National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, supporting millions of Americans affected by mental illness. For 35 years, the organization has maintained a nationwide crisis hotline and referral network, connecting people living with mental illness, their family members and caregivers, mental health providers and the public with local resources along with NAMI programs. 

Through an alliance of more than 600 local affiliates and 49 state organizations, NAMI works within communities to increase mental health awareness and education. NAMI advocates for federal and state resources and programs to support stronger mental health communities. 

NAMI envisions a world where all people affected by mental illness live healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares. 

The Situation

Planned giving has been a consistent part of NAMI’s donor communications strategy. The organization recognizes that about 75% of planned gifts come from mass market programs and actively mails their donor base. NAMI partnered with Allegiance Group + Pursuant to qualify its planned giving prospects. 

The Work

The team leveraged GivingDNA, a powerful, all-in-one fundraising analytics, data visualization, and wealth screening tool, to drive a more targeted approach. We then created a more personal experience to engage donors and build a higher response rate. 

Targeting and Segmentation 

Segmenting over 40,000 donors, we identified 6,000 donors most likely to engage with planned giving content. This empowered NAMI’s donor team to focus resources on engaging the strongest prospects. 

Package Redesign 

We built a warmer, more personal mailer on top of the existing brochure. We customized it with cream colored linen stock, handwriting font and minimalist design. The inside featured a letter with a handwritten note, business card and a picture of the development team member with her dog. The redesigned package created a stronger personal connection.  

The Results

• The mailing generated an unexpected $17,000 in direct response revenue – up from $3,000.
• We delivered a 55% increase in qualified planned donor leads for follow-up with the development team.