Case Study Snapshot:
Before
The Prevent Cancer Foundation had a successful gala each year but wasn’t converting gala attendees into loyal, engaged champions for their cause.
Working with WHC
WHC came alongside their new major gifts staff to develop a strategy to engage and cultivate major donors. WHC also provided the tools and training to execute that strategy, so the Foundation could hit the ground running.
After
The Prevent Cancer Foundation has more donors who give multiple times a year, a growing giving society, and stronger relationships with its donors.
“We needed a major gifts program strategy.”
Jennifer Niyangoda, Vice President of Marketing and Development at the Prevent Cancer Foundation, recognized an opportunity to elevate the organization’s fundraising efforts to better match its potential.
The organization had a robust corporate and foundation fundraising program and a successful gala which raised around $3 million each year. Outside of the gala, though, they had limited engagement with major donors and lacked dedicated staff to cultivate those important relationships.
As the only US-based nonprofit dedicated solely to cancer prevention and early detection, the Prevent Cancer Foundation envisions a world where cancer is preventable, detectable, and beatable for all. The Foundation drives impact through research funding, community health grants, public education on cancer screenings, and federal advocacy.
When Lorelei Mitrani, a member of Jennifer’s team, was promoted to Senior Director, Special Events and Major Gifts, Jennifer was excited to support her interest in taking on major gifts as part of her new expanded role. The two of them got to work combing through their donor list, analyzing giving histories and deciding who to reach out to. Realizing how much time those initial steps took led them to seek help developing a major gifts program.
“We were well organized,” Jennifer said. “We knew who was giving to us, and we knew who our prospects were. What we needed was engagement and outreach support. How do we build our pipeline? How do we engage our list? What tools do we need?”
“I had a lot of confidence in their approach.”
Deciding to call in Windmill Hill Consulting was a no-brainer for Jennifer. She had worked with Barbara and Katherine at the American Red Cross and seen their skills up close.
“I highly respect the work they did at the Red Cross,” she said, “and I knew they knew what they were doing.”
The Foundation’s goals were:
- Develop a major gifts pipeline with a structured outreach and engagement strategy;
- Gain the tools to implement the strategy;
- Empower Lorelei to succeed in her new major gifts role.
“We got a strategy, the tools to execute it, and 1-1 coaching to ensure we were successful.”
Jennifer’s confidence about working with Windmill Hill was quickly confirmed. “They helped us set our strategy and think through our goals, but then we also got tangible tools and coaching. That meant we could hit the ground running.”
Some specific tools and strategy they received included:
- a comprehensive major gifts toolkit;
- “Golden Hour” sample agenda and tip sheet, dedicated to major gifts strategies and action items for the CEO each month, including making phone calls to donors;
- a plan for stewardship and cultivation of donors before, during, and after their annual gala;
- ideas for engaging donors in the lead up to the end of year campaigns, resulting in increased giving from previous years;
- a guide to launching a Giving Society, including structure and recommended benefits for members;
- regular coaching on how and when to connect with Foundation supporters beyond just an email or thank you note;
- fundraising strategies for a leadership change; and
- recommended development operations policies (gift acceptance policy, pledge forms, data entry protocol etc.).
The coaching for Lorelei was invaluable, Jennifer noted. Having the Windmill Hill team to bounce ideas off of and seek advice from made Lorelei comfortable and confident in assuming a major gifts role.
“There’s nothing like having someone dedicated to sitting down with you and helping you work through strategies. It’s one thing to receive information at a conference or webinar; it’s another to figure out how to apply it to my organization.”
“We’ve created strong relationships with our donors!”
Since their work with WHC, the Prevent Cancer Foundation has seen a clear return on their investment.
“We have a really strong pipeline for major giving now. We have goals for individual donors. We know when we’re on track or off track, and we keep in touch with them on a regular basis with monthly touch points. Seeing the impact those tools and strategies have made feels good.”
In particular, they’ve been able to align their annual gala with their major giving program. As a result, they’ve seen donors who have only ever given to the gala giving additional gifts throughout the year.
They also launched two different giving societies in 2024, based on the WHC team’s recommendations, and are excited to see their fundraising base grow as a result.
For Jennifer, the real change is in their relationships with their donors. “In the past, donors came to an event because they liked the event or because a friend asked them to come. Perhaps they weren’t even sure what organization it was for. But, now, we’ve created strong relationships with donors that are not transactional.”
“Our donors are investing in the work of the Foundation in ways they weren’t before. Before, we would see them at the gala and send them year-end fundraising materials, but otherwise, we wouldn’t communicate with them again during the year. Now, I can contact specific donors and know they’re in on a campaign. There’s a better understanding and appreciation for the work we do.”
When asked whether she would recommend Windmill Hill Consulting to other nonprofits wanting to grow their major gifts program, Jennifer said, “Yes, I would recommend them! Be clear about what you hope to achieve, but be flexible with how you get there. The beauty of bringing on Windmill Hill Consulting is they may have better ideas about how to get you where you want to go. Trust their process.”
Ready to create your major gifts fundraising program? Book a call today!