Non-Profit Org Transforms Donor Pipeline with ZoomInfo

Challenge

Cradles to Crayons® (C2C®) provides essential items like clothing, shoes, hygiene items, coats, school supplies, and books, to children ages birth to twelve, who are experiencing homelessness or living in low-income situations. They turn the compassion of their donors into action and support for kids in need across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Greater Philadelphia Area, and in Chicagoland.

As a non-profit organization, C2C prioritizes fundraising and raising awareness about their mission and community work. To be sustainable, they must develop effective fundraising strategies and cultivate strong donor relationships.

“My team is responsible for securing and expanding corporate partnerships to fuel our donations, sponsorships, and fundraising initiatives,” says Robin Elliott, Associate Director of Corporate Relations and Foundations. “We rely heavily on these contributions to maximize the impact of our programs. The competition for donor dollars is fierce, and attracting and retaining donors requires ongoing effort.”

Elliott was looking to expand her team’s funding sources and increase their donor pipeline. To achieve this, she searched for ways to access contact information more efficiently and came across ZoomInfo.

“We have connected with more people than ever since starting with ZoomInfo. It’s now much easier to identify enterprise companies with corporate philanthropy departments who may be actively looking for nonprofits to support.”

Robin Elliott
Associate Director of Corporate Relations and Foundations

Solution

“Prior to ZoomInfo, we spent a lot of time and resources manually searching for companies and contacts who may be interested in becoming corporate partners,” says Elliott. “We worked out of Excel spreadsheets and made cold calls while hoping that one of our volunteers had a connection to at least one potential donor. We were limited to the data collected from free lists and other disparate sources on the internet.”

With access to accurate ZoomInfo contact data, C2C can reach a greater number of potential supporters. “We have connected with more people than ever since starting with ZoomInfo. It’s now much easier to identify enterprise companies with corporate philanthropy departments who may be actively looking for nonprofits to support,” says Elliott.

To improve their sales efforts, C2C uses Engage by ZoomInfo to automate their outreach and eliminate manual tasks. Now they can concentrate on building meaningful relationships with potential donors and expanding their portfolio of prospects. The donor team now works with ease, sophistication, and efficiency.

The Results

Cradles to Crayons experienced record-breaking engagement in their first year of using ZoomInfo. “We shared the mission of our work with more people than ever before in the history of the organization. ZoomInfo has transformed our donor pipeline,” says Elliott.

Thanks to the ZoomInfo platform, they’re able to consistently and effectively reach out to new donors. Developing relationships is essential for Cradles to Crayons’ sustainability. Even if potential donors do not contribute right away, they can be nurtured for future campaigns with precise information and contact details.

“The financial support Cradles to Crayons receives from individuals, families, and companies is what sustains our year-round mission. As you can imagine, fueling our donor pipeline is a top priority. With ZoomInfo we are able to maximize these efforts, paving the way for sustainable growth.”

About Company

Cradles to Crayons® (C2C®), founded in 2002, provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive—at home, at school, and at play. Cradles to Crayons distributes clothing, shoes, diapers, school supplies, and more, free of charge, via a collaborative network of Service Partners including schools, hospitals, community centers, and others. The organization works to fight Children’s Clothing Insecurity (defined as the lack of access to affordable, adequate, appropriate clothing), and focuses on raising awareness about this urgent crisis nationally.

C2C sets a gold standard of individual, family, and corporate volunteer engagement, and through its “Giving Factories®” provides unique, hands-on opportunities to directly help local families. Headquartered in Boston, MA, C2C opened in Philadelphia in 2007, Chicago in 2016, and New York City via an innovative online platform, Giving Factory Direct (GFD), in 2021. For more information, please visit www.cradlestocrayons.org/boston.

Mid Market

Non-profit