OLÉ: Authentic, Intentional Fundraising

OLÉ New Mexico is a grassroots member organization that empowers working families to shape New Mexico’s future through social advocacy, economic reform & issue-based campaigns. OLÉ adopted a new model to increase its number of monthly donors: authentic storytelling.

Infrequent asks without a strong tie to the organization’s policy actions hampered OLÉ’s fundraising. “This project forced us to look at every email that comes out of this organization as a fundraising email and taught us to be ok with that. Making the ask and not being afraid of making the ask was a direct result of this partnership,” said Andrea Serrano, Executive Director of OLÉ. 

Authenticity in fundraising was critical to OLÉ, so they worked with members to tell their stories and serve as email signers, sharing the experiences of people of color, early educators, parents, workers, and immigrants in their own voices. They examined email frequency and designed a story arc that progressed over time to engage their members in every communication. 

Cleaning up email lists made it easier to target their communications to the appropriate audiences and include relevant asks.  OLÉ also made it easier than ever for their donors to make gifts: By adding one-click forms of payment, such as Google Pay, Apple Pay, and PayPal, they saw an increase in donations. 

More options to donate and more consistency yielded impressive results: An increase in monthly donors and nearly $51,000 raised due to these engagement activities, with the expectation of raising $91,000 over three years.

OLÉ is a nonprofit, grassroots member organization of working families. Since 2009, members and staff have worked together to strengthen communities using issue-based campaigns and electoral engagement to ensure that working families play a critical role in shaping New Mexico’s future with a united voice. By centering the experiences of people of color, early educators, parents, workers, and Immigrants, OLÉ creates a space for people to grow their leadership and create lasting change in New Mexico.