JDRF is leading the fight against type 1 diabetes (T1D) by funding research, advocating for policies that accelerate access to new therapies, and providing a support network for millions of people around the world impacted by T1D.

The Challenge

Like many legacy organizations, JDRF’s longstanding direct mail program was largely transactional — focused on the bottom of the giving pyramid. While some donors might give in a subsequent renewal, most burned out over time.

To reverse that trend, JDRF partnered with Allegiance Group + Pursuant by taking steps to understand which donors are truly embracing JDRF’s mission. This would allow them to maximize their investment in direct mail by building that core group, and also elevating efforts to renew specific lapsed segments.

By taking time to understand the motivations of their donors, JDRF was able to start implementing changes to their direct mail program quickly. While it took time to transform their program from transactional premium-based donors to transformational passion-oriented donors, their commitment to cultivating the right donors with the right message has made a tremendous impact in the long run.

The Solution

Based on the insights discovered in the research, Allegiance Group + Pursuant began by injecting all of JDRF’s appeals with stronger storytelling about people living with T1D and key updates around advances and breakthroughs that JDRF helped make happen. Additional stewardship touches were also added, including postcards twice a year and outbound recorded phone messages.

It took several years to grow a core group of passion-oriented donors who did not need a premium incentive to give; those who could be counted on to give a gift even without getting one. As a result, the response rate for all appeals hovered around 8% the first year. But a close look at renewal appeals revealed a tale of two programs. There were wide variances — between 2 and 10 % — for premium versus non-premium and between lapsed versus current/core donors. It was clear that donors who hadn’t given in the last 25 to 36 months were dragging down the renewal campaigns.

Therefore, in the second phase of the program transition, donors who had been lapsed more than 36 months were moved from acquisition mailings to renewal mailings in an effort to reactivate them. Since renewal packages are costly, the list was narrowed down to just a key segment of the 13-36 months lapsed group: multi-year donors who gave certain amounts.

The Results

All of those changes moved the metrics needle. The response rate was 14% higher than projections and 10% over prior year-to-date. The average gift amount was also 8% above projections and 3.5% year-over-year. The most notable area impacted by JDRF’s new approach is retention. The organization’s donor retention rate is now an impressive 50% for the overall direct mail program and a whopping 64% among the key 13-36 months lapsed donors. “Pursuant helped us shake the trees to reveal our strongest general fund supporters,” says Krista Byers, National Director of Annual Giving. “Their strategies to increase donor loyalty have nurtured that group, while efforts to win back lapsed donors were effective when we started doing a better job of showing why it’s so important to continue supporting our fight to create a world without T1D.”

Therefore, in the second phase of the program transition, donors who had been lapsed more than 36 months were moved from acquisition mailings to renewal mailings in an effort to reactivate them. Since renewal packages are costly, the list was narrowed down to just a key segment of the 13-36 months lapsed group: multi-year donors who gave certain amounts.