Infidelity Counseling Network

Tangible take-aways pave a new future

Infidelity is one of the most life-altering events a person can experience, shattering trust and eroding confidence. It’s also a really tough issue to talk about – and to raise funds for.

But the leadership at the Infidelity Counseling Network was determined to build a strong fundraising program as they saw the need for the services they offer quickly rising with each passing year. With all their programs offered free to the women going through the trauma of infidelity, their small staff and board realized that external funds would need to grow.

And that meant their network and their skills needed to as well.

In late 2015, the group’s Executive Director, Laura Steuer, and Board President, Ebony Utley, Ph.D, contacted do good to begin the process of strengthening their fundraising efforts.

The California-based nonprofit received consulting sessions with do good’s Laura Huth via phone conference call and email feedback and check-ins.

“We got specific and very customized action items that were backed up by theory and research-based concepts,” said Steuer.

In addition to helping the Infidelity Counseling Network organize the steps they needed to take and in what order to implement a holiday fundraising appeal, do good guided the organization in ramping up their storytelling efforts to make the lives they touch more real.

“Our services are all confidential, so we were having a problem figuring out how to talk about what we do,” said Steuer. “But Laura showed us that we can indeed tell very rich and compelling stories of lives changed without ever jeopardizing our client’s confidentiality. This is really going to change things for us.”

Using anonymized stories of those the Infidelity Counseling Network has helped boosted their ability to connect with donors.

The Infidelity Counseling Network surpassed their holiday appeal goal by 25% using a combination of a printed appeal combined with online communications on social media, their e-newsletter, and their website. “Our investment in do good was worth every penny,” Steuer says. “Next year we are already planning to over double our goal from this year!”

In the process, the Network’s leadership learned some new things they’ll need to work in into 2016 and beyond. They realized in their holiday appeal that they did not gain many new donors, and so for 2016 they aim to widen their donor pool. One concrete step will be including a new concept for all new board members who join their team: an expectation of all board members to give of their time, talent (skills), treasure (money), and ties (networks).

“do good gave us amazingly tangible take-aways – the most useful type of fundraising advice a small nonprofit like ours can get to propel us where we want and need to be.”
– Laura Steuer, Executive Director, Infidelity Counseling Network