How Grand Rapids Public Museum Raised 130% of Their Event Goal with Bloomerang
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
At Grand Rapids Public Museum, preserving and sharing the stories of West Michigan is more than a mission—it is a purpose. As a hub of education and inspiration for the local community, the museum relies heavily on effective fundraising to continue its vital work. That’s where Bloomerang’s Giving Platform stepped in, transforming their fundraising efforts with precision and purpose—resulting in 130% of their gala fundraising goal raised.
CHALLENGE
Losing valuable time to manual data entry
The Grand Rapids Public Museum needed a robust, time-saving tool that streamlined donor data management, minimized errors, and optimized constituent engagement. Previously, manual data entry processes with the Greater Giving platform left room for inefficiencies and inaccuracies, which made it difficult to gain a full view of donor participation across events.
As Development Administrative Database Manager, Betsey Ingraham supports the museum’s development and fundraising initiatives, overseeing their donor database and event technology. She knew that solving the challenge of manual data entry and improving donor engagement required a more unified and intuitive solution.
SOLUTION
An integrated donor management system
Bloomerang’s all-in-one Giving Platform was the game-changer that Grand Rapids Public Museum needed. The museum can now automatically sync constituent information gathered during fundraising events directly into their CRM, ensuring accurate donor profiles across all activities.
“It allows us to streamline our processes so we don’t have to enter constituent information manually, and it minimizes the chance of errors in our database,” Ingraham explained. “Our constituent profiles are now more robust and show us a fuller picture of their engagement with our organization.”
Another standout feature was the customization, which empowered Ingraham and her team to create a cohesive look and feel for their online presence, enhancing the donor experience. Despite having no prior design expertise, Ingraham found the platform user-friendly and flexible enough to create visually appealing forms that reflected the museum’s brand. “We love the customization provided within the platform. It makes it possible for us to have cohesive branding and create the best experience possible for our end users. I’m not a web or graphic designer, but creating the look we want has been very user-friendly,” added Ingraham.
RESULTS
Fundraising goals exceeded actionable future insights
Bloomerang didn’t just simplify processes—it contributed to tangible success. “Our organization hosts our two largest fundraising events in the fall and spring every year,” said Ingraham. “When we decided to switch from Greater Giving to Bloomerang’s platform to increase our auction efforts, the gala was highly successful, raising over 130% of our goal, thanks to the help of Bloomerang.”
Bloomerang’s responsiveness to feedback also stood out to Ingraham, deepening her trust in the platform and ensuring their tools will continue to evolve to meet the museum’s growing needs. “The attention that the support team gives to our feedback and concerns has been amazing,” Ingraham emphasized. “Working with an organization that not only asks for feedback, but implements improvements based on that feedback keeps us with Bloomerang!”
“I look forward to expanding our use and implementation of donation forms as we continue to grow.” Setting sights on the future, Ingraham knows that Bloomerang’s Giving Platform will allow her team to focus on what matters most—engaging donors, cultivating relationships, and advancing the museum’s mission to inspire passionate curiosity and deeper understanding of the world.
“Bloomerang’s integrated Giving Platform allows us to streamline our processes so we don’t have to enter constituent information manually, and it minimizes the chance of errors in our database. Our constituent profiles are now more robust and show us a fuller picture of their engagement with our organization.”
of fundraising goal raised
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