Real organizations. Real campaigns. Real growth. These are the stories behind the numbers.
Despite strong community ties and growing engagement, this organization faced a surprising challenge: a decline in digital fundraising. For years, they had accumulated email addresses from supporters who signed up through their national website, receiving 1,500 to 2,000 new contacts monthly. But with only about 30% actively engaging, and unresponsive contacts purged every six months, the "dead" list had grown to 122,000 contacts: a potential goldmine of untapped supporters sitting as digital dust.
EFM conducted a Data Archaeology project, running the list through our data analysis system and using AI-powered predictive modeling to identify high-potential donors. Rather than treating all 122,000 contacts the same, we segmented by engagement history and developed a strategic re-engagement approach. We then reached those supporters where they already were, online, through targeted social media campaigns with personalized messaging that emphasized the value of and impact on the community.
"This test phase was just the beginning. Now, we're applying the same strategy to other projects, and I can't wait to see the results."
When PBS12 Colorado undertook a major rebrand, moving from a legacy identity to a fresh, modern positioning. They needed a digital strategy partner who could match the ambition of the moment. Their Google Ad Grant was undermanaged. Their web traffic was stagnant. Their messaging didn't reflect the bold new direction.
EFM built a comprehensive strategy across Google Ads, Search, Display, and YouTube, with segmented campaigns targeting viewers interested in specific program categories. We developed unified messaging across all channels that highlighted both educational value and local relevance; the heart of the PBS12 rebrand.
"Since working with EFM, our web traffic has tripled. They've become an essential extension of our team: strategic, responsive, and deeply invested in our success."
The Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF) had grown from a small local gathering into a widely recognized event, but their traditional approach to advertising, primarily print and posters, was delivering almost zero ROI. They knew they needed to increase their social media presence significantly, but marketing and advertising weren't in their wheelhouse.
EFM partnered with CEFF starting in 2019, taking a personalized and flexible approach tailored to their seasonal needs. We implemented a Google Grant strategy to maximize visibility on a limited budget, supplemented by targeted paid social media ads. The combination stretched their modest ad spend incredibly far, reaching new demographics and younger, digitally-savvy audiences.
"The only thing we've done differently is digital marketing with Electric Fork Media. Their expertise in both paid social media ads and the Google Grant completely transformed our approach and results."
EFM's Director of Advertising, Travis DeRousse, applies a sociologist's lens to every campaign, studying community identity, regional language patterns, and local culture to craft ads that don't just target people in a geography, but speak to them as neighbors.
Using proprietary AI tools built in-house, EFM developed ad creative that adapted to local dialects, referenced community landmarks, and mirrored the tone of local media. The results were unlike anything in our portfolio: a dramatic improvement across every performance metric.
A client paused their digital advertising during a budget review, assuming donations and engagement would hold steady for a quarter. Within weeks, the data told a different story. Website traffic dropped. Donor acquisition stalled. And fundraising revenue fell by 40%.
When EFM reactivated the campaigns, the recovery was measurable and swift, but the lesson was clear. Digital marketing for nonprofits isn't a luxury you turn on and off. It's the infrastructure that sustains your mission. When you go dark, your audience doesn't wait.
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