proposed anti-abortion legislation. NARAL immediately launched this email series in reaction to generate a public groundswell of awareness and motivate NARAL’s supporter base.

The emails offered a free bumper sticker featuring Davis’ famous pink sneakers and the words “I Stand with Wendy,” followed by a post-action landing page with donation option. NARAL and CCAH came out swinging, developing a “Stand Up” campaign encompassing national and state-level messaging targeting anti-choice legislation in key states and highlighting state legislators who were sneaking anti-abortion language into unrelated state bills. Using email allowed the organization to respond quickly and take advantage of a national news story.

This award-winning campaign was NARAL’s most successful campaign of 2013. Many of the eight emails focused on state-specific issues, but supporters responded to the “Stand Up” message, contributing 2,279 gifts for a total of more than $104,000, with an average gift of $45.90. The minimal $900 investment enabled more money to go directly to NARAL.