How Hiram House Camp Raised 10x More with Bloomerang’s Unified Giving Platform
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Hiram House Camp, Ohio’s oldest children’s camp, is more than just your typical summer camp. With outdoor education, a riding center, and weekend retreats, Hiram House is busy 365 days a year. With a small leadership team and antiquated data tracking, Executive Director Courtney Nicolai took on the challenge of improving donor management and fundraising efforts. In their first year using Bloomerang’s unified Giving Platform, Hiram House Camp met 188% of their annual goal. They also raised 10x more at their annual fall fundraiser and achieved an impressive 57% email open rate. Automations and data insights have scaled their efforts, improved donor retention, and boosted engagement, while enhanced email campaigns and website forms have also increased volunteer participation and donor impact.
CHALLENGE
Outdated donor management software and no online fundraising options
Hiram House Camp faced a daunting fundraising and donor management challenge. When Nicolai stepped into the role of Executive Director, she was handed a spreadsheet, binders full of donor checks, and an outdated Microsoft Access database to track donors. Without a centralized CRM or robust online tools, Hiram House struggled to efficiently manage donor relationships, track gifts, or provide convenient online giving opportunities.
“I said to my business manager, ‘We have to find another solution because this is killing me. I know we can bring in more dollars,’” said Nicolai. “We were bringing in maybe $10 a year in online donations because there wasn’t an easy way to do it.” The urgency to modernize became undeniable when they launched a $2.5 million capital campaign. Nicolai recognized that their existing methods could not support the campaign’s ambitious goals, putting the camp’s future growth at risk. “I told the board, ‘There’s no way that we’re going to raise $2.5 million this way,” explained Nicolai.
SOLUTION
Automating donor research and email marketing freed up time for personal engagement
After exploring multiple options, Hiram House Camp selected Bloomerang’s unified Giving Platform as their donor management and fundraising solution. “I met with several different systems, and it was Bloomerang that I really fell in love with. Now I have the ability to have everything in one place.” The Giving Platform’s comprehensive features, including integrated donor tracking, event management, and email communication tools, made it an ideal fit for their needs.
Donor Search, Bloomerang’s built-in research tool, provides insights into donor potential, allowing the team to target and engage supporters more effectively. “We’re surrounded by very wealthy communities, so I’ve been able to research donors interested in summer recreation, outdoor activities, or anything with children,” explained Nicolai. “I’ve been able to share those lists on multiple occasions with my board members to see if they know any of the names, and then we’ve been able to make contact with some of those people.”
Bloomerang’s unified Giving Platform has centralized Hiram House’s donor information, providing a comprehensive view of each supporter. They implemented online giving functionality, making it more convenient for donors to contribute, and streamlined communications with automated email tools for campaigns and thank-you notes. “I love how much time it’s saved me in writing thank-you letters,” said Nicolai. “All I have to do is print them off, which has saved my sanity, because again, I’m one person doing all this.” The Giving Platform has also simplified fundraising events, managing ticket sales and on-site payment processing.
RESULTS
Smashing goals with Bloomerang’s unified Giving Platform and Fundraising Software
The shift to Bloomerang has completely transformed fundraising at Hiram House Camp, delivering results that have far exceeded expectations. In their first full year using Bloomerang, the camp raised $423,000—nearly doubling their initial goal of $225,000. Online donations have also grown substantially, with larger average gift sizes than ever before. Donor engagement has also seen a major boost. Enhanced retention strategies have strengthened relationships with supporters, leading to higher engagement and larger gift sizes.
The event management tools offered by Bloomerang’s unified Giving Platform have enabled successful fundraisers like their Sunday Supper. “Hiram House used to run a huge fall festival that brought in 4,000 people but barely made $5,000. The amount of volunteers, people, and food it took to put on was insane,” explained Nicolai. “After COVID, we launched the Sunday Supper, and in the first year alone it brought in $56,000”—10 times more than their old, labor-intensive fall fundraising event raised!
Their email campaigns, with an impressive 57% open rate, provide actionable insights that fuel continued improvement in outreach efforts, and volunteer engagement has improved as well. New online forms integrated into the website have increased participation among alumni and supporters, broadening the camp’s volunteer base. With Bloomerang’s tools and ongoing consulting support, Hiram House Camp has modernized its approach to fundraising. The team is now equipped with the technology and data they need to engage supporters, secure critical funding, and provide life-changing opportunities for children year-round.
“Bloomerang is so worth it. You will absolutely see your return on investment. I don’t envision us ever changing platforms.”
of their yearly goal raised
more raised at annual fundraiser
email open rate
