Your donor-first fundraising growth partner.
ST exists to help nonprofits grow — by raising more money and building stronger donor relationships. Our integrated, performance-driven approach keeps donors at the heart of every strategy.
With growth guiding the way, STella! — our digital fundraising engine — boosts online revenue and sharpens the donor journey end to end. From engagement to acquisition to retention, ST helps future proof your fundraising program for what’s next.
Partnering exclusively with nonprofits, ST strategizes, executes and brings to life custom, integrated, digital and direct response campaigns to accelerate your fundraising.
Combining compelling storytelling, innovative tech and our deep fundraising expertise, the result is a transformative fundraising force that drives lasting change.
It’s the best cause & effect in fundraising.
The results effect
Proof that we help causes raise more money
Ready to get better results?
PaulaA@STfundraising.com
Mid-level growth
strategy pays off
The challenge
Alzheimer Society of Canada (ASC) is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to alleviating the personal and social consequences of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. At the start of our partnership, ASC’s annual giving program was well established, supported by a solid donor base. The primary challenge, however, was stalled revenue growth. ST was engaged to uncover untapped growth potential and lead the end‑to‑end annual giving program with a focus on long‑term revenue expansion.
The solution
Early in the engagement, we conducted ST's proprietary Data Audit, a donor-centric assessment of ASC's fundraising program. The analysis revealed that just 13.5% of donors generated a disproportionately large share of annual revenue. This insight led to the development of ASC's first mid-level giving program, focused on building stronger relationships with some of the organization's most valuable supporters.
While mid-level programs vary widely across the sector, ST's experience and data show that the most effective approach is an annual-giving-integrated model. This strategy combines the personalization mid-level donors expect with the efficiency and scale of a broader fundraising program, delivering a stronger return on investment.
ASC's mid-level program included targeted segmentation, personalized campaigns, exclusive experiences such as Research Update webinars, and enhanced stewardship designed to deepen engagement and demonstrate impact.
20%
Increase in the number of mid-level donors (one-time and monthly)
231%
Increase in revenue from this segment
753%
Return on Investment
From audit to engagement
The challenge
Campfire Circle, an Ontario not-for-profit organization, supports kids with cancer or serious illness by delivering healing through happiness within hospital, community and overnight camp programs. To identify growth opportunities, Campfire Circle engaged ST to conduct an audit of its fundraising program. The scope of work was intended to be a stepping stone to an upcoming RFP, in which they would select a long-term partner to help execute the plan. They were ultimately looking for an agency that could grow their annual giving program.
The solution
ST delivered a high-level strategic assessment that identified key growth opportunities and practical recommendations to strengthen performance.
Two key recommendations were a greater focus on acquisition and a revised campaign timeline to better balance activity across the year. A comprehensive creative review led to recommendations for a clearer thematic focus for each campaign — improving fund alignment, sharpening the ask, and increasing emotional resonance in direct mail and digital campaigns.
On the digital side, we identified friction points in the donor journey and completed a GA4 analysis to uncover additional opportunities for growth.
25%
growth in overall revenue
158%
growth in mid-level donors
228%
growth in monthly donors
Unflinching. Unapologetic. Unstoppable.
The challenge
The Canadian Wildlife Federation is dedicated to the conservation of Canada’s wildlife and habitats for the use and enjoyment of all. To expand their reach to a larger and more diverse audience and drive more donations, CWF turned to STella! Prior to our partnership, CWF’s communications were firmly grounded in the pragmatic and scientific. To capture new audiences, our strategy was to connect with people’s hearts and to do so in a way that is unapologetically honest.
The solution
Inspired by, and leveraging, the song “Never Enough” from ”The Greatest Showman”, STella! created a manifesto, a collective stand, a declaration that, when it comes to the negative impact we have on Canada’s wildlife, Enough is Enough. More than a campaign name, Enough is Enough is a bold call-to-action for Canadians to join CWF’s conservation movement through different types of action.
Launched during GivingTuesday 2025, the omni-channel campaign included direct response (DM/email/SMS), digital, social, print, PSA and telemarketing channels.
Positive ROAS
across Google, Bing & Meta
Meta ads
performed best with 45+ audience
18-24
ROAS of 7 with 18-24 year olds
Every Moment is a Gift
The challenge
The Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) is dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians affected by cancer. The holiday giving season is one of the most important opportunities for CCS to raise funds for this vital cause, however, the organization wasn’t taking an integrated approach to their holiday fundraising initiatives. Mass, direct mail, and digital were all created independently by different agencies. This fragmented approach meant donors were not seeing consistent messaging, which could impact the effectiveness of the campaigns.
The solution
For the 2024 holiday giving season, an overarching theme, “Every moment is a gift,” became the connective thread for a more consistent and channel- integrated fundraising campaign. For direct and digital, we added a fundraising call-to-action, “Help Give More of Them”.
ST created two waves of direct mail, complete with holiday cards and labels, that captured hearts and inspired donations through emotive storytelling. We interviewed cancer survivor Marie-Noelle to get to the heart of her story and write an emotionally compelling fundraising letter in her voice. We also created 3 digital waves, each consisting of emails, an animated home page banner, multiple static banners, donation landing page and donation forms, intercepts and more.
36%
year-over-year revenue growth for the GivingTuesday campaign
Direct mail
results were greater than the previous year in the period before the postal disruption
Over 40%
of the total campaign revenue came from digital gifts attributed back to those who also received mail
Gamification generates leads and conversions
The challenge
When Scarborough Health Network Foundation turned to STella! for an always on digital campaign to grow revenue between campaigns, we proposed something unexpected: don’t ask for a donation right away.
The solution
When generating leads, asking for a donation can be a turn-off. Instead, our strategy was to engage people with a fun and entertaining True or False quiz about medical myths. Medicine has changed by leaps and bounds over the last decades and centuries. We’ve traded superstition for science and guesswork for real care. And SHN is at the forefront of science and care.
The ads featured attention-getting statements or myths, such as “Doctors used to prescribe leeches”. Once people click on True or False, they are taken to a landing page for the correct answer. At that point, the ads communicate how medicine has changed and what SHN is doing to lead the way. Then the viewer is asked for a donation to help fund future care at SHN.
460,247
impressions
11,094
clicks
3.03%
conversion rate and 5.38 ROAS for the Leeches myth ad set
The integrated effect
Donors don’t think in channels. Neither do we.
Put donors first and revenue growth follows.
ST starts with what donors feel, think and do. That drives every recommendation — from channel choice to creative concepts. All with the goal of amplifying reach, deepening engagement and driving revenue growth across channels. That’s the integrated effect.
Existing and potential donors form an impression of your organization every time they interact with your brand, regardless of channel. These interactions influence their decision to support, or keep supporting, your cause.
Putting donors first ensures that every touchpoint, every integrated channel tells a cohesive story — reinforcing your message, building credibility, making an emotional connection, amplifying impact and maximizing resources for better results.
Putting donors first equals fundraising success.
For the Canadian Cancer Society’s holiday giving season, an overarching theme, “Every moment is a gift,” became the connective thread for a more consistent and integrated fundraising campaign. Adding a fundraising call-to-action, “Help Give More of Them”, drove donations.
Our organization wouldn't be able to handle the huge project management for over 75% of our online and offline fundraising without the great talent of ST's teams.
With ST, we grew our digital program by 427% and our direct mail program by 31%”
We're extremely pleased with the success of ST’s pilot Daffodil Community Initiative integrated campaign. We're planning to test this approach with more communities in the future.
Grounded in digital fundraising best practices, STella! – ST’s digital fundraising engine felt like an extension of our own team in rebuilding our website. It has enabled us to expand what we can do in digital fundraising.
The digital effect
It’s where innovation and experiences come together
Connections that convert.
Bringing technology, innovation, strategy and creative together for even better results. That’s the digital effect.
Want to accelerate your digital revenue? STella! – ST’s digital fundraising engine is ready to help with everything from optimizing your online donation pages and reimagining your website for an enhanced donor experience to developing an integrated fundraising strategy that blows the doors off your revenue projections. From Peer-to-Peer events that engage new and existing donors to innovative digital concepts that inspire donors to give more, and that’s just the beginning.
Gamification leads to conversions.
When the Scarborough Health Network Foundation (SHNF) turned to STella! for an always on digital campaign to accelerate revenue, we proposed something unexpected: don’t ask for a donation right away. Instead, engage people with a fun and entertaining True or False quiz about medical myths that drives them to a landing page for answers. At that point, we communicate how medicine has changed and what SHN is doing to lead the way. Then we ask for a donation to help fund future care at SHN.
Our organization wouldn't be able to handle the huge project management for over 75% of our online and offline fundraising without the great talent of ST's teams.
With ST, we grew our digital program by 427% and our direct mail program by 31%”
We're extremely pleased with the success of ST’s pilot Daffodil Community Initiative integrated campaign. We're planning to test this approach with more communities in the future.
Grounded in digital fundraising best practices, STella! – ST’s digital fundraising engine felt like an extension of our own team in rebuilding our website. It has enabled us to expand what we can do in digital fundraising.
The direct effect
Deepens bonds and amplifies donor value
Personal. Powerful. Proven.
Standing out in supporters’ hearts, hands and homes.
That’s the direct effect.
Direct mail remains a powerhouse for fundraising, because, quite frankly, it works. In an inbox-weary world, mail still cuts through, and fewer pieces in the mailbox mean more room to stand out.
Direct mail delivers your cause straight to supporters’ hands with personalized messages and curated content — based on their personas, interests and giving levels — that inspire action and drive donations.
ST’s expertise lies in our ability to tell your stories in a way that engages donors and resonates emotionally. And, to create direct mail packages that are on brand and integrated with omni channel campaigns.
Elevating emotion escalates donations.
ST’s work with Campfire Circle began with an audit of their fundraising program, which included a review of their direct mail creative. Two things stood out: their appeals lacked emotion and there was very little focus on the need. We addressed both in the Spring house appeal — our first project out of the gate. The envelope featured photos of a little boy’s before and after transformation with a compelling yet playful headline: From IV needles to pool noodles.
Our organization wouldn't be able to handle the huge project management for over 75% of our online and offline fundraising without the great talent of ST's teams.
With ST, we grew our digital program by 427% and our direct mail program by 31%”
We're extremely pleased with the success of ST’s pilot Daffodil Community Initiative integrated campaign. We're planning to test this approach with more communities in the future.
Grounded in digital fundraising best practices, STella! – ST’s digital fundraising engine felt like an extension of our own team in rebuilding our website. It has enabled us to expand what we can do in digital fundraising.
The data effect
Turning numbers into strategy
Know more. Raise more.
Revealing who to reach where, what resonates with them and how to maximize every dollar. That’s the data effect.
Smart data analysis transforms supporter information into actionable insights that optimize campaign performance, identify high-value donors and maximize return on investment.
ST offers a full suite of data services for digital, direct and integrated campaigns.
But even more importantly, we work with you to develop acquisition strategies that add rocket fuel to your bottom line. When global uncertainty drives donor anxiety, acquisition is more important than ever. ST knows where your next donor is and how to attract them to your door with smart strategies that get results.
Data analyses and reports drive fundraising success.
Year-over-year campaign performance reviews for the Alzheimer Society of Canada provided insights and direction prior to new campaign development. Dashboard reports of the year-to-date performance of each campaign revealed areas for improvement. And an annual data audit of the entire individual giving fundraising program identified opportunities for optimization and growth.
Our organization wouldn't be able to handle the huge project management for over 75% of our online and offline fundraising without the great talent of ST's teams.
With ST, we grew our digital program by 427% and our direct mail program by 31%”
We're extremely pleased with the success of ST’s pilot Daffodil Community Initiative integrated campaign. We're planning to test this approach with more communities in the future.
Grounded in digital fundraising best practices, STella! – ST’s digital fundraising engine felt like an extension of our own team in rebuilding our website. It has enabled us to expand what we can do in digital fundraising.
The strategy effect
It’s the spark that ignites every idea
Insights. Inspiration. Transformation.
Making every creative choice, every channel, and every dollar work harder. That’s the strategy effect.
Strategic solutions combine data-driven insights with deep fundraising expertise to build customized plans that maximize donor engagement, optimize campaigns, and accelerate your cause’s growth.
ST’s strategists come with deep experience in fundraising, direct response creative and brand, digital technology and analytics. We’ll future proof your organization by understanding and responding to an increasingly complex and changing marketplace.
A bold new strategy for the Canadian Wildlife Federation.
Prior to partnering with STella! CWF’s communications were grounded in the pragmatic and scientific. To capture new audiences, our strategy was to connect with people’s hearts in a way that is unflinching and unapologetically honest. Leveraging the song “Never Enough” from “The Greatest Showman”, STella! created a manifesto, a collective stand, a declaration that, when it comes to the negative impact we have on Canada’s wildlife, Enough is Enough.
Our organization wouldn't be able to handle the huge project management for over 75% of our online and offline fundraising without the great talent of ST's teams.
With ST, we grew our digital program by 427% and our direct mail program by 31%”
We're extremely pleased with the success of ST’s pilot Daffodil Community Initiative integrated campaign. We're planning to test this approach with more communities in the future.
Grounded in digital fundraising best practices, STella! – ST’s digital fundraising engine felt like an extension of our own team in rebuilding our website. It has enabled us to expand what we can do in digital fundraising.
The creative effect
Ideas that inspire action
Turn heads. Touch hearts.
Open wallets.
Bringing your cause to life through compelling storytelling and innovative ideas. That’s the creative effect.
Behind every great campaign is great creative. We pride ourselves on delivering smart, strategic, and results-focused direct, digital and integrated campaigns built on donor insights and an eagerness to disrupt the expected. Our creative doesn’t just look good — it stops supporters mid-scroll, commands attention in the mailbox, and sparks the emotional connection that moves people to give. We’re also big believers in testing, continually looking for creative ways to accelerate your revenue.
Our work is differentiated by the people who create it: experienced writers and designers with diverse backgrounds and expertise across all channels, united by a commitment to develop creative that breaks through and inspires action.
The video that launched a movement.
Leveraging the powerful song, Never Enough, we created a high-level awareness video that showcases both the magnificent beauty of wildlife and the destructive impact people are having on it. With a rallying call to join the conservation movement, the video demonstrates the undeniable truth: that we are all connected and when one species suffers, we all do.
Our organization wouldn't be able to handle the huge project management for over 75% of our online and offline fundraising without the great talent of ST's teams.
With ST, we grew our digital program by 427% and our direct mail program by 31%”
We're extremely pleased with the success of ST’s pilot Daffodil Community Initiative integrated campaign. We're planning to test this approach with more communities in the future.
Grounded in digital fundraising best practices, STella! – ST’s digital fundraising engine felt like an extension of our own team in rebuilding our website. It has enabled us to expand what we can do in digital fundraising.