Nonprofits often assume fundraising growth needs a big development team or an expensive agency. For Mishawaka Troop Town, it came from something simpler: a handful of connected pieces, run consistently for three years.
The results
- More than $100,000 raised in 2021 alone
- About $600,000 raised over three years through the system
- Nonprofit technology programs secured from Slack, Box, and Twilio
What the system included
- A consistent brand. Branding guidelines so the website, emails, flyers, and event materials all looked like the same organization.
- A website that could take action. Updated content plus e-commerce and donation features, so supporters could give or buy without leaving the site.
- Regular supporter emails. Newsletters planned and delivered on a schedule, keeping families, volunteers, and donors connected between events.
- Solid tools behind the scenes. Google Workspace managed for the board of directors, and applications to nonprofit programs that brought in professional software at no or low cost.
For the full timeline and what we built, see the Mishawaka Troop Town case study.
What made it work
None of these pieces is unusual on its own. What mattered was that they were connected and kept running. The brand made every touchpoint recognizable. The newsletter kept supporters warm. The website made it easy to act the moment someone was ready. And the free and discounted nonprofit tools kept costs low enough that the system could run year after year.
Lessons for other nonprofits
- Make giving possible on your own site, in as few clicks as possible.
- Email supporters on a predictable schedule, not only when you need money.
- Apply for nonprofit software programs. Many major tools offer them.
- Write down your brand rules once, so volunteers and staff stay consistent.
- Give the system time. Most of the result came from doing the basics for three years, not from one campaign.
Running a nonprofit and wondering where to start? Book a free 20-minute call and we’ll tell you honestly what we’d change first.