"Within the first hour of our event, GiveSmart paid for itself and then some. We raised over $13,000 after the first 30 minutes of displaying the live event thermometer at our annual Ner Tamid gala. If you don’t utilize a live thermometer at your fundraising event, you’re leaving money on the table."
Products
Key Features
Donations
$32,365
total raised
124
total gifts received from donors
$261
average gift size
Before [GiveSmart], Solomon Schechter had no way to accept donations at fundraising events other than checks or cash, which created significant extra work for donors and staff. They needed a better way for Millennial-aged parents to donate to its fundraising events more easily.
Challenge & Solution
Solomon Schecter’s Development Officer, Sherri Pliskin, was the first to hear of [GiveSmart]. After seeing another nonprofit organization display a [GiveSmart] live fundraising thermometer at their event, she was impressed with the platform. She decided Solomon Schecter needed their own for their upcoming Annual Ner Tamid Gala. Ner Tamid is Solomon’s annual fundraising gala for parents, students, staff, and school supporters, and hosts between 200 and 300 attendees. After extensive research and comparison, Sherri chose [GiveSmart] for the fundraising thermometer’s ease of use and donors’ ability to give effortlessly from their seats in any amount, via text-to-donate keywords and a shortcode.
Results
Within the first hour of Ner Tamid, [GiveSmart] paid for itself and then some, as the keynote speaker raised over $13,000 through the fundraising event thermometer. During the following year’s Gala, the live fundraising thermometer raised $18,000 the first hour it was displayed! The school credits the thermometer’s success to the ease of texting to donate to their parents and supporters. The excitement of seeing donors’ names in real-time on the thermometer’s screen also encouraged more in-the-moment giving. Sherri was impressed by her entire experience with [GiveSmart], including the training provided to set up and operate their live fundraising thermometer, text-to-donate, and even script talking points.
With the partnership of [GiveSmart], the live fundraising thermometer, and text-to-donate at their Annual Ner Tamid campaign, Solomon Schechter surpassed their event goal of $18,000, raising a total of $32,365 from 124 donors.