Breckenridge End-of-Year Campaign 

Results

43% increase in year-end campaign revenue compared to the previous year.

Through strategic messaging, donor-centered storytelling, and a coordinated multi-channel campaign, Breckenridge Village exceeded the performance of its prior year-end appeal while strengthening donor engagement across print and digital channels.

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Overview

Breckenridge Village partnered with The Nonprofit Group and Darling Creative Strategies to reimagine its annual year-end fundraising campaign.

Rather than relying on a traditional donation appeal, the campaign centered around one resident's story—Macey—to illustrate the joy, purpose, and sense of belonging donors make possible every day.

Together, we created an integrated fundraising campaign that combined direct mail, social media, GivingTuesday promotions, digital storytelling, and campaign branding into one cohesive donor experience.

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The Challenge

Like many nonprofits, Breckenridge Village needed to stand out during the busiest fundraising season of the year.

The campaign needed to:

• Increase year-end giving

• Build emotional connection with donors

• Tell a more authentic resident story

• Maintain consistent messaging across every channel

• Maximize a GivingTuesday matching gift

• Navigate unexpected print and mail production challenges without delaying the campaign

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Our Solution

Working alongside The Nonprofit Group, Darling Creative Strategies developed a unified campaign centered around the theme of JOY.

Instead of focusing solely on organizational needs, the campaign highlighted the everyday experiences donors make possible through the story of Macey, a resident whose personality, friendships, and growth embodied Breckenridge Village's mission.

This narrative became the foundation for every campaign touchpoint—from direct mail to social media—creating a recognizable and emotionally consistent donor journey.

 

Deliverables

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Campaign Creative Direction

• Campaign concept development

• Messaging hierarchy

• Visual identity

• Storytelling framework

• Creative strategy

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Direct Mail Appeal Package

Designed a donor-focused appeal letter featuring:

• Personalized storytelling

• Resident photography

• Custom layouts

• Calls to action

• Matching gift messaging

• Donation response strategy

The appeal balanced emotional storytelling with measurable organizational impact, making it easy for donors to understand exactly how their gifts would be used.

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GivingTuesday Campaign

Created a series of campaign graphics promoting:

• Matching gifts

• Resident impact stories

• GivingTuesday participation

• Campaign milestones

• Calls to action

These assets maintained visual consistency while adapting messaging for different phases of the campaign.

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Social Media Campaign

Designed a coordinated collection of campaign graphics including:

• Resident spotlights

• Storytelling posts

• Campaign updates

• GivingTuesday graphics

• Milestone celebrations

• Donor impact messaging

Each piece reinforced the central campaign message that every gift creates opportunities for joy, belonging, and abundant life.

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Campaign Branding

Developed a recognizable visual theme around the word JOY, incorporating photography, typography, and color to create an uplifting, hopeful campaign identity across every platform.

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Strategic Fundraising Support

Beyond creative execution, Darling Creative Strategies partnered with The Nonprofit Group to support the campaign through:

• Multi-channel campaign planning

• Messaging strategy

• Story development

• Print coordination

• Mail production troubleshooting

• Campaign optimization

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Services Provided

• Fundraising Campaign Strategy

• Creative Direction

• Storytelling

• Direct Mail Design

• Appeal Letter Design

• GivingTuesday Campaign

• Social Media Design

• Campaign Branding

• Print Production Coordination

• Marketing Strategy

• Multi-Channel Campaign Development

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Design Approach

The campaign intentionally shifted the focus from organizational needs to donor impact.

Rather than asking supporters to fund programs, every piece demonstrated how generosity creates meaningful lives filled with friendship, faith, purpose, and celebration.

By using authentic resident photography, warm typography, layered storytelling, and consistent campaign branding, the campaign maintained a hopeful, human-centered tone across every channel.

The result was a campaign that felt deeply personal while remaining strategically focused on fundraising performance.

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Results

43% Increase in Year-End Giving

The integrated campaign generated a 43% increase over the previous year's year-end appeal, demonstrating the impact of combining strategic storytelling with cohesive creative execution.

In addition to stronger fundraising results, the campaign provided Breckenridge Village with:

• Consistent messaging across print and digital channels

• Stronger donor engagement

• Improved campaign coordination

• A flexible library of branded campaign assets

• Greater confidence navigating production and mailing challenges

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Client Testimonial

"Working together on our year-end appeal led to a 43% increase over the year before. They strengthened our storytelling, helped us track and optimize our multi-channel strategy, and provided steady guidance through unexpected print and mail house challenges."

— Breckenridge Village

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Portfolio Highlights

✓ 43% increase in year-end campaign revenue

✓ Multi-channel fundraising campaign strategy

✓ GivingTuesday creative campaign

✓ Direct mail appeal package

✓ Integrated print and digital campaign

✓ Resident-centered storytelling

✓ Campaign branding and visual identity

✓ Social media campaign design

✓ Print production and mail coordination