Friends-of-Youth-MobileCause-Customer-Suceess

Friends of Youth

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total raised
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raised via text-to-donate
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average text-to-donate gift size

“The [GiveSmart team] was an incredible asset. They walked us through the process of transitioning our in-person event into an online one. They were a fount of information and a cheerleader when we needed it most.” 

– Lynn Juniel, Director of Development

Challenge

Solution

Friends of Youth, a child welfare, youth & family, and homeless youth services organization, scheduled its 14th annual Celebration of Youth luncheon for March 6, 2020. Located in the Greater Seattle metropolitan area, Friends of Youth was at the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak. Their annual luncheon averaged 700 attendees each year and was a significant source of annual funding. For the safety of all involved, on March 3, just three days before the scheduled event, the Friends of Youth team made the difficult decision to cancel the luncheon. Friends of Youth’s Director of Development, Lynn Juniel, reached out to [GiveSmart] for ideas on continuing the luncheon without jeopardizing members’

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With help from [GiveSmart], Lynn and the rest of her team responded rapidly, converting their annual Celebration of Youth luncheon into an entirely virtual event. They utilized Facebook Live to share the pre-recorded videos they would present at the luncheon. They also hosted a live Q&A session about Friends of Youth, their services, and why they need the help of supporters. They included text-to-donate keywords on their Facebook page and during their Facebook Live with donation matching opportunities. Lynn noted how text-to-donate worked best when audience members were most engaged, similar to an in-person ask. After the virtual streaming event concluded, supporters continued to give online through a [GiveSmart] online giving form. Also on display throughout their virtual event and multiple posts on their Facebook page was their live event thermometer showcasing the amount raised, progress toward their goals, and the names of donors. With this virtual event, Friends of Youth could still connect with supporters and encourage in-the-moment giving among their 600-plus viewers without meeting in person.

Impact

Despite this being their first virtual fundraising event, Friends of Youth raised considerably within an incredibly short turnaround. By pivoting their annual luncheon into a virtual event, they could raise over $32,000 in total. During the live broadcast, they raised over $22,000, while the online event generated an additional $10,000 from donations submitted via direct mail and website the following weekend. Friends of Youth initially partnered with [GiveSmart] to display its Live Event Thermometer at the luncheon. In pivoting to a virtual fundraiser, the team realized they had an entire platform of online tools to generate excitement among viewers. This allowed Friends of Youth to hold their Celebration of Youth luncheon still and continue supporting the safety, stability, and success of youth, young adults, and families in the Greater Seattle area. The Friends of Youth team is now planning to incorporate virtual events into their regular annual communication strategy.

Smiling African American woman using digital tablet.

Friends of Youth serves 6,500 children, youth and their families each year, at 26 sites and programs in 18 cities across the Greater Seattle metropolitan area. As one of the few nonprofits recognized by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children in Washington, Friends of Youth has been helping young people in challenging circumstances get back on their feet for over 65 years.

GiveSmart is a fundraising and donor management system that enables organizations to accelerate fundraising through configurable, mobile-friendly campaigns, peer-to-peer giving, auction and event management, simple tracking, and secure payment processing. 

Our mission is to help nonprofits and organizations reach their fundraising goals while creating an engaging, exciting, and easy giving experience for their donors. All. Year. Round. Click here to get started with GiveSmart. 

Sydney,Australia - August 24,2014: Competitors in the 'Color Run' fun run in Centennial Park. Runners are doused in coloured powder, bubbles and water as they run the 5K course.

Disclaimer: This case study originally featured a nonprofit that used MobileCause. MobileCause is now fully integrated into the GiveSmart platform. All mentions have been edited to reflect the new naming conventions.  

 The legacy feature set, staff assistance, and training continue to support thousands of nonprofits in raising billions of dollars. We invite you to check out GiveSmart Fundraise, Events, and Donor CRM today.