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Project Koru

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaign and Content Supporting Young Cancer Survivors

Project Koru quadrupled its fundraising revenue and doubled its donor base, while building a refined and refocused peer-to-peer campaign.

The Challenge

An Oregon-based nonprofit, Project Koru offers a lifelong support network to help young adult survivors of cancer rise above their diagnosis and thrive in all aspects.

Project Koru uses adventure-based experiences to help survivors build community, find empowerment, and heal mind, body, and soul.

Their annual peer-to-peer fundraiser, Kiteboard 4 Cancer, is the largest amateur kiteboarding event in North America. Entrance fees typically funded their flagship program, Camp Koru, a weeklong adventure therapy camp for survivors.

The good news? Demand for Project Koru’s programs and services was growing. The not-so-great news? Kiteboard 4 Cancer’s revenue was plateauing, and the nonprofit didn’t know why.

They needed to figure out how to raise more money to handle more survivors seeking support.

a large group of athletes cheering on the Hood River waterfront

Project Koru needed three questions answered:

  • How do we get event participants to become year-round, mission-driven fundraisers?
  • How do we acquire new supporters?
  • How can we scale to accommodate a growing waitlist of survivors who need access to Camp Koru?

Our Solutions

We helped Project Koru refocus its flagship fundraiser around impact, stronger storytelling, and year-round donor engagement.

Peer-to-Peer Campaign Strategy

  • We created a theme for Kiteboard 4 Cancer to feature direct impact through storytelling and website visuals.
  • We conducted extensive market research, distilling learnings into Project Koru’s refined communications plan.
  • We provided coaching and inspiration for event participants to heighten fundraising success within their social networks.

Salesforce, Classy, and Mailchimp Integration

  • Once Project Koru’s strategic direction was set, our team integrated Salesforce, Classy (now GoFundMe Pro), and Mailchimp to deliver multichannel, segmented engagement communications to Project Koru’s core audiences.

The Results

Project Koru’s system and strategy upgrade helped them acquire new supporters and steward donors into monthly giving for greater, more predictable revenue.

  • Project Koru raised $192,000 (quadrupled year-over-year) while doubling their number of donors.
  • Their peer-to-peer campaign revenue increased by 56% year-over-year.
  • Average gift size increased by 36%.

With just one full-time employee (myself) and an intern, I could not have imagined securing a 56% increase in peer-to-peer revenue year-over-year. But that’s what we did with the support of the powerhouse team at CauseMic.