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Madison Education Foundation

Fueling a 200% increase in donations

When a local organization needed to compete on a national stage, we transformed a day of giving into a day of local pride. To help the Madison Education Foundation reach its enrollment goals, we reimagined the Giving Tuesday campaign with a unique twist, encouraging residents and community members to “Give Local.” Through targeted messaging and community outreach, we not only elevated awareness of the foundation but also drove a 200% increase in donations compared to the previous year.

 

The challenge

The Madison Education Foundation, a local nonprofit, often struggles to compete with large, well-funded national charities. While its mission — to enhance classroom learning through teacher-initiated grants — resonated within small local circles, the organization lacked the reach to amplify its voice across the broader community. As a result, it was frequently overlooked during high-volume giving days, particularly on Giving Tuesday, when many donors defaulted to established national organizations.

Insights

Donors want to see the impact their donations make. Connecting their gift to measurable impact in the community can redefine their gifting strategy.

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The solution

We created a hyper-targeted campaign focused on transforming a national day of giving into a chance to “Give Local:”  

1

Developed a campaignable brand — creating an identifiable “Give Local” logo that connected and evolved the “Giving Tuesday” brand

2

Localized the impact of the organization — demonstrating dollar-for-dollar how each donation was used to enhance the local education system

3

Created FOMO and social proof content — sharing real-time donation milestones and testimonials from local teachers

4

Built urgency across channels — leveraging countdowns and hashtags we created momentum for one-day donations across multiple channels

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The work

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SOCIAL POSTS
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BRANDING
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The results

200% INCREASE
in donations from the previous year
 

EXPANDED
donor base

Built repeatable
ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN

Drove
INCREASED ENGAGEMENT
across social media platforms

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Takeaway

By focusing on a hyper-local narrative and turning Giving Tuesday into a local event, the Madison Education Foundation not only increased donations but also strengthened its relationship with the community. This approach created a repeatable model for future campaigns and showcased the power of targeted social strategies to compete with national charities.

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