Case Study: Goodwill and UNICEF expand on successful fundraising platforms
Summary
Goodwill and UNICEF both use previous platforms of successful fundraising to expand and integrate new ways of engaging people. By taking what they’re known for in their retail stores—used clothes—Goodwill attracts customers for Halloween costumes and also expands this to parties and awareness through social media. UNICEF, an organization dedicated to helping children around the world, built an interactive element to their already noticeable and founded “Trick-or-Treat” campaign.
Challenge
How to see opportunities to expand already founded campaigns to gain momentum and attention to your organization.
Goodwill Methods & Results
Goodwill Industries International focuses on enhancing the dignity and quality of life of individuals, families, and communities by eliminating barriers to opportunity and helping people in need reach their fullest potential through the power of work. They have over 2,500 retail stores and an online auction site, helping this mission.
“Traditionally, October is our highest retail month,” Charlene Sarmiento, a spokeswoman at the Rockville, Md., headquarters said. “People are always looking for affordable costumes and we’re happy to give them that opportunity. In addition to people looking for costumes, we also get plenty of Halloween decorations and costumes.”
In the past two years, October was the highest sales month for Goodwill, according to Sarmiento, representing about 10 percent of the year’s total sales. Second to October is typically March, which earned about 8.5 percent of total revenue in 2009 and 2010.
“We have really seen an uptick of people coming in the past five years,” she said. “We have been trying to use social media to alert our friends and followers of various Halloween events happening at our stores.”
Among the events that have expanded Goodwill’s engagement with donors are “Ghoulwill Balls.” Usually held the week before Halloween, these are costume parties that include auctions, dancing and “spooky entertainment.”
Goodwill Industries of Redwood Empire in Santa Rose, Calif., has had particular success with these events, according to Stephanie Munson, director of donor relations and development. Their 2010 event sold out -- raising $38,300 -- and this year was projected as another sellout.
“Halloween really works best for us,” she said. “It really was the primary reason why we did these fundraising events around Halloween. Another Goodwill affiliate had the idea, but we made it our own.”
UNICEF Methods & Results
For more than 60 years, UNICEF has instituted a “Trick-or-Treat” campaign, where kids were inspired to collect coins for UNICEF to aid children abroad enduring the after-effects of World War II. A distinctive orange box, comparable to the Salvation Army’s red kettle, demarcated their campaign later. Since it’s inception, Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF has raised $164 million.
This past Halloween, UNICEF expanded this campaign to online activity. They set up a “virtual costume party” where supporters were encouraged to upload a photograph of themselves and apply a “costume” provided by UNICEF.
“We have had to make sure the program maintains its historical authenticity, by encouraging kids to help other kids,” Caryl Stern, president and CEO of UNICEF USA in New York City, said. “At the same time, kids don’t play like the way they used to. I wanted the program to be hip enough and fun enough, while not giving up who we are.”
The images came in three different tiers—the most basic being free and as they became more elaborate, a donation of $5 or $10 was required. UNICEF also utilized Facebook and other social media platforms for the participants to share photos. They projected to raise more than $20,000. More than 1,500 costumes have been created since the campaign launched Oct. 3.
Another incorporation of the online space was UNICEF’s use of a smart phone app last year that encouraged users to carve a pumpkin.
“We try to target families with our trick-or-treating campaign,” Stern said. “It’s the opportunity for parents to have a conversation on why philanthropy is important. ‘Fun’ and ‘philanthropy’ do not have to be exclusive terms. It doesn’t have to be painful. You can do fun things and help people.”
Published by The Fundraising Journal 2011
Sources
http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/article/detail/scaring-up-revenue-for-halloween-4173
https://unicefcostumeparty.org/CostumeCreator
http://www.unicefusa.org/about/
http://www.goodwill.org/about-us/our-mission/
Return to Newsletter
Return To Top
