Looking Back a Year: A Big Reminder on American Cancer Society's Bold Move

As a point of reference, here are a few statistics based on the donors who currently are cultivated in its direct mail program.

• Gross and net revenue have increased annually since 2009.
• Average gift has increased annually since 2009.
• Core donor retention is the highest in 10 years.
• Core donor average gift has increased annually since 2009.

Additionally, over the last seven years the direct mail program has produced remarkable results compared with industry benchmarks.

This is a bold move for one of the world's largest nonprofit organizations. But, in reality, this decision is about much more than just direct mail. It is rooted in the decision to change how it views donor dollars, the donor experience with its overall iconic brand, and perhaps most importantly, how it drives a greater sense of urgency around its mission.

The path to the decision

My first meeting with the Society's staff president and COO, Greg Bontrager, started with a discussion around how you can save the most lives the quickest — the desire that is at the heart of how the Society is transforming and refocusing its decision making and organization. The organization celebrates 100 years this year in the fight against cancer, and while it has an amazing history of progress and success — its leaders desperately want to be out of business as soon as possible. That is the goal, and everything they are doing looks through a lens of pursuing it.

As the Society prepared for 2013 and reviewed strategies and budgets, its executives created a new process for ensuring it was laser focused on only the best and most effective fundraising strategies and mission-delivery programs. Every mission program and every fundraising program had to pass a very strict set of requirements to be considered a part of the 2013 plan of work from coast to coast. While much more complicated than what you'll read below, the basic requirements were very specific.