Case Studies
In the highly competitive non-profit arena of Northwest Arkansas, the Susan G. Komen Ozark Affiliate vies against hundreds of other organizations for coveted donor dollars. Fundraising events are thick and donor availability becomes more limited each year as mainstays grow in popularity and startups jump on the bandwagon. As a result, any non-profit aspiring to grow and prosper must think beyond the common avenues to stand out as the premier non-profit organization of the area.
With its entire operation resting on a single, one-day Race for the Cure event each year, the Ozark Affiliate experienced a public presence that waned noticeably once Race Day concluded. While the Race event itself received excellent publicity and was well attended, the Affiliate lost valuable traction during the nearly nine months in which the Race was not being promoted. And, though several events had been incorporated into Race Day to increase donor potential, nothing existed beyond the Race to keep the Affiliate in the public eye or to keep it high on the list of donor priorities.
LiveLight! began working with the Affiliate prior to the 2005 Race for the Cure, introducing a year-round awareness strategy designed to keep the organization active in the community throughout the entire year. In addition, LiveLight! created a cohesive, professional look and feel for all the Affiliate's collateral materials, including posters, advertising, and even a website with online Race registration and donation capabilities. The combination of a polished look, strategic materials, recurring publicity efforts and press events placed the Affiliate at the head of a long line of non-profits, enticing donors to contribute on an ongoing basis and stirring up interest in Race participation at steadily increasing rates.
Since 2004 when LiveLight! began working with the Affiliate, Race participation has increased by approximately 1,000 new participants each year, and total dollars raised has increased by nearly half a million dollars.
In fact, the Affiliate's goal for its 10th Anniversary year is to raise $1 Million, which will place it in direct competition with other Affiliates in significantly larger MSAs, such as New York City and Chicago.
