The Salvation Army Selects Classy as Its Online Fundraising Platform to Help More People in Need

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of Giving Tuesday and the year-end charitable giving season, The Salvation Army is launching national fundraising campaigns—including their first, year-round peer-to-peer campaign—with Classy, creator of world-class online and mobile fundraising software. As online giving grows significantly across the nonprofit sector, the iconic nonprofit organization is leveraging Classy's modern and flexible technology to raise more money online for their mission to meet human need without discrimination.

Classy was first successfully leveraged by various Salvation Army territories before being selected to power the organization's national online fundraising efforts. Two regional offices led the way, reporting major success across many key areas of fundraising growth, and piquing interest for even greater digital cohesion across the organization.

In a pilot project that spread across six states, the Southern Territory (a region of The Salvation Army that covers the Southeastern U.S.) saw massive growth after switching from their prior software to Classy, raising 139 percent more year over year during their Christmas fundraising campaigns. Additionally, the team surpassed their fundraising goal by 75 percent, an uptick signifying the modern giving experience they're now offering supporters.

Similarly, in the Western region, the team leveraged Classy to create a 2017 Giving Tuesday campaign that they later flipped into a year-end appeal, achieving 140 percent of their fundraising goal. The fresh user experience they offered through Classy propelled the overall fundraising success through higher-than-average checkout conversion rates, a 67 percent increase in total gifts, and a 23 percent increase in average gift sizes.

Since then, both territories have leveraged Classy to provide food for the hungry, rehabilitation for those struggling with addiction, and disaster relief from hurricanes in the southeast and wildfires in the northwest.

The move to Classy has not only helped improve fundraising metrics within these regions, but is poised to help The Salvation Army strengthen its full-lifecycle fundraising efforts and supporter relationships at the national level.

"It's very meaningful to be able to share our mission directly with our supporters," said Lt. Col. Ward Matthews, Salvation Army Secretary for National Community Relations and Development. "We've leveraged Classy's ease of use and incredible customer support to empower teams across the country in their local fundraising efforts. We hope to offer a seamless donor experience and create meaningful relationships with our supporters for years to come."

A recent nationwide survey from Classy revealed that more than half of consumers (53 percent) prefer to give electronically—whether on a computer or mobile device—regardless of generation, and more than half of millennial and Gen Z respondents (54 percent for each) said if they can't easily donate to a nonprofit online or via mobile, then they will have less trust in how that nonprofit uses their funds. As online and mobile giving—as well as these broad sentiments—continue to grow, The Salvation Army is prioritizing a digital transformation to ensure success in funding their critical programs.

"The Salvation Army recognized the need for a truly modern giving experience," said Scot Chisholm, Classy CEO and Co-Founder. "It's been amazing to partner with such an iconic organization on extending their reach to new hearts and minds of all ages. Their thoughtful approach to implementing modern technology and practices will ensure they grow their impact even further for many more decades to come."

This holiday season, The Salvation Army is launching Fundraise for Good, the organization's first national, on-demand (or do-it-yourself) peer-to-peer fundraising campaign on Classy, where supporters can tailor their fundraising experience in a way that's most meaningful to them, such as donating their birthdays, taking on challenges, or hosting events to raise money for the organization. Online donations for the organization's iconic 128th Red Kettle Campaign will also be processed through Classy at https://give.salvationarmyusa.org.

"The donor who believes in your mission and returns over and over again to give is the holy grail in helping people," said Lt. Col. Ward Matthews. "With a seamless donor experience and the right tools to nurture that donor over time, we don't have to continually replace lost donors, which means the year goes better for those in need, because we have more funds to help them."

About Classy

Classy is a social enterprise that creates world-class online fundraising software for nonprofits, modernizing the giving experience to accelerate social impact around the world. Based in San Diego, CA, Classy is trusted by organizations of all sizes, from the fastest-growing nonprofits like Team Rubicon and The Trevor Project, to some of the world's largest social organizations, such as Acumen, Robin Hood Foundation, and Shriners Hospitals for Children. Classy also hosts the Collaborative conference and the Classy Awards to spotlight the innovative work nonprofits are implementing around the globe. For more information, visit www.classy.org or follow Classy on Twitter @Classy.

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