Fellowship of Christian Athletes

Fellowship of Christian Athletes

Fellowship of Christian Athletes had outgrown the capabilities of their previous CRM and needed a solution that could serve both staff and donor needs. In the first 30 days after their new go-live with Blackbaud, nearly 900 staff users logged in at least once, generating over 2,000 batches resulting in over $10 million in contribution revenue to support FCA’s mission.

Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, an international nonprofit Christian sports ministry, desires “to see the world transformed by Jesus Christ through the influence of coaches and athletes.”

FCA’s team of over 1,700 people, located across more than 450 offices around the globe, reaches more than 2 million people per year – a massive scope that had outgrown the capabilities of their previous CRM. FCA technology staff were frustrated by the amount of time they needed to spend ensuring systems were up and running, instead of creating innovative solutions for staff, coaches, athletes, and volunteers. Additionally, the system was cumbersome and difficult to use for the many FCA staff who personally secure the fundraising support that funds their own salaries. They needed a simple way to manage donor relationships, track progress to goals, and connect with new supporters.

Finding the right, user-friendly fit

FCA began searching for a right fit for their entire constituent database and a variety of other tools that had been in use for more than 20 years. FCA leadership kept their donor and staff experience at the center of the process, looking for a comprehensive tool that could serve both groups.

They chose Blackbaud CRM for fundraising and relationship management, paired with Blackbaud Internet Solutions™, a website solution designed to fully integrate with Blackbaud CRM. Blackbaud implementation and optimization experts worked closely with FCA over 18 months to prepare for the complex process of migrating all of their existing data, which includes 60+ years of ministry information and donor data.

At go-live, the new solution—which FCA named FCAOne—was an immediate hit with staff. “This technology is user-friendly, and the platform is already set up to answer some key questions our staff ask on a regular basis,” explained Johanna Meza, an administrative assistant on staff. The solution provides the staff with a better view of a constituents’ information and an easier way to enter donations. Staff are particularly excited by the intuitive design that makes finding and recording information simple for them.

Moving confidently into the future

In addition, Blackbaud Internet Services could tailor to meet FCA’s needs, including providing a catalog of giving designations that allows users to search and view staff giving pages and areas of support with details dynamically pulled from Blackbaud. Their online giving form was designed and configured to integrate with web transaction batches and customized to facilitate efficient batch processing.

In the first 30 days of go-live, nearly 900 staff users logged in at least once, generating over 2,000 batches resulting in over $10 million in contribution revenue to support FCA’s mission. With a modern solution for their mission, FCA staff are optimistic about the future.