For more than 50 years, the Lynchburg Humane Society (LHS) has been dedicated to helping pets through sheltering, adoption, spay/neuter programs, education, and community outreach.
The Challenge
The former LHS facility was unwelcoming and unsuitable for the future animals of this region. The Lynchburg Humane Society Board committed to developing a new humane care and education center. With a vision of achieving zero tolerance for ending the lives of saveable pets in the Lynchburg community, the LHS launched an ambitious capital campaign to raise $4.8 million to build a new no-kill shelter and education center. LHS needed an agency that would partner with them from strategy to execution of an awareness and fundraising campaign.
The Solution
Working with LHS administration and board leadership, OneHum developed a marketing and fundraising campaign strategy to reach two key audiences to help achieve the total goal: large donors during the “silent phase, and the public at large. We updated the strategy to facilitate immediate giving when a generous donor stepped in with a $1 million short-term challenge grant.
We began our work with storytelling – developing a compelling message, imagery, a campaign logo, and 3D renderings to help prospective donors envision the future: a new, no-kill facility. With this foundation in place, we developed the campaign brochure, web content, attention-getting videos, direct mail letters and postcards, fundraising tools including pledge cards and remittance envelopes, social media, radio PSAs, and print advertising. We also provided media relations and event support, garnering high visibility for the project and strong community and donor engagement.
Within six months of the issuing of the $1 million challenge grant, the community exceeded the goal through cash gifts and pledges. In addition, the LHS exceeded its $4.8 million goal and broke ground on the new facility.
