Coalition for Children, Youth & Families: A Decade of Fundraising Excellence with OneCause

Background

Background

The Coalition for Children, Youth, and Families is a small but mighty nonprofit with a big mission: empowering families navigating the complexities of child welfare and adoption. With a team of 12 dedicated professionals, the Coalition serves over 4,000 families across Wisconsin’s 72 counties. Their goal? To ensure every family feels resilient and connected to a supportive community.

Challenge

Like many nonprofits, the Coalition relies heavily on event fundraising to sustain its mission.

Over the years, they have hosted two major events annually:

  • The Champions Gala — Their signature fall fundraising event aligns with National Adoption Month. This gala brings together 175 to 200 attendees for an evening of celebration, storytelling, and fundraising.
  • The Annual Golf Outing — This summer staple is held in June, welcoming 60 to 80 golfers for a day of fun and philanthropy.

As a long-standing OneCause customer, they had already experienced notable event success. Yet, as the landscape evolved, they set their sights on even greater efficiency. To capitalize on new opportunities, they leveraged the OneCause Fundraising Platform to:

  • Streamline auction and donation management: Enhance operational efficiency by automating and refining these key fundraising components.
  • Engage diverse audiences: Connect more meaningfully with both in-person and virtual attendees in the post-pandemic environment.
  • Elevate the donor experience: Simplify event execution to create a seamless, enjoyable journey for donors.
  • Innovate fundraising strategies: Introduce fresh approaches to maintain and boost donor enthusiasm.

Solution

Solution

The Coalition has been a long-time OneCause partner, leveraging event fundraising technology for over a decade. Their journey started with BidPal, transitioned through COVID-era solutions, and now the team fully embraces the OneCause Fundraising Platform. 

“We chose OneCause because they were the pioneer of mobile bidding and fundraising technology. If we were going to innovate, we wanted to do it with the people who created the space,” shared Jenna Czaplewski, Director of Communications & Philanthropy. 

Seamless Integration for Gala Success 

The Champions Gala required an all-in-one solution to manage ticketing, auctions, donations, and engagement for in-person and virtual audiences. The OneCause Fundraising Platform delivers:

  • Mobile Bidding
  • Text Messaging & Real-Time Updates
  • Donation Appeal Tracking
  • Hybrid Flexibility

“We saw a lift in participation and giving because donors could interact on their terms. The mobile engagement really made a difference,” explained Jenna.

Innovating the Golf Fundraising Experience

The Coalition leveraged the flexibility of the OneCause Fundraising Platform to maximize engagement for their Annual Golf Outing:

  • Simple Registration & Check-In: Golfers could register online, reducing paperwork and ensuring a smooth event-day experience.
  • Fixed-Price Sales: Mulligans, raffle tickets, and sponsorships were easily purchased through the platform.

One of the most iconic fundraising elements of the golf outing was the Duck Race, a unique and engaging game that added excitement to the event. Participants purchased rubber ducks through the platform, and at a designated time, the ducks were released into the water for a fun race. The first rubber duck to cross the finish line determined the grand prize winner! Live updates and text messages kept participants engaged, driving last-minute sales and creating a fun and engaging experience for golfers.

Jenna shared, “The ability to send texts in real time was a game changer. We reminded golfers to buy Mulligans, participate in contests, and, of course, join our famous Duck Race!”

Effortless Guest Management for Sponsors 

One of the most valuable time-saving features of the OneCause Fundraising Platform was its ability to simplify ticketing and guest management. In previous years, sponsors and table hosts often relied on the event team to manually collect and input guest details, meal selections, and preferences.  

Thanks to the platform’s latest enhancements, the sponsor who purchased a table was able to manage all guest information independently, eliminating back-and-forth communication and streamlining the entire process. With so many logistics to juggle, this functionality was a game-changer, ensuring a smoother, more efficient experience for both hosts and guests. 

AI Features in One Platform

With the AI-driven tools offered within the platform, the Coalition was able to craft engaging auction descriptions that made items sound fun and enticing.

“Using the AI features in the OneCause platform has been a game-changer for us,” commented Jenna. “We customize each of our event sites, and with the AI integration, it’s never been easier. One of the best ways we use it is for writing auction descriptions.”

The time savings were significant, allowing the team to stay fresh—especially during late-night hours when creativity was running low.

Jenna shared, “With the simple click of a button, the AI provides instant help, offering the perfect words when we’re out of ideas.”

AI truly transformed their workflow, making it an indispensable part of their process.

Small Changes, Big Impact 

One of the newest features that made a huge difference is the ability for supporters to indicate if they’ll be picking up their auction items at the event, allowing the team to focus more on stewarding guests without the stress of tracking who needs to pick up what.

Jenna shared, “We no longer have to interrupt conversations asking if someone is picking up their items. Instead, they can just let us know through the platform, which keeps things flowing smoothly.”

The ability to quickly send a text message at the end of the event, reminding attendees to check out when they’re ready, has created a seamless and more connected experience for eventgoers. It not only streamlined the checkout process but opened the door for an extra touchpoint—an opportunity to engage supporters one last time.

“With a simple message, we can ask if they’d like to make an additional impact, such as covering transaction fees. While we never default to this option, extending the invitation allows donors to make a conscious choice, and it’s always exciting to see those who say, ‘Yes, I’d love to help a little more!’” shared Jenna.

A Comprehensive OneCause Experience

Jenna describes the OneCause journey as comprehensive, offering not only innovative software but also exceptional support and consulting services.

She shared, “Everybody I’ve worked with at OneCause has been a pleasure. It’s rare to encounter a support team that is so responsive and genuinely eager to help.”

The Coalition has also made the most of the robust OneCause knowledge base and training videos, empowering their team to train volunteers and staff with ease. This has ensured smooth event execution and fostered a collaborative atmosphere throughout their entire journey with OneCause.

OneCause onsite event support was another critical factor in the Coalition’s success:

  • Dedicated event staff: Ensured seamless check-in, bidding assistance, and live appeal coordination.
  • Live auction optimization: OneCause event managers helped maximize bidding by leveraging real-time analytics to create a competitive atmosphere that energized the audience.
  • Real-time troubleshooting: User issues were handled immediately, allowing staff to focus on the guest experience.

“Having OneCause staff on site meant we could focus on programming and connection, knowing the tech was in expert hands,” commented Jenna.

Results

Results

By leveraging the OneCause Fundraising Platform, the Coalition achieved incredible results:

  • The Champions Gala:
    • $150,000+ raised, a steady increase from previous years.
    • 85% mobile auction participation, driving higher bids and engagement.
    • Record-breaking Fund-A-Need appeal, boosted by real-time leaderboards.
  • The Annual Golf Outing:
    • 30% increase in contest participation, thanks to live messaging.
    • Duck Race added a fun and unique stream of incremental revenue.
    • Faster registration and check-in, allowing for a better guest experience.

The Journey with OneCause Continues

With each event, the Coalition for Children, Youth & Families reaffirms its commitment to innovation. By leveraging OneCause for over a decade and continually adopting the latest technology, they have remained at the forefront of event fundraising.

Jenna reaffirmed, “Event fundraising requires innovation, and OneCause has been our trusted partner every step of the way. We wouldn’t do it any other way.”

To learn more about Coalition for Children, Youth & Families, please visit their website.

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