Case Study Snapshot:
Before
While planning for a major annual fundraiser in the midst of federal funding challenges, a key staff member at Meals on Wheels Chesapeake had to resign.
Working with WHC
WHC jumped in to help Meals on Wheels Chesapeake stick to their plan for the fundraiser and provided tools and training that made it a success.
After
Meals on Wheels Chesapeake more than doubled their year-over-year revenue on the fundraiser – and now has a vision and a plan for how to meet their next fundraising goals.
“We knew we couldn’t meet this goal without help.”
The small team at Meals on Wheels Chesapeake (MOWC) was in the midst of preparing for an important annual fundraiser when their Marketing Assistant resigned due to health issues.
With federal funding for Meals on Wheels facing uncertainty, the Give Local 757 campaign wasn’t something MOWC could leave to chance. This regional day of giving to support nonprofits organized by the Peninsula Community Foundation typically accounted for around $25,000 in revenue, about 17% of their annual donations.
Meals on Wheels Chesapeake is an associate member of Meals on Wheels of America that provides nutritious home-delivered meals, safety checks, social connection, and care coordination for older and disabled homebound residents in Southeastern Virginia. With hundreds of folks depending on the tens of thousands of meals they provide each year, Executive Director Megan Mann knew her organization needed to find a way to make the Give Local 757 fundraiser a success for MOWC.
“Our Marketing Assistant had enthusiastically quadrupled our goal from $25k to $100k. When she resigned, I still wanted us to try to increase our revenue over 2024. We have a small staff, though, and I am juggling a lot.”
“I wasn’t sure our situation warranted a fundraising consultant.”
Megan felt overwhelmed but got to work on finding a solution. A Google search led her to Windmill Hill Consulting, where she read the case studies and started to feel more hopeful.
“I had never worked with a fundraising consultant and wasn’t sure our situation warranted one. The case studies helped me to see that our problem is the sort of thing WHC helps with. I reached out, and the WHC team was very responsive and present throughout the process, which helped us in our decision to enlist their help.”
“It was like we’d been bumping around in a dark room and they turned on the light.”
Despite a tight deadline and a huge goal, Megan felt relief almost immediately.
“Working with WHC was quick, easy, and painless! The WHC team clearly knows their stuff. We felt assured that we were no longer trying to pull off this big thing alone. It was like we’d been bumping around in a dark room and they turned on the light.”
Windmill Hill wanted to give Megan and MOWC fundraising strategies that would serve them long after the 2025 Give Local 757 fundraiser.
“The most helpful lesson I learned,” said Megain, “is that a strategy requires assistance, as well as communication and marketing. The WHC team helped us identify and approach our helpers.”’
“They attended a board meeting at short notice, reiterating the board’s fundraising role and giving them concrete ways to help. They also connected us with a digital marketing strategist. I had no clue how to go about finding one, so this one act saved me hours of time and research. She was instrumental in the fundraiser’s success, and we were so happy with her that we brought her on permanently to help with social media, email and print newsletter, and more.”
The Windmill Hill team also spent time equipping Megan to start and have fundraising conversations, including training on the “power of the pause” in these interactions. And the team did the practical work of creating letter and email templates, segmenting audiences, and developing spreadsheets to track donations and to reach out to previous donors.
When asked what surprised her most about working with WHC, Megan said, “The quick turnaround and the wealth of knowledge this team had. Also, their helpful presence, availability, check-ins, and willingness to go above and beyond to help us succeed!”
“This fundraiser bought us some time to continue doing right by our disabled senior neighbors despite federal funding uncertainty.”
Bringing on WHC paid off for Megan and MOWC. The organization more than doubled their 2025 Give Local 757 receipts over 2024, raising $50,000 compared to $23,000 in 2024. $17,000 of that came from a single direct mail appeal sent to previous major donors!
Because of this success, Meals on Wheels Chesapeake can serve more seniors in need who cannot afford to pay for their meals. “This fundraiser bought us some time to continue doing right by our disabled senior neighbors despite federal funding uncertainty,” Megan said.
With the Give Local 757 fundraiser behind them, Megan and her small team are excited to build on their momentum. They are now planning an in-person fundraising event for 2026, in addition to Give Local 757. They’re also planning an end-of-year mailed appeal and will use some of the templates provided by WHC as a starting point.
When asked what she would say to someone considering reaching out to WHC, Megan said, “We truly would not have accomplished this without WHC’s help! If you’re a leader who wears a lot of hats, like me, and feels overwhelmed by fundraising, reach out and enlist their services. They are worth it, and I expect their influence to be felt for some time in how we approach fundraising in the future.”
Facing funding challenges and need fundraising support that meets the moment? Book a call today!