Two organizations with complementary but individual fundraising and communications goals needed help parsing a path forward, and Inbloom set the plan.

PROJECT

Endowment Campaign Strategy
2016

SERVICES

Communications
Fund Development

IMPACT

clemetrobar.org

The Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Foundation (CMBF) is the non-profit, fundraising arm of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (CMBA). The Association is a professional group for lawyers that offers continuing education and free services; the CMBF raises funds for the CMBA’s service programs.

The CMBF wanted to find new ways to connect to its constituencies, and raise money for its endowment. Complicating the situation, the CMBA was exploring a potential capital campaign. Both organizations share members, creating the opportunity for fundraising fatigue, and both would likely make big asks in the same pool of potential donors. 

The CMBF had four goals for its work with Inbloom

• Determine the best plan for endowment fundraising, and develop a strategic plan
• Assess how a CMBA capital campaign could impact CMBF fundraising
• Engage staff and volunteers
• Create a communication plan to support fundraising goals

The Services

The CMBF contracted Inbloom to create an endowment campaign strategy, including campaign messaging and communications that developed a vision for the future that relied less on resource-intensive, event-based fundraising and more on transformative philanthropy.  

Inbloom worked closely with CMBA and CMBF leadership and staff to assess opportunities for the CMBF’s fundraising plans. Inbloom looked at other bar associations and foundations across the nation in cities similar in size to Cleveland to look at branding, messaging, and fundraising activities, then reviewed past CMBA and CMBF fundraising efforts, current resources, and the philanthropic landscape.