May/June 2008

Paul Anderson Youth Home Uses Integrated eCRM and Strategic Approach to Broaden its Reach and Impact

Established in 1961 in Vidalia, Georgia, the Paul Anderson Youth Home (PAYH) provides Christian rehabilitation for young men seeking an alternative to incarceration. Since its inception, the PAYH's ministry has directly served over 1,000 young people as well as their families. As a religious-based charity, the PAYH does not accept local, state or federal funds, depending instead on the support of individuals, corporations, organizations, churches, and foundations.

Prior to working with Convio, the organization experienced brand recognition and fundraising challenges. With an aging and dying donor base, the PAYH needed to reach a larger audience. The organization had a static Web site and 850 email addresses, relying solely on direct mail.

To expand its reach, strengthen its brand and increase donor revenue, the PAYH turned to Convio for tools and strategic advice for communications and development. Using Convio's online fundraising, eCommerce, event management solutions and Client Success Services team, the organization has grown a strictly offline direct response program of 850 email addresses into an integrated online constituent relationship (eCRM) approach that has resulted in more than 6,000 email addresses — a 700% increase in its online constituency. The organization has increased devotional subscriptions from 50 to more than 2,000 subscribers and achieved a 398% growth rate in newsletter signups, from 973 to 4,842 subscribers. Its 2007 Paul Anderson Cycling Challenge brought in $50,000, more than half of which was donated online.

The PAYH uses Convio Fundraising, Rewards and Convio eCommerce to manage merchandise sales and provide an additional channel to purchase publications that benefit families while supporting the organization's programs and services. Using Convio Event Calendar, the PAYH is able to provide constituents with online RSVPs, ticket purchasing, and online registration for fundraising events such as the Paul Anderson Golf Classic, which since 1994 has been a major source of meeting the PAYH's Annual Fund. Working with Convio's Client Success Services provides the PAYH with strategic and interactive campaign consulting and analytics to maximize donor conversion.

"Choosing Convio has been the best decision I've made in terms of marketing and development," said Drew Read, Chief Operations Officer for the Paul Anderson Youth Home. "Our relationship with Convio has changed the way we communicate and do development. Working with Convio has helped us broaden the reach and impact of our ministry, taking us from 'the best kept secret' in our area to the most visible and well known charity in our surrounding region."

For more information on how organizations like the Paul Anderson Youth Home are reducing costs, improving communication, growing email lists, increasing online donations, and motivating constituents through Convio's Internet fundraising, advocacy and email marketing solutions, see Convio's client success stories.