Ronald McDonald House New York

Over an initial nine-month period, we raised close to $1 million against a $500,000 goal, at a significantly lower cost per dollar than RMDHNY achieved using in-house resources alone.

Ronald McDonald House children playing
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Situation

Since its founding in 1978, Ronald McDonald House New York (RMDHNY) has provided temporary lodging and care for more than 35,000 families whose child is battling cancer. Located on East 73rd Street in Manhattan, near 13 major cancer treatment centers, RMDHNY can accommodate 95 families and is filled almost every night. In addition to heavily subsidized accommodation, RMDHNY offers families additional support through wellness programs, tutoring, music, art, transportation, activities for siblings, holiday and birthday parties, and camaraderie.

RMDHNY has enjoyed considerable success in its fundraising efforts.  Through its well-connected board, it has been able to attract high profile honorees and speakers at its fundraising galas and other events. The success of these events has led to significant funds raised to support its facility and outreach programs. RMDHNY has also built up an extensive database of donors and has been successful in converting these contacts into ongoing giving relationships.

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Solution

Building on this strong foundation, RMDHNY came to Orr Group seeking to develop a major gifts fundraising strategy to build significant beneficial and enduring relationships with existing and new major donors.  We began working with RMDHNY to provide interim management to advance donor relationships, while simultaneously performing a dynamic assessment to create a major gifts roadmap identifying the prospects, leadership, staffing, programs and fundraising systems needed to move RMDHNY’s fundraising to the next level.

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Impact

In just the first three months of work we helped to close new, individual major gifts totaling 50% of RMDHNY’s annual goal.  Over an initial nine-month period, we raised close to $1 million against a $500,000 goal, at a significantly lower cost per dollar than RMDHNY achieved using in-house resources alone.