Best of CASE Europe Region Award
 

Institution: University of Cambridge

Title of entry: Cambridge University Boat Club's Pulling Together Campaign

About this entry: Changing UK funding models mean diverse revenue streams are needed to ensure sporting competition continues at the highest level. A new integrated fundraising, communications, and engagement strategy for Cambridge University Boat Club (CUBC) represented a step change in developing relationships with alumni and supporters across multiple channels. 2023’s Pulling Together marketing campaign was designed to build both a sense of community and a culture of philanthropy through a public-facing appeal. It ran January - April, engaged constituents in new ways, prioritised participation, rallied separate supporter constituencies from three historic University boat clubs around our primary annual event, The Boat Race, and converted a highly engaged constituency into a new donor base.

Event attendance, a 25% increase in newsletter click-to-open rates, increased engagement or followers across all social channels, and significant growth in digital fundraising demonstrated an engaged and growing supporter base. Revenue increased by 28% and participation by 32% with 368 gifts from 14 countries and across 58 crew years. Gifts supported the Club’s most pressing priorities from training to equipment, to coaching staff and athlete wellbeing. Every piece is crucial for the crew’s success and ensures the Club is as well prepared as possible to beat Oxford.

Key elements contributing to success included: close collaboration with a wide range of partners to align planning, segment messaging and amplify impact; bringing three very different alumni constituencies together through thoughtfully curated, inspiring content; and leveraging the strong affinity/high engagement to come together to invest in the future of the Club.