KABOOM! Orr Group helped KaBOOM! develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy, identifying 169 major gift prospects and creating momentum through the first playground build, positioning the organization to achieve its $80 million goal.
“ Orr Group joined us at a critical moment when we were striving to transform our impact and end play space inequity for good. They helped us reimagine our approach, moving beyond one-off efforts to fostering meaningful system-level partnerships, providing the resources and guidance we needed during a significant turning point in our history.” “Orr Group joined us at a critical moment when we were striving to transform our impact and end play space inequity for good. They helped us reimagine our approach, moving beyond one-off efforts to fostering meaningful system-level partnerships, providing the resources and guidance we needed during a significant turning point in our history.” Lysa Ratliff, Chief Executive Officer, KABOOM!
Situation KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring all kids, especially those in low-income communities, have access to active and balanced play, launched an ambitious partnership with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) in mid-2017. The goal was to build 250+ playgrounds in public housing communities over five years. To achieve this, KaBOOM! needed to raise over $80 million, requiring a robust fundraising strategy and execution plan.
Solution KaBOOM! partnered with Orr Group to drive the success of this initiative. Orr Group refined KaBOOM!’s case for support, developed a pipeline of major donor prospects for the NYCHA Partnership Initiative, and tested the case with key donor prospects. Based on this feedback, Orr Group created a comprehensive fundraising road map, along with: Adjusting the case for support based on donor input. Identifying top donor prospects, recommended ask amounts, and cultivation strategies. Designing a gift pyramid for the campaign. Crafting strategies for cultivation, stewardship, and recognition for donors and foundations. Recommending Board engagement strategies and staffing, systems, and tools for effective progress tracking. Creating a detailed project timeline and budget. Additionally, Orr Group embedded a dedicated major gifts team to manage the prospect pipeline. This team identified, qualified, and initiated solicitation strategies for 169 major gift and foundation prospects.
Impact Over the six-month engagement, Orr Group’s efforts advanced KaBOOM!’s ambitious goals significantly. The embedded major gifts team and donor engagement strategies energized fundraising efforts, while the first playground build, completed just two months into the project, created momentum for the cultivation and solicitation program. These activities positioned KaBOOM! to achieve its goal of providing play opportunities for children in New York City’s public housing communities.