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Faith in Action Network - Testing List-Building Strategies to Mobilize Online Resources

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Faith In Action is the largest faith-based grassroots organizing group working toward racial and economic justice in the United States. With more than 45 multi-faith, multi-racial organizations in 200 cities, 20 state capitals, and Washington, D.C., Faith in Action has developed tens of thousands of volunteers across the country. Their network runs powerful on-the-ground campaigns, organizing communities, developing leaders, and advocating for policy change.

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Overview

With a grant from Progressive Multiplier, Faith in Action developed a strategy to increase their annual individual donor revenue beyond its current 6% of total budget. They ran targeted ads on Facebook, Twitter, and Daily KOS to build their email lists, with each new subscriber going through an onboarding and engagement process culminating with an ask. This approach allowed them to determine which platforms' leads would best convert to donors and which campaigns resonated most effectively with potential supporters.

By expanding their organizing and fundraising into the digital world, Faith in Action mobilized the resources necessary to grow their network and capacity to bring everyday people into public action around their values. 

Key Strategies & Tactics

  • Platform Testing: Running targeted ads across multiple platforms to identify which sources produced the highest-quality leads and best donor conversion rates

  • Message Testing: Comparing issue-focused campaigns against general brand messaging to determine which resonated most with potential donors

  • Audience Targeting: Shifting from donor lookalike audiences to demographic and interest-based targeting to improve conversion rates

  • Supporter Journey: Implementing a structured email welcome series to effectively onboard new supporters into the Faith in Action network

  • Campaign Integration: Leveraging timely issues like their "Masks for the People" campaign to connect fundraising with current events and community needs

Lessons Learned

  • Issue-Based Messaging Works:

    Content focused around specific issues like their "Masks for the People" campaign attracted more donors and performed better than general brand messaging

  • Audience Refinement Matters:

    Initial targeting based on lookalike audiences from previous donors proved unsuccessful, while demographic and interest-based targeting significantly improved cost per conversion

  • Campaign Identity Resonates:

    Using specific campaign identities (LA RED for immigrant justice, LIVE FREE for gun violence) performed better than the general Faith in Action brand

  • Timing Is Critical:

    The pandemic and uprising for Black lives provided a window of opportunity to reinforce the power of their organizing work

  • Organizational Investment:

    Success in digital fundraising requires dedicated resources and staff capacity to manage growth effectively

 

By The Numbers

By the Numbers (7)

 Impact

The digital engagement strategy positioned Faith in Action to respond effectively to critical moments in history, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the movement for racial justice. Their "Masks for the People" campaign addressed the disproportionate impact COVID-19 was having on underserved, minority communities, connecting their fundraising directly to urgent community needs.

By diversifying their revenue streams through increased individual giving, Faith in Action gained greater independence to pursue their prophetic vision for change without the constraints sometimes imposed by institutional funding requirements. This shift toward grassroots fundraising aligned with their core value of giving those most impacted by racist agendas influence and power in their organizations and in the policies that shape their communities.

 
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