Our Story
Helping charities raise money for more than 40 years.
Our story of proven, innovative thinking began with our founder, Steve Thomas. Steve introduced direct mail fundraising to Canada by developing the first ever direct mail program for Oxfam Canada back in the 1970s. At the time, truly innovative.
More than 40 years later, innovation continues to be the driving force at ST and the foundation for everything we do to address specific challenges facing our sector and your organization — whether you’re in Canada, the United States or on the other side of the world.
Here are top 5 examples:
ST was among the first to deliver data analytics in the form of a File Audit with insightful commentary. Clients rely on our analytics to help them plan for the future. We measure what matters. Inspired by data insights, our analytics include recommendations that help our clients raise more money.
The work we do around donor and brand insights to help charities differentiate themselves, emotionally connect donors to their cause, and raise more money, is another ST game-changer. Bringing your brand to life in fundraising direct marketing channels can make a huge difference to your acquisition and retention efforts.
ST was at the forefront of the digital revolution, too, uncovering new ways to use it as a fundraising tool. In fact, we’re still out front with digital campaigns that actually work, raising real money for our clients. ST recently helped a charity that provides services for the homeless find more “Monthlies” (or as our friends south of the border call them, “Sustainers”) through an integrated social media campaign.
Every year ST hosts an annual digital fundraising conference for non-profit marketers and fundraisers. New ideas are brought forward by provocative international speakers and our own renowned experts who challenge and inspire our audiences every year. We call it Digital Leap and we just celebrated our 11th year.
Innovations can be small, like recommending an historically successful, long-standing premium be reduced in size by a ¼” to save the client thousands of dollars. Or they can be large innovations like developing a multi-media campaign for an international development organization that:
- Paid for itself in the first 4 weeks it was live
- Attracted unprecedented earned media and
- Raised more money without cannibalizing from the client’s regular program (which ST also built from scratch).
