Branding, Messaging, & Corporate Giving
CASE STUDY: ROSE CITY ROLLERS
In nearly a year and a half, Cogeo was able to drastically progress the Rose City Rollers (RCR) on its path to sustainability and operational independence. Under Cogeo’s guidance, RCR launched a major gifts and annual giving program, raising over $150,000.
Beginning with a thorough audit of their internal systems and fundraising strategies, Cogeo discovered several opportunities for growth within RCR’s organizational development structure. Cogeo worked closely with RCR’s Executive Director and Communications team to expand on and implement new tactics that boosted their fundraising efforts.
A highlight of our work together, and key first step, was Cogeo’s creation of a beautiful case statement that outlined RCR’s specific programmatic and capital needs. During this process, RCR and Cogeo were able to determine the brand messaging for donations that most effectively described their organization, its mission, and its goals.
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Continuing with RCR’s CRM database, Little Green Light, Cogeo augmented its structure to optimize its fundraising capabilities. Cogeo will normally recommend a Salesforce database for clients because it is the most scalable and comprehensive solution for 501c3s (and it’s free for 10 licenses, forever). However, if Cogeo deems that the client’s current system provides similar features and accomplishes the same goals, such as the case was for RCR, Cogeo will use whichever CRM the client prefers.
Once the brand messaging and data tracking tools were in place, RCR launched a major gifts effort. Cogeo helped RCR identify and prioritize the wealthiest individuals within their community using wealth-screening software. Cogeo then coached the Executive Director on how to engage donors and prospects, both for direct asks as well as expanding RCR’s community.
“At Rose City Rollers, we had barely asked for donations, let alone donations of such a large size. Cogeo’s coaching made me feel much more comfortable in my approach -- and it paid off,” says Kim, RCR’s Executive Director.
As Cogeo continued to support RCR’s major gifts efforts, they also turned their attention towards RCR’s annual giving program. Cogeo and RCR’s communications team collaborated to perform an End of Year Appeal in November of 2019 that included a month-long drip-marketing campaign, involving story-telling videos from members and leaders. From this, RCR was able to raise $26,000 in annual giving.
Cogeo also evaluated RCR’s sponsorship revenue model and helped them refine their sponsorship offerings. In doing so, Cogeo helped RCR provide its current and future sponsors the additional option to have their contribution be considered a donation instead of just a marketing expense.
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As well, Cogeo worked with RCR to refine their grant writing process. Cogeo first researched foundations and provided a list of grant opportunities available to RCR. Then Cogeo coached the team on how to talk with program officers and ask the right questions. Cogeo also reviewed each grant before the application was submitted. From this work, RCR was able to secure the most significant grant RCR had ever gifted.
By the end of 2019, RCR had a concrete fundraising strategy, an operational development plan, and their first full-time Development Manager (of which Cogeo helped recruit and secure). With this position filled, RCR was now able to successfully operate on their own.