Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina supports a diverse region across 34 counties and is continually seeking new ways to connect with donors who reflect the communities it serves.
Northern Illinois Food Bank serves communities in 13 counties across Northern Illinois, providing food access through a large network of partner agencies. Like many food banks, it relies on year-end giving and ongoing donor acquisition to meet rising community needs.
450+
new gifts made
$15.93
ROAS, 13 x more than benchmark
$17.34
CPA, 5+ x lower than benchmark
The Situation
Both food banks were looking for new, scalable ways to acquire first-time donors beyond traditional lookalike and charitable-audience targeting. The goal was to prospect entirely new audiences using authentic, culturally relevant content that could be turned into high-performing acquisition ads. All campaigns were designed primarily for new donor acquisition rather than retargeting existing supporters.
The Work
AGP’s Integrated Media Solutions team launched a series of influencer-driven paid social campaigns during December, testing three complementary approaches:
- Local Influencers: Partnering with food-focused creators and community voices to produce authentic, food-centric content aligned with each food bank’s mission.
- Cameo Endorsements: Leveraging short-form video endorsements from well-known athletes to tap into local sports fandom and seasonal urgency.
- Promotional Partnerships: Collaborating with respected local chefs to create exclusive recipes and related content that doubled as donation drivers
For the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, the campaign combined paid social ads featuring four local influencers, a Cameo endorsement from a NASCAR driver, and promotional partnerships with three local chefs. Influencers and partners were provided with talking points and creative direction, while maintaining their authentic voice. The resulting content was amplified through paid social to function as a true acquisition engine.
For Northern Illinois Food Bank, the focus was on Cameo endorsements from three Chicago-area sports legends. These short, authentic videos were transformed into paid social ads aimed squarely at new audiences, excluding existing donors to ensure true acquisition.
This was all about new donor acquisition. AGP was instrumental in finding audiences beyond our traditional donor base and aligning content with the communities’ interests. Influencer and endorsement content didn’t just raise awareness; it made money and beat every benchmark we track. Bear Down and Go Blackhawks!
Steve christensen
Director of Annual Fund and Donor Relations, Northern Illinois Food Bank
The Results
Across both food banks, influencer-driven acquisition campaigns consistently outperformed industry benchmarks and validated influencer marketing as a viable fundraising channel.
Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina
- Generated 136 new gifts through paid social influencer content
- Achieved a $4.74 return on ad spend, nearly four times the sector benchmark.
- Delivered a $44.85 cost per acquisition, more than two times lower than the benchmark.
Northern Illinois Food Bank
- Generated 346 new gifts from Cameo-based paid social ads.
- Achieved a $15.93 return on ad spend, more than 13 times the sector benchmark.
- Delivered a $17.34 cost per acquisition, more than five times lower than the benchmark.
- Produced an overall ROI of $12.23, even after accounting for endorsement and media costs.
