Genesis Community Health: GiveSmart Success Story

When the COVID-19 outbreak began in early 2020, many nonprofits, such as Genesis Community Health, were forced to halt their in-person fundraising events. Genesis Community Health converted their in-person dinner and meet-and-greet with HGTV’s Boise Boys into an entirely virtual event just 30 days before the event date. They needed a way to know who registered, provide a meal, and showcase their entertainment online. 

Challenge & Solution

Genesis turned their in-person event into a virtual one and still provided a meal and a live Q&A with HGTV’s Boise Boys, Luke Caldwell and Clint Robertson. The organization reached out to Chick-fil-A to request gift cards for attendees. Genesis asked guests to “purchase” a free ticket so they could track who would be attending and reach out to major donors who had not registered. The ticket form included the option for supporters to submit a question to the Boise Boys and request a Chick-fil-A gift card to use on the event night to have a meal while they watched the virtual event. They secured their special guests by sending a request to HGTV corporate, and the two stars agreed due to a shared vision of transforming lives (and houses). 

Along with the dedicated GiveSmart team, Genesis Community Health created their Event Page with updated details on their virtual fundraiser. Guests who registered online by purchasing a free ticket could opt to receive a gift card in the mail to be used for a meal during the event. This also allowed the organization to contact major donors with a personal invite if they hadn’t already registered. Guests were also allowed to submit questions in advance to the Boise Boys to help create a live feel for the festivities. 

On the day of the fundraiser, Genesis Community Health went live from a local church studio on their Event Page using YouTube. They showcased their progress circle and donor wall prominently both online and during the event to encourage more giving. Videos during the event highlighted their mission, services, interviews with beneficiaries, and tours of their community facilities. Genesis CEO Steven D. Davis spoke on behalf of the organization, making a passionate appeal and highlighting their text-to-donate feature, which allows supporters to give from anywhere. He also thanked and recognized donors and sponsors, which helped inspire giving. The real highlight was when the Boise Boys came to the studio, answered guests’ questions, and shared stories of their connection to and admiration of Genesis Community Health. 

Results

Through the convenience and ease of GiveSmart’s online fundraising tools, Genesis Community Health raised over $35,000 from 173 donors with a fun and unique virtual fundraising event that over 500 guests viewed both within and outside of their Idaho community. They saw a 73% increase in attendees and grossed more funds than their in-person benefit the previous year. Thanks to the virtual event, Genesis Community Health can continue providing much-needed medical services to those at risk during the pandemic.