The American Kidney Fund’s Successful Transition to Engaging Networks
The American Kidney Fund (AKF) provides an unmatched scope of programs that support people wherever they are in their fight against kidney disease — from prevention and education through treatment and post-transplant living. To scale their mission, they sought to grow online fundraising and advocacy efforts but faced limitations with their previous fundraising platform. The platform was hindering their ability to innovate and take advantage of emerging market trends and best practices, leading them to explore a more modern solution. Their digital fundraising agency of record, Interactive Strategies, suggested transitioning to a more modern eCRM tool.
The Challenge: Outgrowing a Former Platform
AKF’s digital marketing, fundraising, and advocacy programs had grown significantly over the past several years, with increases in website traffic, conversions, donations, and email opt-ins. However, they felt their fundraising platform had stagnated. Particularly, they had limited functionality for email and page testing, outdated automation features, and a lack of customer support necessary during peak times like Giving Tuesday and End-of-Year.
Because of this, AKF prioritized finding a platform that allowed for more flexibility in email and page creation, improved data workflows, and robust segmentation. Their goal was to find a fundraising solution that would not only support their current needs but also scale with their expected growth and future fundraising potential.
The Solution: Transitioning to Engaging Networks
After exploring the offerings of multiple platforms, the AKF selected Engaging Networks. They were drawn to Engaging Networks’ user-friendly email and page builder, built-in testing capabilities, and a responsive customer support team with expertise in nonprofits’ unique needs. All these features enabled AKF and their agency, Interactive Strategies, to deliver engaging fundraising campaigns year-round, with no downtime during peak giving season.
Results: Increased Engagement and Revenue
Since migrating to Engaging Networks in August 2024, Interactive Strategies reported that AKF has seen several improvements in their digital fundraising:
- Total dollars raised online have increased by 13.2% YOY from the same time in 2024
- Sustainer revenue is up by 30% since 2024
- Average monthly gift size has grown by 8.3%
- National Kidney Month (March), one of AKF’s biggest fundraising months of the year, saw a 24% average email gift increase
Alongside the improvements that come with more efficient tools, AKF’s transition to Engaging Networks has also allowed for better testing and the ability to make more informed data-driven decisions that positively impacted their bottom line. For example, an A/B test of their end-of-year donation page showed a significant improvement by using real photography over stock images.
Looking Ahead: Scaling with Engaging Networks
The AKF continues to leverage Engaging Networks’ fundraising suite of tools to drive even greater results. Looking to the future, they are excited about the potential for even more personalization and process automation. They are also looking to refine parts of their current strategy with tools built around segmentation, suggested gifts, and high-engagement targeting.
Conclusion
The decision to move to Engaging Networks was a game-changer for the AKF. The platform’s flexible features, real-time support, and scalable nature have enabled them to increase engagement, optimize donor interactions, and significantly boost revenue. With sustained growth and a commitment to continual improvement, the AKF is better positioned than ever to continue leading the fight to end kidney disease and help people and families live healthier lives.
