How a Human-Centred Strategy Helped Double EOFY Fundraising

In an increasingly competitive giving landscape, even the most established nonprofits are feeling the pressure. Rising costs, shifting donor behaviour, and crowded fundraising calendars can quickly make once-reliable campaigns lose traction. That’s exactly where OM Australia found themselves in 2024.

Facing a tougher economic climate and declining engagement during their End of Financial Year (EOFY) campaign, they needed a new approach—one grounded in insight, simplicity, and authentic connection.

So they partnered with Charitabl. Agency.

What followed was a transformational shift in strategy that didn’t just revitalise their fundraiser—it doubled it.

The Challenge: Navigating a Changing Donor Landscape

EOFY is one of the most important fundraising seasons for Australian charities, but in 2024, OM Australia found themselves competing in a saturated market. Their message was blending in, campaign fatigue was increasing, and global events were capturing donors’ attention.

Despite having a loyal supporter base, the campaign wasn’t reaching its full potential—not in visibility, not in emotional connection, and not in results.

They didn’t just need a new campaign.

They needed a new strategy.

Our Approach: Listen First, Then Design What Works

At Charitabl. Agency, we lead with a human-centred, listening-first methodology. For OM Australia, that meant digging beneath the surface to understand what their donors cared about, what had historically moved them, and what was standing in the way.

Three insights shaped the strategy:

• Learn From the Past to Inform the Future - We analysed OM Australia’s previous campaigns to identify patterns, strengths, and opportunities. The standout insight: Campaigns with real, personal stories performed best. Donors connected more deeply with narratives that felt human, relatable, and specific—not broad organisational messaging. This became the foundation of the new direction.

• Make It Personal - Rather than focusing on large-scale programs, we highlighted stories of individuals impacted by OM Australia’s work. These stories weren’t just emotional—they positioned the donor inside the mission. As an OM Australia team member reflected: “We reached donors on a personal level, giving them stories that included them in our mission.” Authenticity builds trust. Trust drives generosity.

• Keep the Creative Simple - While many charities lean into busy graphics and visually heavy campaigns, we chose the opposite.Clean. Simple. Story-first design. This approach allowed donors to focus on what mattered—the impact, the people, and the opportunity to make a difference.
  

The Results: A Campaign That Outperformed Expectations

The impact was immediate and significant.

Donations more than doubled — from $100,000 to $250,000

A huge achievement in a year where many charities were seeing declines.

Engagement surged

Click rates and interactions rose sharply, a sign that donors were seeing, feeling, and responding to the campaign.

Lapsed donors returned

Approximately 15% of donations came from supporters who hadn’t given in a long time—proof that the personal approach reignited connection.

Thirty new donors were acquired

Despite only marketing to OM Australia’s existing database, 30 people gave for the very first time.

These supporters weren’t cold leads—they were mission-aligned individuals who needed the right message at the right time.

This is the power of segmentation paired with human-centred design.

What This Means for Nonprofits Everywhere

The success of OM Australia’s campaign reinforces an important truth:

Donors don’t give to graphics.

They give to people.

When organisations slow down, listen deeply, and craft stories that honour the real humans behind their mission, they build stronger connections—and stronger fundraising results.

This isn’t luck.

It’s strategy.

And it’s replicable.

If Your Fundraising Needs a Reset, We’d Love to Help

OM Australia’s story is a powerful example of what’s possible when fundraising is rooted in insight, personal connection, and thoughtful design.

If your campaigns aren’t performing the way they used to—or if you’re ready for a more strategic, supporter-centred approach—Charitabl. Agency is here to help.

We take on only a handful of clients each year so we can go deep, listen well, and craft fundraising strategies that truly work.