GVFB’s Integrated Giving Tuesday Campaign
Giving Tuesday has become a cornerstone of the Canadian charitable calendar—but it’s also a crowded space. Many organizations see strong engagement, yet few translate the day’s energy into measurable revenue growth.
For the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, 2024 brought rising food costs, surging demand, and an urgent need to stand out. Their goal was ambitious: expand Giving Tuesday as a key fundraising moment. As it turned out, it ended up being the largest single day of online giving in GVFB history.
The Strategy
GVFB partnered with Stratcom and Generosity X to build a multichannel donor journey that connected urgency with authenticity. Each touchpoint — SMS, BVM, email, social, paid media, and direct mail — was strategically sequenced to engage supporters throughout the campaign.
Stratcom’s role centered on SMS and BVM outreach: integrating immediacy, storytelling, and data-driven testing into GVFB’s broader fundraising mix.
Key Tactics
A/B Testing and Optimization – SMS broadcasts tested variations in timing, creative, and format to maximize engagement.
Human-Centred Storytelling – Messages featured real GVFB staff, adding authenticity and emotional connection.
Integrated Stewardship – A personalized Broadcast Voice Message from CEO David Long followed the campaign, closing the loop with gratitude and reinforcing donor relationships.
Our
Work
Distribution Friday Warm-Up
The campaign kicked off with a “behind-the-scenes” SMS broadcast to over 24,000 donors, featuring Alain, a frontline team member. This message was intended to cultivate donors prior to a direct donation ask. Stratcom tested two formats: a still image versus a short video. Both video and image were simple, unenhanced, and easy to create.
Results:
- Photo MMS outperformed video, with a 2.1% response rate vs. 1.1%.
- The test not only provided interesting results, but generated over $196,000 in gifts in the week leading into Giving Tuesday.
- Notably, neither the SMS nor the accompanying email included a direct donation ask or link. Donors navigated to GVFB’s website on their own—suggesting a highly engaged and committed donor base.
- This may also have been influenced by the Canada Post strike that began a week earlier (November 15, 2024), which may have generated extra sympathy and support.
Giving Tuesday SMS Appeal
On December 3, Stratcom tested two Giving Tuesday send times—1 PM and 6 PM—to pinpoint when donors were most likely to give.
Results:
- Both broadcasts achieved a 99% delivery rate.
- The evening broadcast slightly outperformed the afternoon (2.12% vs. 1.70% reply rate).
- While the reply rates sat around 2%, donation rates were much higher—8.2% for the afternoon and 8.0% for the evening—indicating that many donors who received the SMS chose to give directly online instead.
- Combined, SMS appeals raised $633,691 from 1,896 gifts, yielding an ROI of 130:1.
This performance contributed to GVFB’s record-breaking Giving Tuesday, surpassing half a million dollars raised online in one day—a historic achievement for the organization.
Closing the Year with Gratitude
To sustain momentum, Stratcom helped craft a Year-End SMS push on December 31 with a $100,000 match. While the timing and saturation of the season reduced overall response (0.5%), the tactic reinforced engagement among core donors and fed data into GVFB’s ongoing testing framework.
A Broadcast Voice Message from CEO David Long capped the campaign, achieving a 96% contact rate across 13,700 supporters and rounding out the integrated donor journey with a heartfelt thank-you.
The Results
$633,691
Giving Tuesday Revenue
130:1
SMS ROI
$196,907
Pre-GT Engagement Revenue
96%
BVM Contact Rate
~56,000
Total Contacts Engaged
Key Takeaways
Authenticity drives action
Real staff stories built connection and trust.
Testing pays off
Small differences in send time and format revealed actionable insights for future campaigns.
Integration multiplies impact
SMS and voice outreach amplified digital and direct mail channels, turning one day into a sustained donor experience.
The Outcomes
GVFB’s 2024 Giving Tuesday campaign proved that even in a saturated fundraising moment, precision, personalization, and persistence can redefine results. By blending Stratcom’s data-driven testing with GVFB’s authentic storytelling and Generosity X’s creative leadership, the team transformed a single day of giving into a lasting model for donor growth.
Watch our webinar with our partners at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB) and Generosity X for even more insights into what made this campaign a success.
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