Four Years Later

Four years ago, I left the Utah Democratic Party and founded Blueprint. It was liberating and nerve wracking. My son was barely one-year old and I only had one “client” that didn’t even fully pay the bills.

In that time, we’ve grown from my basement home office, through three different locations, and expanded our team to as many as six members. We started with one client in Salt Lake City proper, and now have worked in twelve states, spanning the beaches of North Carolina and Virginia through the deserts of the West.

Blueprint is proud that we have helped our clients raise over $8 million. We have elected congressmen, won ballot initiatives, expanded email lists, developed donor models, and helped raise money for one of the coolest future buildings in Salt Lake City.

My staff and I have learned a lot about fundraising over the years, especially how data can inform decisions, engage others, and improve fundraising programs. We’ve run tests on Facebook and direct mail, experimented with text messaging campaigns, and used statistical modeling to find new donors.

Now, as Blueprint is entering our fifth year, we wanted to start sharing some of what we’ve learned with people like you. This year, Blueprint is launching a monthly newsletter/blog of sorts that will share interesting concepts and practices on how data impacts various fundraising programs.

Want to know the best day to send a fundraising email? We’ve done the research. Does sending a direct mail appeal increase or decrease overall email revenue? We know the answer. What age, in general, has the best ROI to target in fundraising programs? We figured it out, so stay tuned!

Finally, I want to take a moment and recognize all of people that have worked with me over the years - Mackenzie, Clint, Corey, Lauren, Tillie, Catherine, and Alyssa. You guys have been awesome and it's been a blast growing this company with you.

I also want to thank all of our clients who have put their faith and trust in us to help you grow your program. You are doing some amazing and important work all over the country, and it’s an honor to be part of your team. Thank you.

Once again, thank you, and I look forward to working more with you (and hopefully providing some interesting information) in the future.