Data-Driven Fundraising Activation Tips for a Best in Class Cause Campaign

By: Mollye Rhea

Part 2 of Our Blog Series: Key Elements of Best in Class Cause Campaigns

In Part 1 of this series, we shared three campaign planning tips: develop authentic campaigns, collaboration and timing. While our Best In Class Cause Campaigns report covers the full breadth of campaign planning information, this blog focuses on fundraising activations, an essential cause campaign component.

Best in Class survey participants ranked raising funds as the No. 1 impact of Best in Class Cause Campaigns. These fundraising strategies are the most popular. 

Corporate Fundraising Activations

61% of Best in Class (BIC) Cause Campaigns include corporate funding or a corporate grant, the most cited fundraising activation. A winning campaign strategy can include using corporate contributions to drive consumer donations.

In September, Albertsons’ shoppers were encouraged to donate at checkout to Nourishing Neighbors. It’s a charitable program of the Albertsons Cos. Foundation that works to eradicate childhood hunger in America. Each store partnered with a local charity to use donations to fund healthy breakfasts for children in need in the community. Together, the Albertsons Companies and its customers have raised $110 million for community hunger relief in 2020. This includes a $53-million Albertsons commitment and more than $57 million donated at the register by the company’s customers.

Consumer Focused Fundraising Activations

Roughly 50% of BIC Cause Campaigns engage a consumer activation such as a customer donation, a commercial co-venture or a point of sale donation at the register or digital checkout.

Customer Donations

Innovative cause campaigns integrate customer donations in a wide variety of ways. The sale of special products like Apple’s (PRODUCT)RED devices and Ford’s Warriors in Pink wear and gear have raised millions. Increasingly popular, “give to get” strategies are an effective business-generating option. The Wendy’s Frosty Key Tag campaign features a special key tag Wendy’s customers purchase for one year of an unlimited free Frosty with any Wendy’s purchase. All proceeds go to support the Dave Thomas Foundation’s mission to find forever families for the more than 150,000 children waiting in foster care across the U.S. and Canada. The 2021 program will kick off in late November.

Commercial Co-Venture

This consumer fundraising strategy features a donation to a charity based on a product sale. Commerical co-venure promotions require special attention due to regulations and necessary registrations. Multiple Best in Class Cause Campaigns leverage a commercial co-venture strategy effectively.

Now in its 13^th year, the 2020 Subaru Share the Love event donates $250 to a charity of the customer’s choice with every new Subaru purchased or leased. The customer may choose from one of four national partner charities or a local charity selected by their Subaru retailer. National partner charities include:

• The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® (ASPCA®)
• Make-A-Wish®
• Meals on Wheels America
• National Park Foundation

Another long-standing, award-winning cause campaign is the 1 Pack = 1 Vaccine Pampers and UNICEF campaign. It provides a life-saving vaccine to a child or woman in the developing world for every pack of Pampers purchased.

An increasingly popular strategy is to offer a donation in exchange for a consumer action, such as a social media like or post. In February 2020, Oil of Olay pledged to donate $1 to Girls Who Code for every post up to $500,000 during their #MakeSpaceforWomen Campaign. 

Point of Sale Donations

There are three primary ways to ask for donations at check out:

• Add a dollar
• Offer pre-determined donation amounts
• Provide consumers the opportunity to “round up” their purchase amount

According to a September 2020 survey, 76% of consumers have donated to charity at point of sale in the past 12 months. The round-up method has emerged as a particularly effective strategy due to its ease of participation and small donation ask.

Tips for Fundraising Activation Success

60% of cause partnership experts in our survey report that their BIC Cause Campaign raised $1 million or more, setting a fundraising benchmark for successful campaigns. How did they do it? We believe these tips for success will help.

• Give it Time: The majority of campaigns that raised $1 million or more have been in the marketplace for over five years.
• Make the Ask Compelling: Be clear on the social math. Make sure companies and participating consumers know exactly where their money is going and quantify the impact in a straight-forward way.
• Factor for Current Conditions: Consider a round up vs. a dollar amount add on. This puts less economic pressure on the consumer.

Now is a great time to optimize your campaign plans to include well-conceived fundraising activations. Watch for the next post in this series. We’ll address Best in Class Cause Campaign marketing activations.

We’re also always happy to talk through your activation strategies and provide our expert insight. Reach out to us for a more personalized strategy and planning.