“We knew we had a powerful mission, but we needed people outside of our immediate community to know who we were.”
That’s how Jeff from REACHUP described their digital journey before joining the BRIDGE programme. Based in Tampa Bay, Florida, REACHUP has been tackling health disparities, particularly high maternal and infant mortality rates, in their region. While their impact within public health is deeply rooted, their journey into digital engagement was just beginning.
Enter BRIDGE - Building Resilience in Digital Growth and Engagement: Lightful’s 6-month digital programme for grassroots change-makers. Through tailored training, 1:1 coaching, AI tools, and a community of peers, BRIDGE helped Jeff and his team unlock the tools and confidence to launch their first-ever digital fundraising campaign, with remarkable success!
In this blog, Jeff shares how BRIDGE transformed their approach and why digital is now central to their organisation’s growth strategy.
What motivated you to apply for the BRIDGE programme?
REACHUP has been primarily grant funded in the past and our organisation is not well known outside of the medical and public health community. We saw BRIDGE as an opportunity to educate more people about our work and grow our donor base through digital campaigns.
From ad hoc social media posts to measurable campaigns
When Jeff first joined BRIDGE, REACHUP had a powerful mission, but a small digital presence. Fast-forward 6 months, and their first ever online campaign raised over $31,000!
Before participating in the BRIDGE programme we didn’t have a digital marketing plan or a digital fundraising strategy - or much experience. Both our social media following and donor base were small and not very connected to our organisation.
The idea of having specific campaigns – not just a string of unconnected posts – changed everything for us. It meant we had measurable campaigns where we could track results.
Turning digital skills into real-world impact
What changes have you seen in your digital presence since completing the programme?
The biggest change is that we have planned campaigns that are tracked and measured for success. Our social media posts are much more effective now, with better storytelling, giving people the chance to learn more or donate on every post.
Can you share a specific success story that came from applying what you learned?
We launched our first ever digital fundraising campaign - 34 to Zero - with a goal of $34,000. Currently, there is one week left in the campaign and we have already raised over $31,000! We’re hoping to reach our goal by the deadline of the end of the month.
This campaign would not have happened without the guidance and training of the BRIDGE Programme.
The training structure was terrific. The combination of self-paced learning through Lightful Academy, plus the live Masterclasses and bonus webinars, gave everyone a flexible way to engage with the programme - we could dip in and out based on our capacity and availability. The one-on-one coaching sessions with the Lightful Digital Communication Coaches were always highly beneficial in helping us address specific needs; they helped us fine tune our campaign ideas and bring them to life!
What’s next for REACHUP?
Our next challenge is to take what we have learned about storytelling, marketing, and digital fundraising and do a complete overhaul of our current website. Plus, with our new campaign skills we plan on adding a fall digital fundraising campaign into our calendar of events!
Any advice for similar grassroots organisations looking to elevate their online presence?
I would highly recommend any organisation to take part in the BRIDGE programme. Even our Social Media Manager, who had lots of experience, learned so much from BRIDGE and her new skills are making her much more effective in her job.
Jeff’s journey with BRIDGE is one of many stories that show what’s possible when we invest in the nonprofit sector. With more confidence, clearer strategy, and stronger stories, REACHUP is now better equipped to reach new supporters and deepen its impact. REACHUP took part in a cohort generously funded by Florida Philanthropic Network.
Funders: if you want to explore how we can work together to strengthen the social impact sector, visit https://lightful.com/bridge-collective or get in touch with our team at partnerships@lightful.com.
Nonprofits: if you want to learn more about BRIDGE, contact our team at support@lightful.com.
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