Case Study
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Referral Rewards Turn Supporters Into Fundraisers
How a social impact rewards platform scaled to 1.2M+ eligible nonprofits and boosted giving for local clubs
Founding team wanted to “reward people for bringing more donors to good causes.” The initial idea was broad. Should they build everything from scratch? Target major nonprofits or small community orgs? Use email, LinkedIn, or consumer social?
The referral mechanics were exciting but unproven in real‑world nonprofit contexts. The model worked in theory, but it needed a digital system that nonprofits could plug into easily—and proof that it could move real numbers.
Challenges
Should the first version serve a narrow segment (like local clubs) or go wider from day one?
How simple can the referral experience be while still tracking rewards accurately?
Which social channels and content formats would best mobilize supporters?
What metrics will prove the model works: new donors, total revenue, or recurring upgrades?
What PhilanthroForge did
Clarified positioning so the platform spoke the language of fundraisers, not just tech.
Designed multi‑step referral journeys: supporter sign‑up, referral sharing, reward earning, and ongoing re‑engagement.
Built campaigns across email and LinkedIn to recruit early nonprofit partners and their communities.
Integrated with a major nonprofit directory, expanding potential reach to over 1.2 million nonprofits.
Built and ran multi‑channel campaigns—email, LinkedIn, and social—to recruit nonprofits and activate their supporters.
Structured a strategic integration and presence on Every.org, aligning SIR Giving with a directory of over 1.2 million nonprofits.
Results
Referral and matching campaigns launched for multiple nonprofits, with clear tracking of new donors and revenue tied to reward activity.
SIR Giving’s potential reach expanded dramatically via the Every.org ecosystem, making the platform available to 1.2M+ nonprofit profiles.
Through one partner organization using SIR Giving, donations increased from roughly $844 to over $16,300 year‑over‑year, with donor count rising from 13 to 105 and average gift more than doubling.
Takeaways
Reward and matching systems live or die on simplicity and proof.
When supporters understand the steps and nonprofits can see hard numbers, “referrals” stop being a buzzword and become a reliable new‑donor engine.
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