MULGRAVE SCHOOL
School Shifts Fundraising Strategy to Better Support Families Using Blackbaud Solutions

Blackbaud is so far advanced in terms of how weâre able to quickly access numbers, reporting, donors, and donor patterns. Itâs been really nice to see how those donors overlap with past capital campaigns and our annual fund as wellâand being able to see that story on one screen.â
Mulgrave School, an independent day school in Vancouver serving prekindergarten through 12th grade, committed to keeping its school family united during COVID-19âincluding providing financial assistance to fill in tuition payment gaps. With the right fundraising and relationship solution in place, the school raised $100,000 for its Community Relief Fund in just two months.
When COVID-19 began impacting Mulgrave Schoolâthe International School of Vancouverâadministrators wrote to families with a commitment to stay united. In practice, that meant shifting to e-learning, virtual events, and a fundraising strategy that made preserving enrollment a top priority.
âParents have lost their jobs, and they donât know where their income is going to come from,â said Elizabeth Calderon, assistant head of school. âThey know thereâs a recovery in the future, but in the meantime, theyâre thinking, âNot only do I have this uncertainty of my job being gone, but now I might have to take away from my child the place that brings her a sense of community.ââ
In just two months Mulgrave School raised $100,000 for its Community Relief Fund and pledged to support any family in need for the coming school year. The school would pay monthly to cover tuition for as long as needed within the academic yearâwith no requirement for repayment. âItâs really about showing support for our parents for our communityâand demonstrating a tremendous amount of empathy for our neighbors,â Calderon said. âTo be able to go to them and say, âYou can count on usâ has meant the world to them.â
$100,000
In just two months Mulgrave School raised $100,000 for its Community Relief Fund and pledged to support any family in need for the coming school year. The school would pay monthly to cover tuition for as long as needed within the academic yearâwith no requirement for repayment.
Simplifying Processes
Mulgrave School partners with Blackbaud for several key functions, including fundraising and relationship management, marketing, fund accounting, and both enrollment management and student record management.
Calderon said the shift to Blackbaud enrollment management in 2019 proved seamless for getting students on board. Blackbaudâs student records management solution also reduced paperwork and administrative time by guiding parents through all necessary forms in one central, secure location.
That same level of ease and access became critical as fundraising moved virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic. âBlackbaud is so far advanced in terms of how weâre able to quickly access numbers, reporting, donors, and donor patterns,â Calderon said. âItâs been really nice to see how those donors overlap with past capital campaigns and our annual fund as wellâand being able to see that story on one screen.â
As Mulgraveâs donations shifted solely online, Blackbaudâs flagship fundraising and relationship management solution, Blackbaud Raiserâs Edge NXTÂŽ, made it easy to pull in donor data with every payment. And the Credit Card Updater capability within Blackbaud Merchant Services⢠avoided wasted staff time and awkward conversations. As Calderon noted, âYou donât have to make the phone call to say, âOh your card is expiring⌠Can we get the new one?ââ
“Anything we can do to make a donation convenient is going to be key.â
Culture-Based Fundraising
Looking past the Community Relief Fund, the Mulgrave School team aims to grow its monthly sustainer gifts in 2021. âAnything we can do to make a donation convenient is going to be key,â Calderon said.
Digital communications and marketing assistant Aleah Bowerman, who manages Mulgraveâs online campaigns, said Blackbaudâs marketing solutions simplifies the process of embedding donation forms on the schoolâs website. In fact, when Calderon attended bbcon 2019âthe tech gathering for social goodâa speaker pledged to donate to the attendee who made a gift to his or her organization the fastest. Calderon won.
Ease of use, coupled with a deep connection to purpose, will drive Mulgraveâs fundraising efforts beyond COVID-19. âThe main thing is to stay true to our culture and ethos,â Calderon said. âIf we are a sustainable model for fundraising, making sure the culture of philanthropy is authentic and comes from the community will be key.â
Ready to power your passion?
Request a customized demo to see how Blackbaud is made for your unique challenges and needs.
All fields required
Thank you for your inquiry.
A Blackbaud representative will be in touch with you shortly.
Prefer to chat now?
Click here if you’d like to speak directly to a Blackbaud representative, today.