Collective Agency Impact: The Greenhouse Project
Over an 18-month engagement, our strategic fundraising partnership with The Greenhouse Project resulted in successfully raising $15 million to purchase and preserve a historic agricultural parcel in San Francisco, implementing comprehensive fundraising strategies that secured gifts ranging from $100 to $5.5 million.
Challenge
The Greenhouse Project faced a monumental task: raising $15 million to purchase a historic agricultural parcel in San Francisco known as 770 Woolsey in a short period of time. This century-old site represented an irreplaceable piece of the city's agricultural heritage and offered a unique opportunity for community-led urban agriculture development. However, several significant challenges stood in the way:
Little Fundraising Experience: The organization's board consisted of four members with no previous nonprofit or fundraising experience, requiring substantial capacity building in all aspects of campaign management.
Ambitious Timeline: With limited time to secure the property, the campaign needed to raise substantial funds quickly to prevent the site from being lost to commercial development.
Complex Fundraising Landscape: Success required navigating both public and private funding sources and implementing strategies to engage donors at all giving levels, from grassroots community members to major philanthropists.
Infrastructure: The group needed robust systems for donor tracking, pledge management, and campaign monitoring that didn't previously exist.
Solution
Our partnership with The Greenhouse Project involved intensive, hands-on support throughout the 18-month campaign. Our approach included:
Comprehensive Campaign Planning: We collaborated with board members to create a compelling case for support that articulated the historical significance of the site and the vision for its future as a community resource.
Multi-Tiered Fundraising Strategy: We designed and implemented coordinated entry-level, mid-level, and major donor strategies to build a broad base of support while securing transformational gifts.
Leadership Development: We provided extensive training in major gift fundraising and solicitation techniques, empowering board members to confidently engage with high-capacity donors.
Campaign Infrastructure: We built tracking systems to monitor pledges, payments, and overall campaign progress, providing real-time visibility into the campaign's status.
Campaign Cabinet Formation: We guided the creation and management of a fundraising cabinet that leveraged community connections and expanded the campaign's reach.
Strategic Donor Engagement: Through weekly strategy meetings, we advised the team on donor approaches, helping them navigate complex relationships and maximize giving potential.
Community Mobilization: We supported the team in organizing and hosting events that built momentum and created multiple pathways for community members to engage with the project.
Impact
The campaign achieved success, meeting its ambitious $15 million goal within just 18 months. Key outcomes included:
Secured a diverse funding mix with gifts ranging from $100 to $5.5 million
Successfully solicited grants from both public agencies and private foundation
Cultivated and closed early 7-figure gifts that provided campaign momentum
Sadly, despite the campaign’s success, the developer declined to sell the parcel to the community group.
