A $40 Million Victory
Reimagining Fundraising Through Powerful Storytelling
Drake University
Facing donor fatigue and increasing competition for philanthropic dollars, the university needed to quickly raise funds and craft an inspiring narrative for diverse stakeholders within a tight three-year timeframe. The campaign aimed to unify alumni, students, faculty, staff, and the community — each with unique motivations — under a compelling vision to drive collective giving.
Developing impactful messages under an extremely tight timeline while engaging multiple stakeholder groups.
Foster deep, emotional connections with critical audiences to support Drake University’s largest capital campaign.
ALUMNI
CURRENT STUDENTS
FACULTY
STAFF
THE COMMUNITY
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Our experience, plus research from Nonprofit Source, shows the profound impact of emotional storytelling
These insights guided our strategy to humanize Drake’s mission, showcasing real student experiences and the tangible impact of donor contributions. By tapping into universal themes like hope and community, we created personal connections that inspired individuals to contribute. Creating emotional stories that inspire action requires a delicate balance of authenticity, connection, and purpose.
Additional research by Campaign Monitor provided critical insights:
of donors are inspired by compelling reasons to give
are motivated by pictures and stories of impact
prefer hearing from individuals within an organization
“The Ones: Drake’s Campaign for the Bold & Brave” incorporated a comprehensive storytelling approach that brought the university’s vision to life by focusing on three key principles:
1. Authenticity
We focused on authentic stories showcasing Drake University's real impact:
Individual student journeys
Transformative moments in education
Real challenges overcome through Drake’s support
2. Emotional Resonance
Focusing on emotional impact, we developed stories that:
Highlight personal growth
Demonstrate community impact
Connect individual experiences to broader educational missions
3. Multi-Channel Storytelling
We ensured consistent, compelling narratives across platforms:
Hero videos featuring student testimonials
Social media content with shareable, impactful moments
Website stories that provide deeper context
Print materials that bring individual experiences to life
The campaign approach transformed fundraising from a transactional ask to an emotional invitation to be part of something meaningful — Drake University’s mission to create bold, brave learners who can transform communities.
Previous and Likely Donors
Already invested in Drake’s vision and mission
Want to be inspired by new ideas and thinking
Goal: Inspire them to be ambassadors/evangelists for the campaign
Disengaged Alumni and Friends
Greater Population and Beyond
Leveraging our team’s expertise, we crafted narratives that showcased Drake’s educational impact and potential.
The campaign — fueled by emotional narratives — exceeded its $225 million goal by $40 million, proving the power of authentic storytelling to inspire audiences to get involved and give.
were inspired to give.
on social media compared to typical annual results.
across various constituent audiences, achieving higher traction for the fundraising campaign.
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