How ALM Division Reimagined Digital Donor Engagement
Executive Summary
When Aimee Murry, Communications and Marketing Director at the ALM Division of The Salvation Army, first approached G-Lab about transforming their digital fundraising ecosystem, she wasn't just looking for better technology—she was seeking a way to scale genuine human connections.
"We had the data, we had the donors, we had the programs," Murry explains, "but we couldn't connect these elements to create meaningful relationships. It felt like we were talking at our donors instead of with them."
Many nonprofits face the challenge of maintaining authentic relationships while scaling digital operations. The solution would require more than new technology for the ALM Division, which spans 40+ units across three states. It would demand a fundamental reimagining of how nonprofit organizations build and maintain donor relationships in the digital age.
The results of this transformation speak volumes:
30.6% increase in email-attributed donations
17.42% growth in mid-level giving
2,469 new donors engaged
788 donors reactivated
But these numbers only hint at the more profound transformation that took place. This is the story of how one division's journey to break down data silos ended up breaking down barriers between donors and mission, between technology and humanity, and between tradition and innovation.
The Evolution of Donor-Centric Fundraising
Redefining Personalization in 2025
The nonprofit sector has long embraced donor-centric fundraising, but the concept has evolved dramatically. In the past, it meant segmenting donors by giving levels and sending targeted communications. Today, it means something far more profound.
Modern personalization isn't just about addressing donors by name or knowing their giving history—it's about understanding and responding to their unique journey with your mission. This shift represents a fundamental change in how we think about donor relationships.
Nick Leggiero-Silva, Digital Fundraising Team Leader at G-Lab, frames it this way: "Traditional personalization asked 'What do donors like this usually want?' Our new approach asks, 'What is this specific donor telling us they care about right now?'" This simple shift in perspective drives everything that follows.
From Touch Points to Real-Time Engagement
The traditional fundraising model relied heavily on predetermined touch points, such as annual appeals, scheduled newsletters, and standardized thank-you letters. While this approach provided structure and predictability, it failed to acknowledge the dynamic nature of modern donor engagement.
Consider this scenario: A donor visits your website on a Tuesday afternoon, explores your youth programs, watches a video about your summer camp, and then leaves without donating. In the traditional model, this valuable signal of interest would go unnoticed until the subsequent scheduled communication—which might be weeks or months away.
The ALM Division's new approach fundamentally reverses this dynamic. Instead of waiting for predetermined touch points, their system actively listens for and responds to donor signals across all channels. This creates what we call "responsive relationship building."
Here's how it works in practice: When a donor engages with ALM's content, the system:
Immediately analyzes the nature of their interest (program type, location, giving history)
Consider their preferred communication channels and timing
Evaluate their recent interactions with the organization
Crafts a personalized response that acknowledges their specific interest
Delivers this response through the most appropriate channel at the optimal time
The impact of this shift has been remarkable. When a Baton Rouge donor shows interest in youth programs, they don't receive a generic newsletter weeks later. Instead, they immediately receive content specific to Baton Rouge youth initiatives, stories of local impact, and engaging opportunities that match their demonstrated interests.
The Challenge: Beyond Data Fragmentation
A Complex Landscape
The ALM Division's challenge wasn't unique—it was just more visible due to their scale. Operating across three states with more than 40 units, each offering various programs from shelter services to youth programs to food security initiatives, the division had accumulated a wealth of donor data. But this data existed in isolation.
"We had donors who followed us on social media, opened our emails, visited our website, and made donations through various platforms," Murray explains. "But each of these interactions lived in its silo. We couldn't see the complete picture of how donors engaged with our mission."
This fragmentation created several critical challenges:
The Data Disconnect
Before the transformation, the division's data landscape looked like this:
Interchange (Salvation Army's CRM)
Historical donation data
Lacked real-time engagement information
Disconnected from digital interactions
Social Media Platforms
Rich engagement data
No connection to donor records
Unable to track the impact of giving
Email Platform
Open and click-through rates
Limited insight into post-click behavior
Isolated from other channels
Website Analytics
Generic visitor data
There is no connection to donor profiles
Limited ability to track donor journeys
But the real challenge wasn't just technical—it was relational. This fragmentation meant donors received generic communications regardless of their interests or engagement patterns. For example, a donor deeply interested in youth programs might receive repeated appeals about shelter services, while their interactions with youth program content might go unnoticed.
The Solution: Digital Donor Data Center
Reimagining Data Integration
The solution required more than just connecting different systems—it demanded a new way of thinking about donor data. G-Lab's approach centered on creating the Digital Donor Data Center, a hub that doesn't just collect data but transforms it into relationship insights.
Eli Silva explains the philosophy behind the solution: "We needed to shift from thinking about data points to thinking about donor journeys. Every click, every opened email, and every social media interaction tells part of a donor's story. Our job was to help tell that story coherently."
System Architecture
The Digital Donor Data Center operates on three key principles:
Real-Time Integration The system continuously syncs data across platforms, ensuring that every donor interaction is immediately visible and actionable. For example, when a donor watches a video about a youth program on social media, that information instantly becomes part of their profile.
Contextual Analysis Beyond just collecting data, the system analyzes patterns and preferences. It understands that a donor who repeatedly views content about a specific program or location signals an interest that should shape future communications.
Responsive Engagement The system doesn't just track behavior—it responds to it. When a donor shows interest in a particular program, the system automatically adjusts its communication preferences and content delivery.
The Personalization Engine
The system's heart lies in a sophisticated personalization engine that transforms data into meaningful donor experiences. Here's how it works:
Geographic Relevance The system recognizes that donors often have the strongest connection to local programs. When a donor from Mississippi engages with content, they first receive information about its impact on their community.
Program Affinity Matching By analyzing engagement patterns, the system identifies which programs resonate most with each donor. For example, a donor who consistently engages with content about food security initiatives receives more communications about these programs.
Behavioral Response Mapping The system creates detailed maps of how donors interact with different types of content and communications and then uses these insights to optimize future engagement.
Implementation Process
Phase 1: Foundation (August-September 2024)
The implementation began with a crucial foundation-building phase. The team faced its first significant challenge: standardizing and cleaning a database of over 58,000 donor records. This wasn't just about fixing email addresses and formatting names—it was about ensuring each record could support the personalized engagement they envisioned.
"We realized early on that clean data wasn't just a technical requirement—it was a respect issue," Murray explains. "If we wanted to treat donors as individuals, we needed to ensure we had accurate, complete information about each person."
The team spent these months:
Standardizing data formats across systems
Verifying contact information
Mapping program affiliations
Creating content templates for different donor segments
Training staff on the new approach
Phase 2: Launch (October-December 2024)
The launch phase focused on gradual implementation, allowing the team to monitor results and make real-time adjustments. They began with a subset of donors, expanding as they confirmed the effectiveness of their approach.
Key activities included:
Rolling out the integrated data system
Implementing personalized communication flows
Monitoring donor response patterns
Adjusting content based on early results
Training staff on real-time response protocols
Results and Impact
Financial Growth
The numbers tell a compelling story of success:
Email-attributed donations increased by 30.6%
General donors a 10.78% increase
Mid-level giving grew by 17.42%
Major donor contributions increased by 17.19%
But these figures represent more than just financial growth—they demonstrate the power of meaningful donor engagement.
Donor Engagement Transformation
The new approach led to significant improvements in donor engagement:
New Donor Acquisition: 2,469 new donors joined the cause, representing a 32.88% increase. These weren't just names on a list—they were individuals who connected with specific programs and local initiatives.
Donor Retention: 1,825 donors remained actively engaged, with many increasing their level of involvement. The personalized approach helped maintain donor interest by consistently delivering relevant content.
Donor Reactivation Perhaps most impressively, 788 previously inactive donors renewed their support. This success came from understanding and responding to their specific interests and concerns.
Success Story: Reminding Donors of When They First Gave
One particular success story illustrates the power of this approach. When donors were sent a hyper-personalized reminder of what happened the year they gave their first gift (pop culture, music, and more!)., they engaged at a rate much higher than the average for this list. In addition, they donated more through this email than through almost any other fundraising email sent during the quarter: over $12,000 in a single email.
Other encouraging data from the email included:
A 36% email open rate (industry average: 25%)
A 35% conversion rate on landing pages
When we provide personalized communication for a donor, we now know they value that enough to make another donation, even when the email had NO hard donation ask.
Lessons Learned and Best Practices
1. Data Quality is Fundamental
The team learned early that the quality of donor data directly impacts the ability to create meaningful relationships. This means:
Regular data cleaning and validation
Consistent formatting across systems
Continuous updating of donor preferences
Integration of new data sources as they become available
2. Local Connection Matters
One of the most powerful insights was the importance of local connection. Donors responded most strongly to content about impact in their immediate community. This led to:
Prioritizing local content creation
Highlighting community-specific outcomes
Connecting donors with local programs
Sharing stories from their neighborhood
3. Responsive > Reactive
The team discovered that being responsive to donor behavior was more effective than being reactive to it. This meant:
Anticipating donor interests based on engagement patterns
Preparing content for different donor journeys
Creating flexible communication flows
Allowing for real-time content adjustment
Resources and Next Steps
Download the CRD Conference Presentation
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Implementation timelines
Technical specifications
Content strategies
Results analysis DOWNLOAD NOW
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Conclusion
The ALM Division's journey from fragmented data to integrated relationships demonstrates that digital transformation isn't just about technology—it's about people. By putting relationships at the center of their digital strategy, they didn't just improve their metrics; they strengthened their mission.
As Aimee Murry reflects, "What we've created isn't just a better way to raise funds—it's a better way to connect people with purpose. And ultimately, that's what The Salvation Army is all about."
Thank you for following our three-part series on relationship-driven fundraising. We'd love to hear what topics you'd like us to cover in future newsletters. Share your thoughts in the comments below or email us at info@g-labgroup.com
