PPB October 2015

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84 • PPB • OCTOBER 2015 THINK
students.NALC attendees contributed more than $5,000 in
monetary and in-kind donations to Oasis Center for use in the
organization’s marketing campaigns and fundraising events,
and during the opening dinner they also spent time brain-
storming solutions to some of Oasis Center’s most pressing
marketing-based issues.
Three challenges were presented to attendees:
Challenge 1 – Increase awareness and name recognition
to differentiate the Oasis Center from organizations with
similar functions. Current state: Known in nonprofit circles but
unknown beyond that.
To help Oasis Center extend its reach into a broader audi-
ence, the promotional professionals suggested using promo-
tional products to drive traffic to the center’s online social
media pages such as Facebook. On social media sites, video
testimonials from center staff and recipients of its services were
suggested to help personalize the outreach and provide first-
hand knowledge of the center’s purpose.
Challenge 2 – Create a call-to-action plan to expand the
center’s donor base and to increase donations from current
patrons, in order to drive revenue and increase advocacy.
Current state: Successfully transitioning from awareness to
donors to ‘evangelists.’
Suggested plans include creating a “core network” of high-
profile individuals, such as the city’s mayor, to spread the word
among leaders and influencers, and encourage support on an
ongoing basis. Attendees also suggested reaching out to serv-
ice organizations about the center’s mission, fostering future
donors and volunteers through education. Additionally, individ-
uals who were helped by Oasis Center could come together to
assist another organization as a means of publicizing the cen-
ter’s good work.
Challenge 3 – Increase revenue raised at the annual
themed event from $10,000 to $25,000 or more. Current
state: Previously, tickets at the door have been $20; maximum
capacity of the current venue is 550 people.
Attendees recommended that the center encourage donors
and supporters to host mini versions of the themed fundraising
event, and publicize them on social media for others to see
and be inspired by. Branding apparel and products with the
event theme, and offering higher-value incentive items to top
donors were also on the list of marketing ideas.
At the end of the challenge, Hutwelker and the NALC work
group worked with PPAI Director of Professional Development
Rachel Robichaud to compile the attendees’ suggestions and
deliver them to Oasis Center for their use.
“What was especially exciting was that it opened up con-
versations among the audience as to how to expand this con-
cept to other PPAI and regional events in the future,” says
Hutwelker. “We are grateful to PPAI and the NALC work group
for their support of the initiative.”
For more information on Oasis Center and related
industry efforts at NALC, visit and
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