For nearly 50 years, Community Health Network Foundation (Community) has been transforming community health by delivering impactful patient and caregiver programs across more than 200 Community Health Network sites. Community drives nonprofit healthcare forward with a comprehensive approach focused on improving the well-being of Central Indiana. 

The Situation

The Foundation fuels its programs through the generosity of a strong donor base. Recognizing that a robust mid-level donor strategy could amplify their major gift efforts and inspire donors to give more, Community partnered with Allegiance Group + Pursuant. Together, they uncovered key insights to build a thriving mid-level donor program.  

Through GivingDNA — a powerful fundraising analytics, data visualization, and wealth profiling tool — the team identified strategic engagement and movement opportunities for mid-level donors. 

Community Health Network’s foundation is built on a deep commitment to community. Determined to care for neighbors facing health challenges, Community’s founders went door-to-door, rallying donations to launch a community hospital. Today, strategists continue this legacy by crafting donor experiences rooted in service and gratitude — focusing on hyper-individualized, long-term relationship building and meaningful connections. 

The Work

Using GivingDNA, the team identified key opportunities within the mid-level donor segment, developing a strategic framework to maximize giving and deepen engagement.

• Prospects: Using donor behavior, demographics, giving history, and capacity, Community identified individuals whose charitable interests aligned with their mission. This allowed them to deliver personalized donor experiences tailored to specific needs.
• Stewardship: A donor-centric approach with high-touch communications, delivered through preferred channels, strengthened engagement by connecting donors directly to the impact of their gifts.
• Pre-Lapsed Donors: By leveraging donor health indicators, Community proactively identified and re-engaged at-risk donors before they lapsed, improving retention.
• Additional Opportunities: Data analysis revealed opportunity segments primed for major gifts, planned giving, and even crypto donations. Aligning outreach with donors’ channel preferences allowed Community to create individualized experiences that positioned donors as true partners in the mission.

This strategic approach informed every donor interaction, ensuring budget dollars were spent effectively — delivering the right message, to the right audience, in the right way.

To further strengthen relationships, Community Health Network Foundation implemented donor impact initiatives such as:

• Foundation one-pagers detailing when and to what program a donor gave
• Organizational news updates
• Handwritten milestone notes
• Personalized videos addressing donors by name
• Congratulatory messages for personal achievements
• Birthday and anniversary recognitions
• Giving Tuesday thank-you calls

By prioritizing stewardship over solicitation, Community not only fostered deeper connections but also significantly improved donor retention. When an ask was made, it came in the form of a carefully curated, highly personalized proposal from the VP — reinforcing the donor’s value and their impact on the mission.

The Results

• Community Health Network Foundation’s development team successfully re-engaged lapse-risk donors before they lapsed. This boosted mid-level donor reactivation by 15%.
• The team focused on long-term relationship building and continuous engagement to retain 71% of mid-level donors.
• They also developed individualized donor acceleration plans, stewarding donors who were interested in contributing at a more transformational level.

Armed with powerful insights, Community Health Network Foundation is primed to accelerate the growth of its mid-level donor program. High-touch, personalized communications keep mid-level donors deeply connected to the mission — neighbors helping neighbors to ensure healthcare for all. Through strategic engagement and thoughtful stewardship, Community highlights the lasting impact of mid-level gifts, creating more meaningful donor experiences that drive sustained growth.