Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern
Westchester
A case study in Integrated Campaigns
This campaign supported the Club’s “growing pains.”
The Club’s capital campaign completed four years prior had
successfully raised $6.7 million to finance a major renovation and
expansion of the outdated facility. The Club offers supervised programs
for 1,000 youth daily. In the “new building,” operational
expenses were escalating and it became more critical than ever to
maximize the Club’s visibility to the community and potential
donors.
The Challenge: As a non-profit group, it was important
for the campaign to reach two target audiences – the people
who use the Club’s services and those whose contributions
of volunteer labor, cash or in-kind contributions enable the organization
to survive.
The Solution: Our overall objective was to ensure
a steady flow of information to the public and demonstrate the Club’s
benefits to the community. To that end, we sought to keep the Club’s
name in the media by publicizing special events, community outreach,
addition of highly regarded board members, and new programs/services.
Strategic alliances with corporations and other organizations were
also developed to further publicity efforts.
The Results:
- The Club was selected as “Best Fundraising Gala in Westchester”
Westchester Magazine.
- The Club’s 2005 Humanitarian gala had 650 guests and
raised record-breaking $850,000, an 18% increase over the previous
year.
- The Humanitarian gala was featured on Food Network’s “Behind
the Bash” program.
- Club’s Youth of the Year, Galo Trujillo, received tremendous
coverage in The New York Times, In Town Magazine,
Patent Trader, The Journal News and more. The
Youth of the Year award is the highest honor bestowed upon a Club
youth member.
- Karen Ward, Development Director, was named Fundraiser of the
Year by the Association of Development Officers. Significant press
was generated around this honor.
- Developed successful tie-ins with strategic alliances, (i.e.
Guide Communications, LeapFrog and Dannon).
- The Club received a Silver MAC Award for marketing and communications
excellence in August 2005. The award was presented by the Boys
& Girls Clubs of America during the 98th National Conference
in Atlanta, Georgia.
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