Data-Driven Growth: How DonorSearch Helped the Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Launch a $38M Campaign
Client: Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation
Sector: Museums and Social Justice
“Using DonorSearch, we quadrupled our mid and major donor segments, tripled our active donor base, and built the foundation for a $38M capital campaign. The integration and data made it easy to act on insights—and achieve results.”
— Andrew Mathewes, Senior Director of Development, Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation
Client Overview:
The Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation operates the National Civil Rights Museum at the historic Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee—the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. Since 1991, the museum has preserved the legacy of Dr. King and the broader civil rights movement, educating the public and serving as a catalyst for positive social change.
To expand its impact, the foundation launched the Become the Dream Capital Campaign, a transformative initiative to renovate key campus spaces and introduce new exhibits that deepen its historical and cultural storytelling.
The Challenge:
Upon joining the museum, Andrew Mathewes and the newly overhauled Development team recognized a need to rebalance their fundraising strategy. While the museum had long benefited from strong institutional support—corporate, foundation, and government—they were under-indexed in individual giving.
Strategic priorities included:
- Deepening individual donor engagement
- Reactivating lapsed supporters and upgrading current donors
- Launching and funding a $38 million capital campaign for building renovations and exhibit expansions
To achieve these goals, the foundation needed to better understand its donor file and uncover untapped giving capacity.
The Results:
- Quadrupled Mid and Major Donors: Since implementing DonorSearch’s data tools, the museum increased the number of donors giving $2,500 or more by more than 4x.
- Tripled Active Donor Base: Using bulk screening and segmentation powered by DonorSearch, the foundation effectively reactivated lapsed donors and optimized outreach across email, text, and direct mail channels.
- Advanced a $38M Capital Campaign: DonorSearch helped guide feasibility planning and donor pyramid development for the Become the Dream Capital Campaign. The campaign raised nearly $39 million in under three years from just 23–25 donors. The funds are supporting the renovation of the historic boarding house—believed to be the origin point of the fatal shot—as well as a new exhibit on civil rights icon Bayard Rustin.
The Solution:
DonorSearch enabled the team to review a decade of donor data and identify supporters giving below capacity. This discovery helped prioritize acquisition, renewal, reactivation, and upgrade strategies. Integrated directly with Blackbaud RENXT, DonorSearch provided real-time insights to fundraisers—without requiring them to navigate additional systems.
The Benefits:
- Rich Prospect Discovery: Screening revealed that even lapsed and low-dollar donors had significant giving potential—unlocking major gift upgrades and reactivations.
- Seamless Technology Integration: Direct RENXT integration made donor data accessible and actionable for frontline fundraisers, allowing the team to focus more time on donor engagement and less time toggling between tools.
- Exceptional Partnership: Beyond the platform, DonorSearch provided responsive customer support. Andrew highlighted the DonorSearch team for helping structure a renewed and upgraded partnership that aligned with the foundation’s goals.
Conclusion
With DonorSearch’s data tools, seamless Blackbaud integration, and dedicated support, the Lorraine Civil Rights Museum Foundation reshaped its development strategy—quadrupling major donors, tripling active donor counts, and raising nearly $39 million for a historic capital campaign. As the Legacy Building nears completion and the Bayard Rustin exhibit opens, the foundation continues to preserve history and inspire future generations through bold, data-driven fundraising.
