Mackenzie Lynch
Mackenzie Lynch

826CHI's
Share a Story

Raising $60,000+ to fund youth writing programming in Chicago, amplifying youth voices, and challenging the harmful narratives coloring the city.

Fundraising Campaign

8 Weeks

Project Timeline

Communications Lead

My Role

Print & Digital Fundraising Campaign

Deliverables

About the project

We needed to meet a $60K year-end fundraising goal to sustain 826CHI's youth programming. 

With the organization having a modest annual operating budget of <$1M, this campaign was critical to closing the year strong.

The Challenge

My goal was to design and execute an end of year fundraising appeal that would...

1. Amplify student voices, reframing perceptions of Chicago by spotlighting youth perspectives

2. Activate donors, especially the organization's online audience, to drive individual contributions and sharing

3. Inspire donors to view storytelling as a powerful tool for social change

The Goal

The campaign spanned video, email, social media, and print, and was guided by the writing of the organization's students.

Through student writing and parent and educator testimonials, we invited donors to see how storytelling builds confidence, bridges communities, and reshapes the narrative of Chicago.

We met our goal, successfully raising over $60,000 to fund 826CHI’s youth writing programs.

I partnered with 826CHI’s Development Director to lead the "Share a Story" end of year fundraising campaign.

The Campaign

Below is a sampling of communications deliverables I executed, including an animated video, an email campaign, social media posts, and print materials.

Share a Story Fundraising Campaign

01

She'Cago Video

"She'Cago" was the centerpiece of the campaign, based on an original poem written and narrated by 826CHI student, Izzy. I created the video through an in-kind collaboration with local animation studio Demo Duck. 

The poem combats the negative narrative of Chicago and captures it in the eyes of its younger natives.

03

Social Media

I managed a social media campaign on Instagram and Facebook featuring student writing, impact metrics, and testimonials to reinforce the campaign’s themes and activate donors for Giving Tuesday and holiday giving.

02

Email Campaign

I wrote a multi-part fundraising email series featuring student stories and a clear call to action, strategically sent to segmented donor lists in connection with Giving Tuesday and holiday giving.

04

Print Materials

Printed mailers were sent to the organization's donors, and the campaign's central quote, "I believe good stories have the power to change people," was featured in the Wall Street Journal.

The Deliverables

Get in Touch

Let's Talk

Whether you need a strategy, a story, or a little of both, let's make something worth talking about.

Work with me →