How Roots Ethiopia Reached 93% Monthly Donor Retention with Bloomerang
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Roots Ethiopia is dedicated to driving change in rural Ethiopia by focusing on community-driven solutions for education and job creation. The organization supports local communities to improve schools, provide access to quality education, and help mothers develop business skills for local market work. Roots Ethiopia’s biggest challenges were with donor management and reporting. Switching from Network for Good to Bloomerang’s Giving Platform has helped the team focus their efforts and build more meaningful relationships with their supporters. These capabilities helped Roots Ethiopia increase average donor lifetime revenue by 19% and raise their donor retention rate to 55%. Their focus on donor engagement and behavior has resulted in a monthly donor retention rate of 93% and one-third of monthly donors giving year-over-year. With this success, Roots Ethiopia is positioned to drive meaningful, lasting change.
CHALLENGE
Network for Good wasn’t working for donor management and reporting
Roots Ethiopia faced challenges managing donor relationships and understanding giving trends, which meant missing key opportunities to strengthen connections with their donors. They were using Network for Good to engage donors and manage projects. “I didn’t know what had happened that year that didn’t happen the year before,” recalled Meghan Walsh, Founder and Board Chair. Without clear insights, it was challenging to keep up with trends or make informed decisions. The organization recognized they needed a more robust solution to enhance communications with their supporters.
SOLUTION
Bloomerang consulting helps improve monthly donations and donor retention
Roots Ethiopia chose Bloomerang’s Giving Platform to address a major challenge: translating data into meaningful action. “Bloomerang helps me see trends and track donor retention over time,” Walsh noted. “It’s made planning our outreach simpler and helps us make informed decisions.” Roots Ethiopia uses these insights to craft strategies that resonate, boosting both their mission’s reach and donor commitment.
The Bloomerang Quarterly Strategy Program brings Roots Ethiopia a fresh level of insight, making it easy to monitor growth and evaluate what’s working. Walsh described these reports as “like opening one of those books with pop-up images,” where each layer of data offers a new perspective. This approach helps Roots Ethiopia track key trends, adjust strategies based on real outcomes, and stay closely aligned with their mission.
Donor retention and communication
Roots Ethiopia understands the importance of building solid relationships with its donors. Now, they use Bloomerang’s Giving Platform to track contributions and easily stay in touch with supporters. Walsh said, “I look at those folks, and it doesn’t matter if they’re giving $20,000 or $10. The fact that they’re giving loyally and regularly incentivizes me to let them know that they’re amazing.” Roots Ethiopia builds donor loyalty and secures support by recognizing these contributions so that they can continue their important work. They can also use Bloomerang to automate donor recognition. Walsh noted, “Every time someone hits their first anniversary of giving, we send a celebratory note to that donor.”
Roots Ethiopia can now group donors by different attributes and impact areas, enabling the organization to more effectively tailor communications. She explained, “Our donors live all over the world, and now I can identify and engage specific groups as unique audiences.” By recognizing these connections, Roots Ethiopia builds stronger relationships and helps supporters feel more personally connected to the mission. The organization also uses Bloomerang Generosity Scores™ to understand donor behavior and capacity to streamline cultivation efforts. “One thing I really love about using Bloomerang Generosity Scores is I can get a feel for someone by looking at the kinds of donations they’ve made in the past,” which helps tailor engagement strategies and predict future giving patterns.
Meaningful impact reporting
Impact reporting shows how each donor’s gift supports the organization’s educational initiatives, strengthening connections with supporters. “This reporting helps me understand the impact donors are making because that impact has increased over time,” stated Walsh. The ability to quickly access donor data and generate reports has streamlined the way the team works, freeing the Board of Directors to focus on the organization’s mission rather than on admin. “I need intuitive tools that I can learn to use without a steep learning curve,” said Walsh.
Most importantly, Roots Ethiopia is committed to cultivating delight in the giving experience. “People give because they care about something you’re doing,” said Walsh. “The next step is to help develop their joy in the giving.” With support from Bloomerang’s Giving Platform, the team can devote more of their time to this vital work. By focusing on the joy donors feel when they see the impact of their contributions, Roots Ethiopia strengthens donor loyalty and promotes a deeper commitment to their cause. Happy donors share their positive experiences, which attracts new supporters and builds a community that actively participates in the organization’s mission. This cycle of joy and engagement continuously fuels their efforts and drives lasting change.
RESULTS
Increasing recurring donors and average lifetime value
Using Bloomerang’s Giving Platform has helped Roots Ethiopia improve operations in a number of ways. The team uses the data-driven insights from their quarterly strategy program meetings to improve donor engagement and refine their fundraising strategies. Personalizing communication and targeting their outreach has helped Roots Ethiopia experience a 19% increase in their donors’ average lifetime revenue—from $1,494 to $1,780. Their focus on donor engagement and behavior has resulted in an incredible monthly donor retention rate of 93% with one-third of monthly donors giving year-over-year.
The organization has also increased its overall donor retention rate to above 55%, well-exceding the industry average. Walsh noted, “When we acknowledge donors’ contributions, it promotes a sense of belonging and commitment.”
Honored at 2025 Givie Awards
Roots Ethiopia was also honored at GiveCon 2025 with Walsh being named Fundraiser of the Year. This Givie award goes to an individual who displays exceptional skill and innovation in the nonprofit sector, living the values of their mission through their unwavering dedication. With 14 years of fundraising experience, Walsh exemplifies these characteristics to a tee. As the award nomination read, “typically founders step back from the front lines of appeal and campaign work, but not Meghan. She is hungry for more knowledge, more tools in her toolbox, and more statistics to make an even bigger impact.”
Roots Ethiopia plans to continue using Bloomerang’s Giving Platform to strengthen donor relationships and enhance its community impact. They envision experimenting with new capabilities and tools to further improve donor engagement. Partnering with Bloomerang has helped Roots Ethiopia focus on its mission to create meaningful change in the lives of children and families in Ethiopia. The organization is well-positioned for future success and continuing to uplift communities through education and empowerment.
"One thing I really love about using Bloomerang Generosity Scores is I can get a feel for someone by looking at the kinds of donations they've made in the past."
donor retention rate
in average lifetime revenue
monthly donor retention rate
