Empowering Lives: How The Arc of Washington County Exceeded Its Fundraising Goal
In 2021, The Arc of Washington County set out on an ambitious journey: to modernize its aging campus, expand critical programs, and strengthen support for more than 700 children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
With nearly 70-year-old facilities, growing service demand, and a bold philanthropic goal of $2.5 million, the leadership team knew this campaign would require more than goodwill alone. They needed expert guidance, proven campaign strategy, and disciplined execution to ensure success—especially with uncertainty still lingering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
That’s where our team at Philanthropic Fundraising came alongside them.
Our Role: Strategic Guidance from Vision to Victory
From the very beginning, our work with The Arc focused on clarity, confidence, and momentum.
We supported the campaign by:
Conducting a feasibility assessment to validate the philanthropic goal and test donor readiness
Developing the overall campaign strategy and timeline to keep leadership aligned and accountable
Coaching board members and campaign leadership on donor conversations and major gift asks
Structuring the major gifts strategy to secure early leadership gifts
Providing ongoing campaign management support to keep progress moving—even as conditions shifted due to COVID
This ensured the campaign was not only ambitious—but realistic, fundable, and well-led.
The Results: Exceeding Every Expectation
What followed became a defining moment in The Arc’s nearly 70-year history.
Original philanthropic goal: $2.5 million
Philanthropic funds raised: $3 million
Additional government funding secured: $3 million
Total project funding: $6 million
What the Campaign Made Possible
Because of this focused strategy and community-wide generosity, The Arc was able to:
Fully modernize two aging buildings on its campus
Launch a new day and employment services center
Renovate administrative spaces to strengthen operations
Expand service capacity to support 100 additional individuals over the next five years
Establish a $1.75 million endowment vision to support long-term staff training, scholarships, financial assistance, and technology upgrades
This was not just a building project—it was a future-focused investment in people.
Generosity Inspired by Leadership & Structure
Major philanthropic support followed strong leadership and clear strategy.
The campaign attracted:
A $500,000 leadership gift from a foundation that's largest gift to date was four-figures
Multiple six-figure contributions from local businesses and community champions
Widespread individual donor participation
As Campaign Chairman Blackie Bowen shared:
“Seven hundred people to work with — that's a huge number of families in this community. You can’t say no to this.”
Fundraising When the Playbook Changed
When COVID altered traditional fundraising approaches, we helped The Arc pivot strategies without losing momentum. Without large in-person events, the team successfully relied on:
Personalized phone outreach
Tailored donor communications
Strong digital and social media visibility
This shift actually allowed for more direct donor connection, keeping the campaign personal and relational despite physical distance.
The Takeaway
The success of The Arc’s Empowering Lives Campaign illustrates what happens when:
Bold vision meets disciplined campaign strategy
Community generosity is supported by expert guidance
Leadership is equipped, not overwhelmed
From groundbreaking to ribbon cutting, this campaign stands as a powerful example of how the right fundraising partner can help organizations move faster, raise more, and serve more lives—even in uncertain times.
If your nonprofit is preparing for a major project or campaign and needs guidance to make it a success, let’s talk. Strategic planning and donor engagement can turn your vision into reality—just like it did here.
Schedule a strategy call with us https://www.philanthropicfundraising.com/contact
