The Association Blog

Your colleagues at Anti-Cruelty share insights from one of their most impactful fundraising efforts to date. Spoiler alert: It’s not just about asking, it’s about connecting

The Association’s Katherine Shenar recently sat down with TrueSense Marketing’s Alison McCarty, alongside Rhett Lindsay and Lydia Krupinski from Anti-Cruelty, to share the secrets behind one of the Chicago agency’s most impactful fundraising efforts. 

You can listen to the complete podcast here, and read on for four high-level strategies you can apply to your next campaign.

Take a Pass on Passive

Successful campaigns should offer fully integrated, multi-channel experiences—and that involves the creation of calls to action that are dynamic and diverse. Explains Lydia Krupinski, “We might invite supporters to take a survey, provide feedback or engage with a social media post. This makes your campaign unique, when you offer more direct engagement with the supporters who are receiving your communications.”

Don’t Ask for $

…all the time, that is. “Around our anniversary each year,” says Rhett Lindsay, “we try to do a text message specifically to our donors that it isn’t a direct ask.” They encourage recipients to remember Anti-Cruelty and to think about an animal that truly changed their life. 

So You’re Having an Anniversary…

While anniversaries and Days of Giving are important and exciting milestones, the truth is that donors aren’t inherently motivated by them. In fact, they often find fundraising asks in honor of anniversaries cold and abstract. Shares TrueSense’s Alison McCarty, “The idea is to take that message and really give them something that feels tangible, that inspires them to give, that shows how their gift can impact the community.”

Put a Face on It

Ideally, says McCarty, your campaign communications “will encourage a one-on-one connection that you’ve built a story around.” It may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s worth repeating: make one animal the face of your campaign.

For Anti-Cruelty’s 125^th Anniversary campaign, that was Chanel, a pit mix whom the field services team rescued from living outdoors during the winter months and eventually placed in a loving home. She was featured in both direct mail and digital communications, but with an important twist. “We wanted to draw people in along the way, so we did a bit of a teaser with her story,” says McCarty. “We waited on the happy ending until the final email to really pull people through the series, keep engagement high, and show the breadth and depth of Anti-Cruelty services and programs.” 

Fundraisers, have you tried something similar? What else has worked for you? Leave a comment and share your experience.

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Tugging Heartstrings Without Pulling Punches: The New Rules of Fundraising
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It’s All About the Eyes: A Case Study in Charitable Giving