RFP For Digital Direct Response Agency
Submittals due: March 27, 2023, 5:00 p.m. EST
SCOPE OF WORK
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (“National Trust”) is a nonprofit organization that works to save America’s historic places. From its headquarters in Washington, DC and field offices, the National Trust takes direct, on-the-ground action when historic sites are threatened. National Trust’s work helps build vibrant, sustainable communities. National Trust facilitates public participation in the preservation of sites, buildings, and objects of national significance or interest. National Trust advocates with governments to save America’s heritage and strives to create a cultural legacy that is as diverse as the nation itself. The National Trust is soliciting competitive proposals from firms interested in providing comprehensive digital direct marketing fundraising services (“Project”). Digital direct marketing includes emails, digital advertising, and website assets (i.e. lightboxes and donation forms) however NTHP is open to dividing up the sections – email/website fundraising, and digital advertising – and welcome proposals for the comprehensive program or individual sections.
The Period of Performance is from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2026, with a three-year optional, automatic, extension for three additional years, unless otherwise agreed to by both Parties. Contractor is responsible for providing all the services, materials, equipment, facilities, and personnel required to assist the National Trust with its digital fundraising efforts as solicited in this RFP.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Annual Giving Department is responsible for generating $6.7M in revenue in FY24and growing the Trust’s total membership, digital supporter, and mid-level donor base. To reach the National Trust’s fundraising goals, the department solicits new members (“dues” paying), renewals and additional gifts (“donations”) from both members and other supporters. Over the last three years, the National Trust has made progress in building revenue and a base of digital donors. Over the next three years, the Trust’s objective is to enhance the strategy, donor journey, and revenue opportunities from our digital campaigns. Top priorities for the program include increasing the percentage of revenue from all online channels to balance out the inequity between offline and online revenue and driving increased growth in the sustainer donor segment.
Broad goals for the future include:
• 30% of overall revenue to come from monthly donors in the next three years
• YOY improvements to new online donor acquisition with the objective of matching online new donor acquisition with offline
• Drive more mid-level growth through digital efforts
• Formulate holistic upgrade strategy through donor journey development
• Foster strong partnership with mail agency to integrate offline fundraising more closely with online efforts
• Create a robust testing environment for web efforts including donation forms, ask strings, email formats, segmentation, etc.
• Explore opportunities for additional segmentation based on donor journey
• Develop opportunities to partner with the Trust’s marketing division to enhance donor conversion and lead generation The proposal should explain a philosophy and vision for enhancing the digital fundraising program and how to integrate it within the Trust’s other fundraising channels and offline fundraising campaigns. As a re-emerging program, the Trust is focused on rebuilding the acquisition program to attract new audiences, while ensuring that all these efforts are moving members through the donor funnel effectively. The National Trust is celebrating its 75th Anniversary in 2025.
The Trust considers 2024 the year to ramp up to that celebration. It presents opportunities to work more closely with the Trust’s major gift staff, as well as an enhancing the partnership with Trust Marketing colleagues. In response to the RFP, consider and share ways this anniversary can augment general digital efforts and opportunities for those partnerships.
