Raising Millions of Dollars for a Local Nonprofit: A Case Study with Catholic Charities of Broome County
$3.6 million in fundraising for programs
$4.3 million in fundraising for capital campaign
$1 million bequest from a new donor
01.
Context
For more than a decade, Catholic Charities of Broome County has been working to meet critical needs in their community—from fighting hunger to expanding access to essential services. But to sustain and grow that work, they needed to deepen donor engagement and increase visibility across campaigns. They partnered with us to energize their fundraising efforts, tell their story in a more compelling way, and build long-term support for the organization’s mission.
Industry
Nonprofit
Involvement
On-Site Video, Remote Video, Social Media Content Creation, Graphic Design
Marketing has helped us raise money through our special events, annual appeals, and other fundraising. Between all of those, I looked at a ten year period, we raised about $3.6 million.
Play the video to learn more from our client – Lori Accardi, the former Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Broome County.
02.
Our Approach
Our work together started with a capital campaign aimed at securing a new office space. We created an honest, heartfelt video that showed their existing office conditions and highlighted why a new space was essential for serving more families. Catholic Charities shared this video with parishes across the region, using storytelling to make the need tangible for potential donors.
As our partnership continued, we helped refresh their long-running Harvest for Hunger telethon. To bring new energy to the campaign, we conducted Facebook Live interviews throughout the week, amplifying the realities of hunger in the local community and spotlighting the people working to address it. We paired this digital push with supporting materials—including a donor mailer and print/digital newspaper ads—to reach people wherever they were.
Over the years, we’ve also supported Catholic Charities with annual reports, social media content, and ongoing storytelling for additional fundraising efforts, creating a cohesive and consistent voice across every campaign.
How We Worked Together Over the Years
- We created annual reports for both print and digital use—the digital reports included videos that highlighted their clients’ stories
- We designed fundraising materials for their annual campaigns and special events, including mailers and print/digital ads
- We planned consistent social media content to let the community know about their services and campaigns
- We edited impactful videos to celebrate their anniversaries and highlight the impact of their organization
03.
Outcomes
- $4.3 million raised for the capital campaign, supported by a compelling video shared with parishes
- $180,000 raised over three years of Harvest for Hunger, up from just $21,000 when the campaign began in 2009
- $3.6 million total raised during the partnership, helping sustain critical services
- Secured a $1 million bequest from a donor who had never given before—proof that consistent outreach reaches unexpected audiences
- Expanded visibility through multi-channel communication including video, live interviews, newspaper ads, mailers, social media, and annual reports
- Strengthened community trust by sharing transparent, heartfelt stories that connect donors directly to the mission
