BEST SUPPORTER EXPERIENCE Australian

Red Cross

A new midvalue supporter experience

Team

Lenny Elario

Karl Uhrich

Vanessa Byrne MFIA

Michelle Lesco

Kim Batchelor

In recent years, Australian Red Cross has faced a fundamental challenge. Through the isolation of COVID-19 to the community impacts climate disasters, humanitarian needs have been growing. They needed to double financial support over the next five years to tackle these big picture problems. Red Cross partnered with Marlin Communications to introduce compelling mid-value cases for support across the 2021 tax and festive single-gift campaigns. Mid-value giving grew exponentially by $1.3m to three campaigns in nine months. To the 2021 festive appeal, mid-value donors increased their giving by $523K – a 116% growth YOY - driven by a 17% increase in direct mail response. It reflects the efforts to create rich, story-driven experiences with a stronger case for support tied to their specific philanthropic motivations. They also included an online event with a panel of Red Cross experts explaining the donor’s role in helping restore families torn apart by conflict and disaster.

To the 2022 tax campaign, mid-value giving increased by $490K – a 37% growth YOY. A brand-new fundraising product was also created, the Red Cross 50, geared to mid donors’ needs. They were invited to pledge $5,000 each year for three years. Against a $250K target, the pilot raised $292K and stewardship is ongoing with another 90 donors.

They are tracking far ahead of the target to double overall single gift income in five years and the new mid-value supporter experience is the powerhouse force behind it.

The future waits for no one

You expect the unexpected. You act rather than react. You see solutions where others see problems. You look towards the future, taking learnings from the past.

And, you’re here to act for humanity, no matter what lies ahead.