The Smith Family: exceeds industry average growth through targeted strategy

FROM THE JUDGES:

Great clarity and specificity in identifying the issues, undertaking research, developing strategy and implementation. Good clear targets and measurement and excellent
results.”

RESULTS + IMPACT

• Year on year workplace giving (wpg) income growth of 11.6% in FY19/20
• Increased wpg income by $143,000
• Three new wpg partners added

 OVERVIEW + HIGHLIGHTS

• The Smith Family (TSF) is Australia’s leading children’s education charity helping young Australians in need to participate fully in their education. Their learning support and mentoring programs help children to fit in at school, keep up with their peers, and build aspirations for a better future for themselves. They currently support around 56,000 students sponsored on their flagship ‘Learning for Life’ program.
• TSF recognised the opportunity to improve their wpg program. There were three drivers:
  – realise better ROI, partner retention, business development opportunities and improve competitive advantage in the marketplace;
  – help elevate wpg visibility and performance nationally across the sector; and
  – a review of TSF’s corporate partnership program value proposition indicated that its wpg offering should be reviewed.
  • There were four project phases:
  – Phase 1 – Determine scope: pro bono support was sought from Bain & Company (Bain). With support from Bain and WGA, a strategic review was
  conducted looking at how TSF could double its wpg income in five years.
  – Phase 2 – Data analysis: three years of wpg data was analysed and segmented. Interviews were held with wpg partners to gauge ‘voice of the customer’, drivers and challenges. Interviews were also conducted with the TSF corporate partnerships team to understand wpg confidence and barriers.
  – Phase 3 – Prototype: strategic review completed providing seven recommendations. TSF corporate partnerships’ five-year strategy and value proposition was finalised.
  – Phase 4 – Launch and future strategy: TSF implemented Bain’s recommendations, including training the corporate partnerships team on wpg.
  Updated all wpg collateral and messaging and rolled out to all corporate wpg partners in time for 2020 Workplace Giving Month. Team delivered four ‘lunch n learn’ presentations to partners’ employees to support Workplace Giving Month.