"As I sit there pedaling on the bike and see names scroll on the screen, I can see everybody who gives. I keep it in front of me because it motivates me."
Products
Key Features
Donations
$1,000,000
collected
86%Â
gift fulfillment
63,600+
donors engaged
Steve Harvey announced the Steve Harvey Ride for Charity fundraising campaign on his nationally syndicated radio show, The Steve Harvey Morning Show. As a promotion for this campaign and throughout the month-long ride, Mr. Harvey promised to exercise on a stationary bicycle, treadmill, or elliptical in his Chicago studio for the duration of his daily radio show — four hours a day, five days a week, to raise awareness and money for his mentoring program benefiting young men and women. While he exercised, he planned to encourage supporters to donate to his text-to-give campaign. He promised that 100% of all donations raised would go directly to the cause.Â
Challenge & Solution
The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation used GiveSmart to set up a text-to-give campaign. Mr. Harvey instructed listeners to donate by using the text-to-give keyword STEVE to 91999 or by going to harveyfoundation.com. They also customized the campaign’s mobile-friendly online donation form to show $1 as the lowest gift amount to encourage gifts of any size. As donations came in, they appeared on a live fundraising thermometer displayed in the studio, allowing Mr. Harvey to announce gift amounts and thank donors in real time. Every donor who texted the keyword was also subscribed to receive text message updates from their foundation.Â
Results
The Steve Harvey Ride for Charity was a huge success. Exactly 63,679 donors donated $1,013,102 online and via the text-to-give keyword through Facebook Live, Periscope, and radio. GiveSmart’s follow-up text solution resulted in the fulfillment of 86% of text donations. This money went towards the mentoring program for at-risk youths that Steve Harvey captains.Â