The team at the City Club of Cleveland harnessed their deep understanding of their audience to successfully raise funds for relocating to a new home and boosting their endowment through the Guardians of Free Speech Campaign. This achievement was not just a product of time and history, but also a testament to their unwavering commitment to the mission and their passion for ensuring everyone grasped the vision. So, how did they mobilize these assets for the Campaign?
City Club of Cleveland Guardians of Free Speech Campaign
"We were always intent on honoring the past and bringing it forward to inform the vision for the future. Change can be hard for people, so we tried to always tell the story of what was happening as part of the 100-plus-year evolution of a treasured institution that, from its inception was constantly innovating to meet the changing needs of its community," says Dan Moulthrop, CEO of The City Club of Cleveland.
The City Club was intentional about recruiting co-chairs and a campaign committee that had insight into campaign funding, yes, but who also represented their audiences. They broadened their donor base by making it clear from the start of the campaign that the City Club of Cleveland and the Guardians campaign is for all people, now and for generations to come.
They kept their priority campaign prospects front and center for every staff and campaign committee meeting. Activating the partnership with Inbloom for recommendations and research, each campaign stage came with its own list of potential donors to engage at the appropriate giving levels.
Campaign messaging was complementary to organizational messaging and at the same time, its look, feel, narrative, and conveyed its level of urgency.
The City Club activated these strategies through written and verbal delivery from the CEO, board, and campaign committee, and visually presented on their campaign website and video. View the Campaign Website Home | Guardians of Free Speech Campaign
