How Bloomerang Fundraising helped increase online giving by 170%

Key Nonprofit Highlights

Catholic Charities of Central Colorado provides compassionate support and practical solutions to individuals and families facing crises, offering resources and connections to help them achieve stability and hope. Guided by Catholic Social Teaching, they serve anyone in need, regardless of background, with a commitment to dignity and the belief that every person matters. Catholic Charities faced challenges with their outdated donation platform, including security concerns, inflexibility, and poor user experience for online and recurring donors. The transition to Bloomerang Fundraising allowed them to create customizable online forms, support recurring donations, and improve the donor experience. The results were transformative: a 170% increase in online giving over three years, a 116% increase in transactions, and an increase in the average donation size from $189.54 to $212.55.

Challenge

An outdated donation platform with security and usability issues

Catholic Charities realized that their legacy donation platform was no longer meeting their growing needs. While online giving was becoming increasingly popular among donors, their existing system was not only unintuitive but also raised serious security concerns. Janet Hutchinson, Chief Development Officer, shared, “I don’t think it was very user friendly.” The platform lacked the flexibility needed to accommodate their expanding number of online donors and failed to provide a simple, reliable way for supporters to set up recurring gifts. Additionally, Catholic Charities’ in-house IT team flagged potential security vulnerabilities, further highlighting the urgent need for an improved solution.

Solution

Switching to Bloomerang Fundraising for security and flexibility

Upon the recommendation of their IT consultant, Catholic Charities transitioned to Bloomerang Fundraising. The platform, with its robust level-one PCI compliance, addressed the security issues that their prior system could not resolve. But it wasn’t just about security—it was about transformation. The change brought enhanced functionalities that allowed the organization to save money and tailor their online forms as needed. Hutchinson reflected, “We also had the capability of allowing donors to schedule recurring gifts, and we had more flexibility being able to change our online form as needed.”

One of the most valuable features of the new platform was its ability to support recurring donors, a group that comprised a rising 16% of their individual donor base. Hutchinson noted, “More and more people were asking to give online.” The new framework enabled Catholic Charities to simplify the giving experience for their supporters, ensuring that both recurring and one-time donors could engage with ease. Bloomerang Fundraising not only solved logistical challenges but also empowered the organization to meet modern donor expectations

Results

170% increase in online giving and simplified donor experience

The move to Bloomerang Fundraising was a game-changer for Catholic Charities of Central Colorado. In the first three years of using the platform, the organization saw an impressive 170% increase in online giving. “I feel like I don’t have any stress about online donations!” Hutchinson exclaimed, capturing the relief and confidence the system brought to her and her team.

With the growing preference for online transactions, the streamlined forms boosted the average donation size, climbing from $189.54 to $212.55. Even more exciting, the number of transactions increased by 116%, underscoring the platform’s ability to make online giving effortless and intuitive. This profound growth has positioned Catholic Charities to tackle future goals with optimism. Hutchinson remains confident in their choice, stating, “Looking at our trends, our online giving has increased every year. Bloomerang Fundraising has made the process as easy as possible.” Bloomerang became a partner in the organization’s mission, offering a scalable, dependable solution that empowers Catholic Charities to continue its vital work.