{"id":6725,"date":"2025-10-15T12:19:51","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T17:19:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.giveffect.com\/?p=6725"},"modified":"2025-10-24T09:33:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T14:33:08","slug":"habitat-slo-fundraising-case-study-exceeds-goals-by-221-percent","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.giveffect.com\/habitat-slo-fundraising-case-study-exceeds-goals-by-221-percent\/","title":{"rendered":"How Habitat for Humanity San Luis Obispo Broke Silos to Exceed Goals by 221%"},"content":{"rendered":"

A small team broke silos, rallied around one mission, and used Giveffect to turn a good event into a great fundraiser.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

This story was first shared at <\/span>Habitat NEXT<\/b>, Giveffect\u2019s virtual summit, where Habitat leaders such as Colleen Stefanek, Programs Manager at Habitat for Humanity San Luis Obispo, exchange real-world playbooks and results.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Challenge<\/b><\/h2>\n

At <\/span>Habitat for Humanity San Luis Obispo (SLO)<\/b><\/a>, <\/span>Build With Us<\/span><\/i> had long been a beloved community night; however, more of a celebration than a fundraiser. They wanted the event to do more than inspire; they wanted it to drive meaningful giving.<\/span><\/p>\n

But that goal came with challenges: new leadership, a lean team of three full-time staff, and responsibilities stretched across programs, volunteers, marketing, and development.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a total team effort. Three of us pulled this off on top of our regular jobs,\u201d shared Colleen Stefanek, Programs Manager.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like many affiliates, they also struggled with fragmented systems. Volunteer sign-ups were stored in one spreadsheet, sponsor outreach in another, and ticket data in a third. Email threads connected the dots but created confusion and delays. The team needed a way to bring everything and everyone together.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Shift: One Team, One System<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Photo credit: FramePerfect Media | Professional Marketing Videos<\/p><\/div>\n

That change began when Programs Manager Colleen Stefanek, who oversaw both volunteer engagement and event planning, proposed managing Build With Us<\/i> within a single, connected system.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were tired of juggling spreadsheets,\u201d Colleen said. \u201cWe needed one place where everyone could see what was happening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The team decided to run the entire campaign using <\/span>Giveffect<\/b>, bringing donors, volunteers, sponsors, ticketing, and communications together in one system. Weekly check-ins and a shared campaign timeline replaced siloed workflows. Everyone could see what needed to be done and when. No chasing information, no waiting on others to find a file.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGiveffect was immeasurable help. From auction to ticketing to email campaigns, you can click on the campaign and find everything.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery part of your team is important to get to that end goal.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By unifying under one system, the SLO team gained both structure and confidence. They could finally spend more time planning a meaningful experience instead of managing logistics.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Habitat<\/p>\n

Before the Event: Building Momentum and Structure<\/b><\/h2>\n

With the system in place, the team reimagined <\/span>Build With Us<\/span><\/i> from the ground up. They brought in a professional auctioneer, added a silent auction, and developed a short film that followed their most recent build from groundbreaking to home dedication.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI still cry every time I watch the video,\u201d Colleen shared. \u201cYou hear a dad say he never had his own room growing up, and now his son does.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Giveffect powered every part of preparation:<\/span><\/p>\n