Community Improvement
Location: 
Belton, MO
Organization size: 
7 employees
YWCA
”We don't have to worry about payments. We don't have to worry about checks getting lost in the mail. We’re hitting that younger generation, connecting them right to the website. I have nothing but wonderful things to say about Harness.”
Crystal Sackett

Senior Project Director of YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County

The Situation:
Checks and labor imbalances
“Before Harness, donors just sent in checks. I had to manually put in every donation.”

YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County was frustrated by their donations process. The organization mostly received funding via hand-written checks sent by snail mail, that then had to be manually processed by staff. The system was slow, time-consuming, and vulnerable to human error. They yearned for a faster way to thank donors beyond mailed thank-you letters.

The Challenge:
Casting a wider net
“Harness’ presentation really sold us on that instant thank you. We wanted our donors to be instantly thanked either by a text message or something else to feel recognized.”

YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County was located in an rural area rich in nonprofits, which meant competition for donors was fierce. The organization needed a fresh way to connect with donors and attract a wider—and younger—base. When they first met with Harness, they connected instantly with their customer success representative. The organization was excited to learn that Harness offered multiple donation options to accommodate non-local and younger donors and offered tools to improve stewardship that would free up valuable staff time.

The Solution:
Centralize, digitize, diversify
“We now have another avenue for our donors to be able to quickly donate without filling out a check. Having different choices like texting or round ups has been huge for our donors.”

To modernize YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County’s donation process and give donors more choices, Harness helped the organization beef up their website with flexible donation options to appeal to every type of donor. Instead of processing checks and thank you notes by hand, staff could now easily point donors toward the new, more robust website. This freed up valuable time to focus on outreach.

The Result:
Far beyond expectations
11x
Return on investment
“As the years have passed, we find that we're using [Harness] more and more to the point now that we're actually moving up to the next level.”

With an easy path to giving and multiple, convenient ways to donate, YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County began to attract a new, younger wave of donors. The organization was able streamline their fundraising strategy, connect with donors on a deeper level, and have more time to focus on their mission. Ultimately, YWCA of Binghamton and Broome County saw an elevenfold return on their Harness investment. They’re now upgrading their plan—and recommend Harness to all of their colleagues not just for the efficacy of the platform, but for #TeamHarness’ expertise and dedication to their organization.

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