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Sanford Health Foundation Saved Over 80 Hours of Staff Time with Classy Live
Mission
To ensure every child gets the best care close to home, with access to the latest treatments, technology and cures at the region’s only freestanding children’s hospital
Challenge
Set an ambitious goal of hosting a successful Children’s Gala for the first time in ten years and needed an event platform to meet their growing expectations
Solution
Classy and Classy Live helped Sanford Health Foundation offer a seamless attendee and donor experience and saved their team time prepping for the gala
For everyone involved in this event, from operations & marketing to fundraising, we were all gifted time back and peace of mind [using Classy Live]. We used that time to connect with attendees and donors and steward the relationships even after the event.
– Carrie Biondi, Senior Director of Marketing and Operations
Children’s Gala Results with Classy Live:
80+ hours
of staff time saved
Nearly $1.1M
raised on a $500k goal
First Children’s Gala in Ten Years
Since implementing Classy, Sanford Health Foundation’s online giving increased by 200% from year-end 2021 to year-end 2022. Because of the success Sanford Health had already seen with Classy, they decided to use Classy’s event management software, Classy Live, for its first Children’s Gala in ten years. The gala was a time to highlight the care local children receive every day at Sanford Children’s Hospital in the Sioux Falls region of South Dakota and celebrate the role that philanthropy plays.
During the gala, Classy Live’s end-to-end event capabilities supported registration, seating, check-in, check-out, texting, and a paddle raise for direct donations to the Children’s Hospital.
Classy supports our fundraising goals by providing a platform that gives us the ability to tell our story, host events, as well as collect donations in a streamlined, user-friendly way.
Automating Pre-Event Admin Tasks
For the Children’s Gala, all registrants were sent automatic emails and SMS reminders ahead of the gala. Attendee information and tables were pre-loaded, and paddle numbers were assigned at check-in, which removed the burden of inputting data on the spot, sped up the check-in progress, and greatly reduced human error. Credit card readers were also used to capture payment information during check-in to process gifts made throughout the evening.
The team estimated that they saved over 80 hours altogether by automating these pre-event tasks.
The overall event experience was donor-centric, but it was also team-centric because we didn’t need to stress as much as we used to during events. We could trust the process. For everyone involved in this event, from operations & marketing to fundraising, we were all gifted time back and peace of mind [using Classy Live]. We used that time to connect with attendees and donors and steward the relationships even after the event.
Bringing 2023 Event and Fundraising Successes into 2024
The Children’s Gala was ultimately a roaring success, with Sanford Health Foundation raising nearly $1.1 million with 425 in-person attendees. All funds raised during the Gala, from credit card donations to the paddle raise, immediately synced back to Classy. The Sanford Health team can continue to steward the loyal Sanford supporters, in addition to 40 new donors, long after the event ends.
Classy Live played an instrumental role in making the night run as smoothly as possible—even the attendees took notice.
We wanted the evening to feel special for every guest, so it was important that the check-in and check-out process was seamless. It allowed our guests to spend more time enjoying the evening. The night would not have run so smoothly without Classy Live.
Because of the positive experience and feedback from the Children’s Gala and knowing they can maximize their team’s time and create a stellar experience for attendees, Sanford Health has decided to use Classy Live to support them at a number of upcoming events in 2024.
