Customer story: Care for Wild (UK)

Before adopting Donorfy, Care for Wild grappled with the all-too-familiar hurdles confronting charities reliant on spreadsheets. With donor data scattered across disjointed documents, supporters were at risk of falling through the cracks, and it was difficult to get an up-to-date and comprehensive picture of what their supporters were doing - and what they needed.

"As I contemplated supporter journeys at the outset, I realised crucial information either couldn’t be found or was hard to find,” explained Léo Somer, Community and Fundraising Manager.

“Retention is paramount for our small charity, especially with incredible supporters who have stood by us for years. Having a centralised database to ensure we are supporting them, and fostering growth, was the main motivation for getting a CRM.”

With extensive experience using various CRM’s at other charities, Léo knew they needed a system that was built with fundraising in mind, and suited their small organisation with ambitious growth plans. So, the search was on!

After exploring three CRM options, Donorfy stood out as the best fit, offering all the features and functionality they needed for a first-time CRM, with room to expand as they did. The pricing model being clear and transparent was a big bonus, too.

"Donorfy had the most transparent pricing model of the CRM’s we considered and the trustees were happy with the cost”

“Others looked cost-effective to begin with, but at the very last step we realised it would cost a lot more than originally thought." added Léo.

In the end, the decision to choose Donorfy was cemented by something really lovely: how much they liked the team. Not only did they appreciate the strong, charity and fundraising backgrounds of the people behind Donorfy, we’re chuffed to say they just thought we were a nice bunch of non-pushy people.

"Eventually, what made us decide was the human side. The Donorfy team were nice, humble people. That’s how we chose in the end.” Léo said.

Implementation is never far from the minds of charities considering a new CRM, and Care for Wild didn’t have an internal resource to take on the task. Choosing an implementation package to ensure a smooth transition, they worked with in-house onboarding expert Duncan, who handled everything from migration to tailoring their system to be future-proof.

"Duncan completely understood, even things we didn’t understand we needed ourselves.” reflected Léo. “For example, we now have individual companies, trusts and zoos within Donorfy, and I think that’s quite special in the way we’ve set things up. It was all thanks to a conversation with Duncan, and him understanding fundraising and what we’re doing.”

A Donorfy first, they also have tags named after rhinos pinned to the top of constituent timelines, so they can instantly see which rhino someone is supporting. 

Finally, if Care for Wild ever hits a challenge, they know support is never far away, describing the support team as “really quick to answer and really lovely!”  - naaww.

Moving from spreadsheets, a static snapshot, to a CRM where refreshed data gives vital context and meaning, has been transformative for them so far. Through meticulous engagement tracking and strategic use of lists and opportunities, they've fostered stronger connections with donors and volunteers, both of which are managed within Donorfy.

Having accessible information centralised, and the integration with MailChimp, has played a key part in more personalised interactions with supporters. Leo emphasises the importance of these small touches, and how it’s enabled them to build stronger relationships with their most loyal donors.

"Time is a precious commodity within all small charities, and thankfully their streamlined operations have given back time they need for other things, too."

"There’s only one of me,” said Leo. “Donorfy saves time, helping make up for me just being one person, with the workload of more!”

The overall results? They're now set up for a more sustainable future and growth! The benefits of moving away from spreadsheets, and the possibilities Donorfy brings to those who use it well, means Care for Wild UK can focus on what matters: their incredible supporters

So, what does the future hold? With a focus shift to major donors and events, they’re looking forward to harnessing more aspects of Donorfy, and using it to manage trusts and grants too. Care for Wild UK also hopes that Donorfy can become the global CRM for the organisation, as it’s been such a positive step for the UK branch. 

"Our new Trusts fundraiser has been trained on Donorfy, and his feedback has been great. He’s been trying to sell it to the US team on our behalf!”

In summary, the adoption of Donorfy marked a pivotal turning point in Care for Wild's fundraising journey. They’re a great example of a small charity that’s embraced the move away from spreadsheets - and are enjoying the results. As they continue to expand their conservation efforts, we’re a proud partner in making a difference, supporting them to do more of what truly matters – saving rhinos and preserving their natural habitats for generations to come.