Service Design Overview · EOYDC · East Oakland
#closethegap
EOYDC's CEO is deeply engaged with the organization — public spokesperson, counselor, fundraiser, and acting grants director — while managing a tight budget following a new multi-million dollar building opening. The original ask was to revamp a donations brochure for the holiday season. Asking more questions revealed a larger opportunity.
EOYDC had no formal list of individual donors and no holiday giving campaign infrastructure. I proposed a branded peer-to-peer campaign. The initial goal was a simple, annually repeatable program executable by youth staff.
Key questions driving the work: Why hadn't EOYDC had a holiday giving campaign before? What are nonprofit giving best practices? Who are EOYDC's champions? What tools would make this repeatable and automatable?
Staff, board members, and the advisory committee were the most direct connection to individual funders — and most were EOYDC alumni with deep personal mission. The resulting service included campaign crafting, timeline, visuals, social outreach, P2P platform setup, backend systems, staff training, competition design, and process documentation.
One learning: fundraising is not suitable for youth staff to lead. A full-time adult staff member should lead with two youth staff in support.
Process
Project Goal
Create a blueprint for an annual holiday giving campaign that generates at least $15,000 and can be repeated yearly, requiring less than 15 hours a week from full-time staff to execute.
System View
Stakeholders categorized by engagement level. Focal areas are those most likely to act as fundraisers and funders.
User Research
- Tech newcomer; uses Android for basic internet, photos, Facebook, email, and texting
- Comfortable with proven methods, open to learning tech-based approaches
- Excels at fundraising via networking with decision makers and alumni
- Prioritizes large one-time grants and corporate gifts over ongoing campaign management
- Stretched thin from assuming multiple organizational roles
- President of the Advisory Committee; attributes personal success to EOYDC
- $200K HHI; gave generously and influenced his company to host an in-office fundraiser
- Personally connected to the CEO — "like a mother to him"
- Wants to support EOYDC in continuing its legacy
- Tech savvy; smartphone primary for comms, purchases, and financial transactions
- Motivated by bragging rights in the competition and leading by example for staff and youth
- Network of friends and family connected to EOYDC and eager to support
- Assists with grant reporting; added campaign pressure increases stress
- Tech savvy; smartphone primary for communications and transactions
Research Phase
EOYDC relies heavily on grants for funding. The CEO and small staff were under constant pressure to meet submission timelines and reporting standards for each grant and funder. We needed a way to relieve this pressure. $15,000 would make a holiday giving campaign worthwhile.
Key Insights
Service Design
#closethegap holiday giving campaign combines several fundraising strategies
Competition rewarding fundraisers generates more activity than repeat direct messaging. Staff could win a personal coffee maker in their office for a week, plus swag and bragging rights.
Convenient giving and tracking with Network for Good (P2P) and Kiindful (tracking). Internet-based giving made donations easier and more accessible. A success bar displayed progress toward the $50,000 goal.
Aligned with Black Friday, Giving Tuesday, Oakland Running Festival, and East Bay Gives — creating momentum and activating funders outside EOYDC's existing community.
Service Delivery to Fundraisers
#closethegap delivered to full time adult staff, part time youth staff, advisory committee, and community board of directors
A single tangible goal — funding the Mac Lab — gave funders a reason to give and fundraisers a consistent message to share. Clear outcomes increase campaign confidence.
Data visuals on Bay Area youth technology access, a youth-directed video, sample email templates, and talking points — all packaged for Fundraiser success across social and email channels.
Weekly emails to all Fundraisers sharing competition leaders. "The One Club" required just one donation for membership — with a physical card. Funny photos and memes kept energy high.
Experience Design
Fundraisers — Shared meaning: "Community"
| Understand | Set Up | Compete | Duration | End | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actions |
Learn about campaign
Learn about prizes
|
Set up fundraising page
Pick a personal goal
Upload picture
Post to social media
Check co-workers' pages
|
Evangelize to friends & family
Office interactions
Social media sharing
Check fundraising page
|
Weekly competition updates
Office prize distribution
Social media interactions
Celebrate milestones
|
Join the One Club
Final awards
Receive final swag
Share results with network
|
| Touchpoints | Intro email 3-min presentation |
P2P platform (Network for Good) Compelling stat visuals |
Weekly competition emails Monthly digital newsletter |
Fundraising goal thermometer Weekly office prize |
One Club membership cards Gifts and swag as rewards |
| Experience | Intrigue Excitement | Doubt Anticipation | Competition Excitement | Engagement Momentum | Collective Accomplishment |
Outcomes