Client story: BetterNow
Improving average performance across all fundraising campaigns by 45%
Using AI to make the world more generous with an AI recommendation engine
At the core of BetterNow is a simple, straightforward mission: To make the world more generous. Enabling anyone to be able to start a fundraiser is the first step to achieving this goal. By changing how fundraising is perceived, BetterNow help more of the world’s wealth find its way into charities’ hands. With 2021.AI, BetterNow improved their fundraising platform by bringing AIpowered, personalized recommendations and valuable insights directly to their clients to help increase the number of donations.
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The challenge
While many fundraising activities and campaigns successfully reach the predetermined collection goals, it is also apparent that some campaigns outperform others significantly.
Since most non-profit organizations rely heavily on donations but have limited resources to run their programs, the individual campaigns must perform as well as possible.
BetterNow are determined to help clients increase the efficiency of their respective campaigns. But how does one define good or even best practice for executing various fundraising campaigns? And what variables have the most significant effect on the overall outcome of any given campaign?
BetterNow have initiated a significant project to develop a machine-learning algorithm to serve peer-to-peer fundraisers with personalized recommendations. The engine will help each fundraiser achieve the best possible results by highlighting possible actions they can take that could have great potential.
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Our experience is that some fundraising campaigns and events raise many more donations than others. With the abundant data we have, we decided to work with 2021.AI to analyze how modern AI techniques can support our clients in increasing the results of the fundraising efforts.
The solution
Leveraging historical data collected by BetterNow, 2021.AI developed a series of AI models designed to help increase donations to charities at the individual campaign level. The models incorporate and isolate numerous variables that can be proven to increase fundraising.
Findings are transformed into concrete and actionable recommendations, which are showcased directly within the peer-to-peer fundraising platform.
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Examples of the data the AI models have been using include meta-data, the text, which also includes the fundraiser purpose description, the images and portraits used, and the donation targets. Everything was analyzed in order to find patterns in wellperforming campaigns. Based on all of this data, and using best practices for AI model development, the recommendation engines were developed.
The results
2021.AI and BetterNow collaborated to bring real-time recommendations and valuable insights to clients using the fundraising platform. BetterNow estimate that the AI recommendation engine will improve the average performance across all campaigns by around 45%.
An improvement in campaign performance is in itself a significant win for BetterNow and their clients. Still, BetterNow experienced other benefits: a surprising side result of developing the AI models has been a wealth of incremental platform enhancements based on the insights gathered from the data analysis. Together with the AI engine recommendations, these incremental platform improvements have substantially benefitted BetterNow’s clients by generating new donations.
Project highlights
- 2021.AI and BetterNow worked together to improve outcomes for fundraisers
- Across all campaigns, the use of AI improves performance by an average of 45%
- The project has also driven multiple incremental improvements in BetterNow’s platform
About BetterNow
BetterNow are experts in peer-to-peer fundraising, in memory fundraising, tribute funds and general community and event fundraising. They provide white label digital fundraising solutions for charities. They have more than nine years of experience in Peer-to-Peer, event, community, and in-memory fundraising. BetterNow work with more than 200 charity customers across Europe. They are a trusted partner by large charities such as Doctors Without Borders, WaterAid, and other major health nonprofits.