When we first met the Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind, we thought it would be so great for them to have cute puppies to bring to events and meetings. Nope. The group’s work with dogs and blind vets all happens in Israel.
But as it turned out, it was that restriction that made us look for a better reason to give. And we found it. IGD donors don’t give to create adorable, well-trained guide dogs. They give to create independence for blind Israelis. Hearing stories of the productive, fulfilling lives that are restored after partnering with a guide dog trained in their language inspires US-based donors to give over and over.
In our initial project, we segmented the letter to provide a version customized for lapsed donors. Not only did the story hit home with regular donors, the funds raised from re-activated donors increased an incredible 566 percent.
