Challenge:
The Greater Twin Cities United Way (GTCUW) conducted a review of workforce donor data which indicated that the total number of their donors was decreasing. The GTCUW sought to better understand factors related to donor perception of United Way in order to assess what, if any, changes could be made to strengthen the United Way’s position as a charitable option for workforce donors and their employers in the greater Twin Cities area.
Solution:
grassroots solutions conducted an innovative assessment of donor perceptions through a grassroots engagement lens, and formulated two sets of recommendations: short-term recommendations that could be implemented in the 2008 fundraising campaign and long-term recommendations that would provide more substantive improvements to engagement activities over time.
Results:
The GTCUW made concrete adjustments to the 2008 campaign that simplified their outreach and increased opportunities for workforce donors to directly engage with the United Way.
In 2009, the Greater Twin Cities United Way will pursue recommendations that provide a comprehensive enhancement of their program that:
- Shifts from a campaign-only to a year-round time frame;
- Offers more options for employers in terms of the types of campaigns run in their companies, so that the campaigns are better suited to the overall organizational culture of the workplace;
- Offers workforce donors opportunities to connect directly with the Greater Twin Cities United Way;
- Leverages digital spaces and tools to increase communication and exchange across donor segments.