CARE’s End-of-Year Fundraising Campaign Mailer

Each year, Cincinnati Animal CARE conducts an end-of-year fundraising campaign to encourage donor support during the organization's most critical giving season. For this campaign, we centered the story around Applebutter, a shelter animal whose medical journey highlighted the lifesaving impact of donor contributions. The campaign was designed as an integrated, multi-channel fundraising effort spanning direct mail, email marketing, social media, and a dedicated online donation experience. Through strategic storytelling, thoughtful design, and coordinated donor outreach, the campaign raised $158,792 to support Cincinnati Animal CARE's mission.

My Role

As the lead designer and campaign coordinator, I helped shape both the creative direction and execution of the campaign from concept through launch. Working closely with executive leadership and management, I developed a cohesive donor experience that translated Applebutter's story across multiple touchpoints while maintaining a clear fundraising focus.

I began by helping select and secure Applebutter as the featured animal for the campaign, then coordinated the collection of medical history, photography, and supporting content needed to tell her story authentically. From there, I designed a custom 8.5" x 14" quarter-fold direct mail brochure engineered to fit within a standard mailing envelope while maximizing space for storytelling and donation appeals.

To reinforce giving opportunities, I also designed a standalone donation insert featuring frequently needed medical and care items paired with associated costs, helping donors understand the direct impact of their contributions. The insert included both a mail-back donation option and QR code to streamline giving.

Beyond print, I developed the digital fundraising ecosystem by building the campaign's donation page in Network for Good and adapting campaign messaging, visuals, and calls-to-action across email marketing, landing pages, and social media content. Careful image selection and visual storytelling ensured Applebutter's journey remained compelling and emotionally resonant across every channel despite tight format constraints.

The campaign's success was the result of close collaboration between communications, management, and executive leadership teams, resulting in a unified fundraising effort that exceeded expectations.

Responsibilities

  • Helped select and secure the featured campaign animal, Applebutter

  • Coordinated content gathering and storytelling around Applebutter's medical journey

  • Designed an 8.5" x 14" quarter-fold fundraising brochure optimized for standard mail distribution

  • Designed a standalone donation insert featuring care needs and associated costs

  • Created donor response pathways through mail-back forms and QR code donations

  • Built and managed the campaign fundraising page in Network for Good

  • Adapted campaign content across direct mail, email marketing, landing pages, and social media

  • Curated imagery and visual storytelling to maximize emotional impact within format limitations

  • Collaborated with executive leadership and management to align messaging and fundraising goals

Results

  • Raised $158,792 during the annual end-of-year fundraising campaign

  • Delivered a cohesive, multi-channel donor experience across print and digital platforms

  • Increased donor understanding of the direct impact of contributions through itemized giving opportunities

  • Successfully translated a complex medical recovery story into an accessible, donation-driven campaign narrative