How St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity Doubled Fundraising Projections
with OneCause
Background
St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity is a small but mighty nonprofit in rural Wisconsin with a mission to build and repair homes for families in need. “Building houses isn’t a small project,” said Kristie Smith, Executive Director of St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity. “Every dollar that we can raise impacts what we’re trying to do.”
For Kristie and her team, their annual gala has become the cornerstone of their fundraising strategy. For donors, it’s a chance to come together, celebrate, and give generously to help families in need of safe and affordable housing. But as the organization looked to expand its impact, the complexity of scaling such a multifaceted gala became a real challenge.
Opportunity
“In the past, we had our spreadsheets, donor database, online giving form, and a cash ask,” Kristie explained. “And before OneCause, we were trying to piece all those different systems together.”
Managing ticketing and registration was a manual and time-consuming process that often led to long lines at check-in. Instead of starting the night inspired, donors were left frustrated. “You don’t want people standing in line and looking around like, ‘Is anyone in charge?’” said Kristie. “That can be devastating to the guest experience.”
Behind the scenes, sponsorships and auctions added to the event’s complexity, requiring volunteers to juggle spreadsheets to keep things moving. “There are just so many moving parts,” Kristie said. “It was hard to keep it all straight.”
Kristie knew they needed a comprehensive fundraising solution that would centralize their fundraising efforts, streamline donor engagement, and ultimately help raise more funds to build homes. That’s when they discovered the OneCause Fundraising Platform.
Solution
With the OneCause Fundraising Platform, St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity found a partner that could streamline their event and create engaging donor experiences.
OneCause brought new efficiencies and energy to numerous aspects of their gala:
- Sponsorships & Ticketing
- Express Check-In & Checkout
- Silent & Live Auctions
- Donations & Giving
- Award-Winning Support
Sponsorships & Ticketing
Before OneCause, Kristie and her team attempted to manage sponsorships with spreadsheets, bank statements, and homemade reports. Beyond this, she maintained a checklist of all the things her sponsors were to receive for their contributions – a very time-consuming process.
Today, everything lives in OneCause. Selling, tracking, and reporting on sponsorships is simple and centralized. “It’s all in one place,” Kristie shared. “We know who has purchased what, what we need to deliver and when, and we can see the opportunities for moving sponsors into a higher level.”
The flexibility of the platform’s integrated ticketing also set their organization up for a seamless check-in and checkout. “The ability to scan tickets at check-in made things so much better for guests,” Kristie noted.
Silent & Live Auctions
For St. Croix Valley, auctions are more than just a fundraising activity – they’re a driving force behind event success. “Our auction is important because it’s the one reason why some people come and the one way they want to get involved.”
Auction procurement now looks completely different than in years past. “Thankfully, OneCause makes it easy for our volunteers to know where everything is – all in one place. Who has what item, which group we’re reaching out to, what is picked up or supposed to be picked up – it’s all there.”
As items are procured, Kristie’s team turns to OneCause AI® to generate engaging item descriptions for their ever-growing auction. “One of my colleagues who writes our item descriptions – which is usually just so time-consuming – finds it easy with OneCause. You really don’t even think it’s AI doing that work, but it is. And it saves us so much time.”
Donations & Giving
St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity maximized the flexibility of the OneCause Fundraising Platform by offering guests several ways to give. “A gala is supposed to be a fun night with a lot of different elements,” Kristie explained, “and everyone has a different way of giving, so having those different opportunities is fantastic.”
They creatively raised funds through fixed-price items and unique donor engagement activities, like their dessert dash. “It’s a little crazy, but so much fun,” said Kristie. “Tables outgive each other to get their place in line for cake. Guests can see how their table ranks on the big screen, and it sparks friendly competition.”
The highlight of the night was a flawless paddle raise, amplified by a $10,000 matching gift. With everything prepped in advance, the moment was seamless and impactful. “When our auctioneer announced it, guests saw the numbers climbing on screen. OneCause helps it run like clockwork.”
Award-Winning Support & Services
For Kristie, the OneCause difference isn’t just in the software – it’s in the support.
Her team has leveraged the training resources available through OneCause University™, finding them invaluable for ongoing learning and growth. “The training continues to evolve with OneCause, which is fantastic,” Kristie shared. “We continually learn from the videos that give us new things to try or new ways to approach fundraising. By the time we get to event day, we are ready to go.”
And on event day, the game-changer has been having a OneCause event manager on-site.
The value extends directly to their supporters, too. “If we have guests who may not be comfortable with technology, our OneCause event manager actually sits with them and helps them,” Kristie explained. “They’ve even helped people with silent auction bidding.”
Elevated Donor Experience
For St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity, fundraising success isn’t just measured in dollars raised. “The guest experience has to be number one,” Kristie emphasized. “If we don’t deepen relationships with our guests, they won’t trust us, and our mission won’t be interesting to them. If you can’t deepen connections, it’s not worth it.”
With OneCause, Kristie’s team is setting new standards for how guests experience their events. “OneCause is part of me being a host,” Kristie shared.
The focus on giving guests an elevated event experience is paying off! “OneCause helps me think through every step: from the moment guests walk in the door to the time they’re ready to leave,” Kristie said. “And our supporters notice the difference. They commented on how smooth everything was. That experience matters. It makes them want to come back.”
Results
The outcomes have been transformational. “In our first year with OneCause, our numbers went up by 30%, double what we were expecting and far surpassing our goal.”
- Raised $100K – 33% more than their $75K goal.
- Grew ticketing proceeds 20% year over year.
- Set new records for silent and live auctions.
- Simplified reporting and audits with all fundraising on a single platform.
- Created a new level of personalized guest experiences to elevate the event.
“I have told my network of 100 nonprofits about OneCause,” Kristie explained, “because it helps manage everything from start to finish. All of the answers are there. All of the solutions are there. All the opportunities are there. And it has helped us build more homes through more fundraising.”
Advice for Nonprofits
- Add the optional OneCause Event Manager to join you onsite the day of your event. It’s absolutely worth it.
- Use the AI in the platform. These features make tasks quick and easy. You’ve got enough other things to worry about!
- Use the Text2Give® function. It is easy, convenient, and increases giving. Guests look for simplicity and will happily give if it’s easy.
Connect with A Cause
To learn more about St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity, please visit their website.
More fundraising resources are just a click away.
