by Case Study: HOPe Helping Other People Foundation worked with Maura Kelly/ PMM to Amplify its Brand and Mission Through Digital Content, Virtual Fundraising and Partnerships.
Introduction
Helping Other People (HOPe) Foundation empowers people in the world’s poorest communities to take steps out of poverty, providing them with resources to build sustainable livelihoods. The organization works with local agencies to provide work skills training, education and healthcare programs.
From 2018 to present, HOPe selected Maura Kelly to help them strengthen their profile and brand in New York City, and engage a broader and younger audience in order to boost fundraising.
Challenge
The HOPe board is a lean and entrepreneurial group of individuals and like many small nonprofits has invested little money in promoting the organization. With an aging donor community, they need to engage new members and donors. In 2020 due to the pandemic, the board needed to embrace virtual fundraising events and build their online database.
Strategy
In collaboration with the board chair, Maura created a strategic plan and provided the HOPe board with a new website, messaging and digital content to engage their existing networks and potential supporters. During this time she:
- Facilitated a SWOT analysis of the organization at the 2019 AGM and identified priorities for the next two years.
- Designed a compelling website focusing on current projects and past projects, including testimonials, and bios of board members – complete with donate button. https://hope-charity.org
- Built and extened a database of supporters.
- Created a content marketing strategy complete with board stories and project impact stories.
- Created and launched a digital newsletter and expaned the database of potential donors.
- Developed a fundraising research strategy and talked with several nonprofit vendors who provide tools and platforms.
- Helped form a committee for the annual dinner and provided them with content for social media channels.
Results – Maura played a major role in increasing the profile of HOPe’s mission and projects in the NY tri-state area. She increased the number of supporters and reach of the nonprofit and that secured additional funding. The Foundation’s brand and board are stronger and their influence is growing.
Highlights
Increased engagement:
- In July 2020, HOPe conducted their first Facebook Live musical event as a Covid-19 Special Appeal. Over 200 supporters joined in and the nonprofit exceeded its fundraising goal. The On-Demand concert has been viewed over 8K times.
- In October, HOPe organized a second successful Facebook Live concert and raised thousands of dollars for its programs.
- A major philanthropist and nonprofit leader was the keynote speaker for the annual dinner in 2019 and her involvement garnered media attention.
- The HOPe board were introduced to several government officials and business leaders.
- HOPe was the recipient of a major gift from a leading business organization in NYC.
- Increased engagement through social media, website, and special events.
- In 2020, total donations were up by about 25 percent compared to 2019.
- Online donations grew by 25 percent.
Increased attendance and contributions to the HOPe Annual Dinner in 2019 by 20% over the past five years.
Content and Media Coverage:
- Maura designed a storytelling contract strategy with three different styles:
- Impact stories, highlighting how local nonprofit agencies utilize HOPe Foundation grants to create positive change.
- Stories of people, celebrating the local people who the recipients of HOPe funded programs and their success stories.
- Strength stories, showing positive changes in communities made possible by the HOPe Foundation.
- Select stories were published on the Huffington Post and the Irish Echo, and repurposed for LinkedIn and Facebook garnering 100’s of impressions and shares.
- Added 300 new followers to HOPe Facebook page through a series of strategic posts.
Strategic planning:
- Post AGM SWOT analysis, we delivered a strategic plan complete with action steps for 2019 to 2021.
- Established a scholarship program to engage members and provide a personal and trackable outlet for donation.
Earlier results (2011-2015) Maura partnered with HOPe and embarked on two field trips to assess and document major program grants in Ethiopia and Peru resulting in increased exposure and new members.
ETHIOPIA
- We created the HOPe in Ethiopia blog: http://hopeinethiopia.wordpress.com/ – a collection of personal stories and photos of people and projects from the field that were uploaded every evening. Engagement went up 50% with member base as they followed our Ethiopian trip.
- Created a video of HOPe in the Ethiopia trip. YouTube analytics reveal 713 views.
- Media coverage: published articles for the Huffington Post and LinkedIn on Ethiopia Journey.
- “A Parade of Humanity” https://www.huffpost.com/entry/a-parade-of-humanity-hiva_b_858543
- Advocate and campaign writer for Ethiopian journalist and former HOPe colleague exiled in Kenya. We helped him attain refugee status and resettlement to the United States. After a two-year period, Betre Yacob and his wife are living in Michigan.
- “Living in Exile – Ethiopian Journalist Betre Yacob Struggles”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/living-in-exile-ethiopian_b_6201470
PERU
- Media coverage: Created articles on Huffington Post and social media posts on Facebook about the field trip to the HOPe project in Peru.
- Article: “Where the Streets Have No Name”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/huaycan-lima-peru-education_b_2538206
- YouTube – “Morning Meditation” – Glimpse of morning meditation for preschoolers at Sr Rosa’s School and Community Center in HUAYCAN, a suburb of Lima, Peru. The building and school programs are funded by HOPe. YouTube analytics reveal over 427 views. https://youtu.be/SslTfEu2PQs
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