Paid Media for CYE 2025: Record Results, Real Impact  

In a year marked by rising CPCs, AI-driven platform shifts, and increased competition for donor attention, AGP’s Integrated Media Solutions (IMS) team delivered record-breaking results across nonprofit sectors. Our IMS team manages millions of dollars of paid media annually across every sector of the nonprofit industry, consistently exceeding industry benchmarks. Calendar Year-End of 2025 was no exception. Many clients saw record-breaking revenue growth and ROAS (return on ad spend) this year thanks to our innovative approach, custom campaigns, and steadfast optimizations. 

Major Trends and Insights

• Paid search remains essential and effective: Despite rising CPCs and ongoing platform volatility driven by AI and algorithm updates, our team drove success through proactive bid management, creative testing, and rapid budget reallocation, driving strong ROAS and revenue across every sector.
• Integration across channels is key: Omnichannel campaigns that are closely aligned with direct mail, email, and owned channels drive the most revenue. A greater impact was also seen when paid media targeted the entire donor funnel.
• Programmatic media fills the funnel: Programmatic digital media (display, native, CTV), especially campaigns with multiple tactics, drove ROAS that exceeded benchmarks across sectors. This channel is proving critical to filling the donor funnel with new, relevant audiences at scale.
• Influencer Marketing Tests Passed with Flying Colors: Pilot programs leveraging paid influencer content featuring local talent drove incredible ROAS and CPA figures, generating hundreds of new donors.
• All donor types are impacted by paid media: Paid media continues to be effective in driving new donors, upgrading current donors, and reactivating lapsed donors, often more effectively and efficiently than other channels.

Stand Out Examples

• A healthcare client’s integrated program continues to break records:
  • Showed a nearly 43% increase in last click revenue associated with paid media, with only a 10% increase in spend.
  • On December 31, programmatic media achieved a ROAS of $23, which is 36 times the industry benchmark for display advertising.
  • Paid search revenue was up 41% YoY.
  • 480% increase in paid social revenue.
• Integrated, full-funnel ad efforts for a national conservation organization drove a 16.4% increase in last-click revenue and a 113% increase in new monthly donors. This indicates that paid media is driving a higher-quality donor than before.
• Influencer campaign test proved effective: In December, we tested Paid Social campaigns leveraging Influencer content and Cameo endorsements for three clients. Across each campaign, Paid Social ads exclusively targeted prospect audiences. The campaigns combined to generate a $5.31 overall return on investment, with an overall cost-per-donor of $49.73.
• Integration and bid strategies drove success in the water and sanitation sector: Our client had a 61% YoY growth in revenue for paid media. That success has led us to already exceed all paid media revenue from FY25 in the first three months of FY26.
• Google is proving to be effective for Public Media: One of our NPR station clients executed a paid media campaign across Google PMAX and Paid Search, which drove a ROAS 11 times the industry benchmark.
• New clients are feeling the benefit of working with AGP: A new client in the food bank space has exceeded the full prior fiscal year’s revenue by almost 200% in the first 6 months of working with AGP’s paid media team.
• Paid media revenue in the food bank sector continues to grow dramatically.

Keys to Our Success

• Data-Driven Targeting: Leveraging first-, second-, and third-party data to reach high-intent audiences while minimizing waste.
• Always-On Optimization: Continuous bid, budget, and channel adjustments throughout the campaigns to respond to performance shifts in real time.
• Purpose-Built Creative: Seasonal, mission-aligned creative customized for each organization—not templated campaigns.
• Robust Media Mix: While success can be achieved through smaller campaigns, it is even greater when smart, strategic investments are made across multiple platforms.
• An Eye Toward Innovation: As digital programs have continued to grow and scale, we’ve consistently tested new tactics to acquire donors and revenue with exceptional results.