Foodlink October Acquisition Appeal
Project Background
Foodlink’s acquisition program was not yet reaching its full potential, with response rates and net revenue trending below industry benchmarks. While the program had an established foundation, there was a clear opportunity to improve performance, efficiency, and overall return on investment.
These challenges highlighted the need for a more refined strategy—one that better aligned audience targeting with best practices in donor acquisition and leveraged data more effectively.
The Solution
TFS implemented a modeling-based acquisition strategy designed to identify and prioritize high-potential donors. Using predictive analytics and cooperative database insights, we developed a more targeted approach to prospecting—focusing outreach on individuals most likely to respond.
In addition, we introduced a more structured segmentation strategy, creating six distinct acquisition segments and refining targeting within each decile. This allowed for more precise audience selection, improved timing, and more efficient allocation of campaign resources.
Results
With this approach in place, Foodlink saw significant improvements across key performance metrics. The program generated over a 400% increase in funds raised and a 275% lift in response rates year over year.
By reaching the right audiences with a more strategic and data-informed approach, the acquisition program became a more reliable and scalable source of new donor growth—ultimately strengthening Foodlink’s ability to support its mission in the community.
Conclusion
By introducing a more disciplined, data-driven acquisition strategy, Foodlink was able to significantly strengthen the efficiency and effectiveness of its donor acquisition program. The use of predictive modeling and refined segmentation ensured outreach was focused on the individuals most likely to engage, improving both targeting precision and overall campaign performance.
These enhancements translated into substantial gains in both response and revenue, establishing acquisition as a more reliable and scalable source of new donor growth. More broadly, the program demonstrated how leveraging data and segmentation can materially improve fundraising outcomes while strengthening long-term support for Foodlink’s mission.