Doctors Without Borders

An intermediate giving strategy boosts revenue.

As part of ST’s long-running management of fundraising programs for Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), we introduced an intermediate giving program that operated in tandem with their recurring donor campaigns but included: more personalization; campaign-style formats; longer letters with higher-end production; and customized gift matrices.

Targetting prospects for upgrading to intermediate giving was achieved through ongoing and rigorous data analysis, testing and application of direct response best practices. Over a 5-year period, ST created a variety of multi-channel campaigns focused on acquiring and retaining mid-level donors.

Investing in an
intermediate
donor strategy
pays off.

Our mid-level donor strategy provided a significant source of additional revenue, produced cost-effective ROI and primed these segments for major and planned giving.

Net revenue in direct marketing increased by 57%
40% of mid-level donors were acquired and upgraded through direct marketing and telemarketing
As of March 2018, these donors — who gave a cumulative amount of $500 to $5,000 annually – accounted for 30% of all revenue for MSF

Across the board, our campaigns effectively brought MSF’s mission to life, optimizing the emotional connection between being an MSF supporter and actually helping people in crisis. We truly valued the working relationship we had with ST.

– Conan Maclean, former Fundraising Manager, MSF Canada